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Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 9:33 am
by bradsteel
Hi guys,
From time to time I get a small shock (feels equivalent to arm hairs being pulled out) from my steel. anybody have any advice as to what it can be and how to prevent it?
Thanks,
Brad
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 10:54 am
by Ken Byng
Brad
Get the earth checked asap on your amp and the mains socket that you are plugging it in to. Also use good quality cord from your guitar to the amp. Your pickup should ideally be earthed to an earth point on the guitar. Under the bridge is a good place for this.
Hope this helps. 
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 1:12 pm
by Dave Nutt
Exactly as Ken says, I would add- 'dont even touch it again until all is tested and the fault rectified'
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 1:18 pm
by rogerp1
If you do play it wear wellies or have someone standing nearby with a broom
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 2:48 pm
by bradsteel
Thanks Ken.
I'm not electronically/mechanically minded whatsoever. Will somebody who simply knows electrics be able todo this as opposed to a steel builder/fixer?
Is there any chance it could be static?
Thanks guys.
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 2:52 pm
by Ken Byng
It could be static. Mark Dunn is our resident electrical guru on this site, and if he spots your post he may well dive in. Listen to the esteemed words of Dave Nutt. Don't touch the guitar until you have had the rig checked by a qualified electrician. 
It needs someone with a multi meter to trace the problem. Are you using a microphone as well as playing steel? Also, if you can check the connections on your mains lead make sure that the earth lead is connected to the correct pin. 
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 9:52 pm
by bradsteel
Thanks my friend. Will get somebody to look at it!
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 2:08 am
by bob adams
Do get it sussed out before you use it next Brad,
Think on the scenario!
My left hand was on my steel, I reached for my boom mic.. I stuck to the sparking thing; went over the top of my steel a landed between the couple on the first table about six feet away! Quick thinking; the guys pulled the power and the mic fell, when I finally got back on my seat they tried to finish the set but by then half the audience had gone as they had got such a fright! As for me, it seemed to deflate my lungs and I couldn't lift even the mic stand at the end of the night, it took a couple of months before the chest sorted itself out and the blisters slowly disappeared from my fried hand!
Treat all that buzzes with respect my friend it can sting you big time! ............ I got a warning!
Culprit on that occasion a loose earth on the PA amp plug! I WAS THE EARTH!!
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 7:47 am
by Ken Byng
I have had a few 'belts' over the years at some venues, especially at antiquated village halls and social clubs. I expect that some of our older members have too. At one venue in the 60's our power supply was at the end of a very flimsy trailing lead that was plugged into a light fitting as there were no wall sockets on the stage!! Needless to say we didn't play that one as there was a real fire risk from heat generation at that light socket plus we would have had no earth. In the late 70's I started to get into the habit of using a small mains tester when I first arrived at the gig. (See below). These little units will disclose any basic wiring problems when you plug them into a mains socket. If there were any problems I would make the person in charge of the venue aware that their wiring was faulty, and refuse to play until it was sorted out. Almost all venues these days have to have some form of certification on their wiring, plus annual PAT tests. However, even now I always use a trailing lead with a circuit breaker plug on one end to avoid Bob's scenario from happening.
Re: Small electric shock from steel?
Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 8:09 am
by Ken Byng
As an aside, I remember John Rostill - former bassist with The Shadows - being fatally electrocuted while playing at his home studio through defective wiring. When I built my own studio a couple of years ago I had it professionally wired and certified by a bona fide electrical company, even though I could have easily done the work myself. I am content that the electricals in that building are 100% safe, and have around 40 to 50 mains sockets in there. 