Hello all. I have the most bizzare (at least I think it is) problem with my victoria 20112 that I did not even know how to describe it. So I shot a short video and stuck it on you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9csCFxeuvc
Forgive my apperance as I have the Flu, like everyone else I know.
Any help would be greatly appreciated:
I believe you have discovered static electricity.
By the way, you have taken us forward into a brave new realm, BassmanTwead.
s'all goof.
I do what I can.
So that noise is normal? You know what is funny, is just last Friday I had carpet installed into my home office, which is where i keep my gear. Maybe that is where the static electricity is coming from.
Can you elaborate on how this happens and is there anything I can do to eliminate it?
Dude, that is weird. I've never seen that before.
Just don't move your hand while you play.
Have as much grounding as practical with a Anti-Static Grounding Wrist Band,
maybe this will help along with these tips stolen from off the net:
Static electricity is more active when the air and materials are dry. The humidity is normally lower in the winter, and heating the house further reduces the humidity. Also, locations with a desert climate usually have very low relative humidity.
Moisturize skin
Some people have very dry skin that may cause the buildup of static charges, especially in the winter. One thing to try is to use moisturizers or lotions on your skin. The only problem with that, of course, is that you might have to put it all over your body.
You can experiment with different types of moisturizers and in different locations. Perhaps just putting lotion on you hands may be sufficient, since shocks and sparks usually come from touching objects with your hands.
"The other Shaltanac's joopleberry shrub is always a more mauvy shade of pinky-russet."
"there's NOTHING WRONG with a live penguin, but...I expected a hamburger!"
Wouldn't grabbing the strings make me grounded?Originally Posted by Jonnda
Have as much grounding as practical with a Anti-Static Grounding Wrist Band,
Couple ideas...
Do put a humidifier in the room with your instruments. The dry winter conditions and the new carpet are all contributing to static buildup.
I don't know if you want to do this because it might change the sound of your guitar every so slightly. You can line the back of the pickguard with copper foil (or some other form of metal shielding) and connect it to the ground within your guitar. There's probably already some sort of shielding localized around the controls but you can extend it to the entire pickguard.
There's stuff like this out there: http://www.monteallums.com/Shielding.html
It's invisible and reversible so what do you have to lose?
s'all goof.
It might be static cling....
Hmmmm....
Have you ever had this happen?
what is a good humidity level to keep the room?
Of course. SO embarrasing.It might be static cling....
Hmmmm....
Have you ever had this happen?
I thought i remember you saying your strings were not grounded well, and figured that grounding through another object would help.
"The other Shaltanac's joopleberry shrub is always a more mauvy shade of pinky-russet."
"there's NOTHING WRONG with a live penguin, but...I expected a hamburger!"
Thats wild...
Does that always happen?
Or is it the kind of thing that happens only when you are close to your pc monitor?
Either way, I would start by getting another pickguard and "shielding" the entire underside with one of those 12x12 inch copper sheets.
It does now. But it only recently started doing it.
Normally I just lurk, but I've had issues with guitars, static and humidity before. Last year I bought a humidifier with a digital control that let's me keep the humidity in my guitar room at an almost constant 45% relative humidity and it really helped with static electricity, as well as protecting your guitar from having the neck shrink and fret ends pop out.
+1 (or 2 by now) on the humidifier helping out and keeping fret-sprout from happening, but seriously, get yourself a box of (unscented) Bounce dryer sheets and rub one over the pickguard before you play. That solves my problem with static pops every time. One rub at the beginning of a studio session or practice session at my house and I don't need to do it again the rest of the day.
Oh, and sorry, you're not the first TFF member to post a youtube video of yourself playing to address a concern or demonstrate a particular tone. But you are about the 4th, so I think that could still be considered pioneering.
This happens to me, regardless of the amp I'm using. I keep a dryer fabric softener sheet handy (Bounce). I just rub it, lightly, on the pickguard, and the problem goes away for quite some time.
Oh MAN! Bounce! Humidifiers! Copper Sheilding! Why didn't I try any of these things? Instead, I moved to Louisiana. No more static electricity problems, but I did have to have gills surgically implanted behind the ears.
POO DAT!!!
The bounce strip worked but it left a residue all over the pickguard.
Any alternate suggestions?
Thanks again
If you move away from Louisiana, the gills heal over in a few years.
Not sure what you're talking about. Unscented bounce leaves nothing on my pickguards. Just one pass--not like you're rubbing and buffing.
And if it worked, that means static is indeed your problem. Fight it with a 2 cent dryer sheet, or considerably more money put into humidifiers and other climate control devices.
Yeah I missed the unscented part.
My bad
during the 18th century Ben Franklin discovered and defined Static electricity by rubbing an animal skin on glass. I would try a flying a kite, with wire and a key....the tears of laughter are blurring my vision.... how ever .... i think the fact that you used a youtube vid to display the problem is absolutely briliant and visionary.
Your definitely not alone.....I've had the same problem, but only with my single coil guitars, like my tele and p90 LP. The dryer sheet does work for a little while. I ran into the residue thing as well the first time. I just haven't ventured into the "sheilding of the cavity" yet. I remember thinking what the f___ is that? Anyway, good luck
Robert
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