Rickenbacher B6 grounding

Eric Dahlhoff · From: Point Arena, California

Happy Holidays!

I've got a B6 "Panda" with celluloid white plates. I'm assuming war-time build. Really fun to play. Cool

But... in some circumstances I get the typical single-coil pickup buzz, unless I touch the pickup or jack, etc.

How do people ground the strings on these?

Thanks
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"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan)

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

Here is a a shot of the wiring on mine. Hope this helps.

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Some folks fabricate a thin metal shim to put on ... Between the ball end and the loading Bakelite area ... Then run a wire from that to the sleeve of the 1/4" jack ...

I've seen other folks weave a thin gauge wire around the strings between the bridge and the body and run it to the jack.

A simple option is to get one of those static electricity bracelets for working on sensitive electronics ... put it on and run it to the jack ... I do this on my prewar bakelites in winter sometimes ... when it's really dry and staticky.

Hope that helps ...

Eric Dahlhoff · From: Point Arena, California

Thanks Tim, but mine has plastic plates not metal.

Thanks for the ideas Rick. I think I'll try a piece of copper tape behind the bridge and a wire to the pickup mount. I do like the idea of the anti-static wrist band Idea

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"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan)

Mike Neer · From: NJ

This is how I did it. I didn't want to do any further mods to this guitar, so a simple wire to the bridge.

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Jim Kennedy · From: Brentwood California, USA

The bridge must be grounded to reduce the hum. Any way you can get from the bridge to another ground point should work. Make sure you have a solid connection.
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Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

That's the issue with prewar and "wartime" Bakelites ... the bridge is integrated bakelite ...

Jim Kennedy · From: Brentwood California, USA

Looks versus functionality. The way Mike Neer did it will work just fine. If you can find a more elegant way, go for it. If the bridge isn't grounded, the strings act like an antenna, picking up any spurious noise floating around.

I worked on a mid 70's Fender P Bass once. Original owner for 20 years was having serious hum issues. Multi meter showed the bridge was not grounded. The ground wire came up through a hole in the body and was merely laying under the bridge plate. Over time the wire had depressed into the wood and oxidized just enough to lose the ground. I soldered a star washer to the wire, made sure a screw went through the washer. 20 years later, still works great. If you want to reduce the hum, you have to ground the bridge.
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ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin,

Jim Kennedy · From: Brentwood California, USA

Read the post over again. Are the saddles for the strings bakelite? If that's the case your kind of stuck. I am an electronics tech, but have no experience with these old guitars.
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ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin,

Eric Dahlhoff · From: Point Arena, California

Yes, the saddle/bridge is all part of the bakelite body. Not a spec of metal there!

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"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan)

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Eric Dahlhoff · From: Point Arena, California

Stephen, that's perfect! Much better than my idea of copper tape.
I love this forum! Idea

Thanks!
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"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan)

Bill Sinclair · From: Waynesboro, PA, USA

The late great Mike Auldridge used a paper clip!

Eric Dahlhoff · From: Point Arena, California

The paper clip is a great idea too!
Here's what I did. It has the advantage of grounding all the strings.

_________________
"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan)

Bill Groner · From: QUAKERTOWN, PA

Nice job Eric, Looks nice....like you can hardly see it! 😀
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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

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