Quick Shielding Question - Star Ground

[sk5223]

First time poster. Please be gentle.

The guitarnuts shielding instructions () show the signal ground wires all soldered to a ring terminal for "star" grounding. Diagram # 2d has an arrow pointing to the ring connector that says "insulate".

My quick question is this: Does this mean to insulate the ring terminal from the copper shield? If so, how do you do that?

Many thanks in advance!

[newey]

sk5223-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

If you are following the original Guitarnuts instructions exactly, there are two ring terminals used.

One ring connector is looped over one of the threaded pot shafts, thus contacting the shielding on the underside of the pickguard. The shielding thus gets grounded. That ring connector is not the one that's insulated.

The second ring connector is the "star ground" point where all the grounds are collected. It, in turn, is connected to the output jack negative lug, thereby completing the circuit to the cable/amp.

This second ring connector is just "floating free" in the cavity. It needs to be insulated, not from the shielding which is grounded anyway, but from any of the "hot" leads to the switch or to the pots, where contact would then short things to ground.

To insulate the ring connector, wrap it in electrical tape, taking care that any bare wires connected to the ring are also wrapped up.

Once it's properly insulated, you can then further tape the star ground off to the side of the cavity if the idea of it floating around unsecured disturbs your mojo.

[sk5223]

Many thanks, Newey.

Yes, it's the star ground ring terminal that I was referring to. You mention that it needs to be insulated ". . . not from the shielding which is grounded anyway. . ."

I realize now that if the star ground ring terminal touches the pickguard shield then the choking capacitor is effectively taken out of the circuit; that's because the ring terminal will have a direct path to ground!

Your suggestion to use electrical tape is sound advice, Newey. Thanks again.

[newey]

Yes, it's the star ground ring terminal that I was referring to. You mention that it needs to be insulated ". . . not from the shielding which is grounded anyway. . ."

I realize now that if the star ground ring terminal touches the pickguard shield then the choking capacitor is effectively taken out of the circuit; that's because the ring terminal will have a direct path to ground!

You're right, if it contacts the shielding it bypasses the blocking capacitor. I was more concerned about it shorting your output, resulting in no music.