How to earth (ground) the strings on a cigar box guitar.

This is my technique for earthing the strings on my typical through-neck cigar box guitars. I earth one string and use a bridge with a machine screw bolt or fretwire saddle to provide earth continuity for all the strings.
You don't have to do this to get your guitar to work, but it will help reduce hums and buzzing that can be amplified via the pickup from electrical sources such as lighting, computers and the wiring circuits in buildings.
I hope this helps all you budding luthiers and cigar box guitar makers.
Bridges and soft faced hammers as used in the video, and lots of other good stuff are available from my online shop
www.chickenbonejohn.com/

[@carlbowden4712]

You provide the best tech info of anyone in CBG!

[@oliverpersson6090]

Happy to see you uploading videos John, got me motivated to pick up the guitar again after a break of playing the piano instead. / Oliver

[@snikle121]

Thanks for the tip! I was just about to finish a project when I saw this video. I made a last minute adjustment and it sounds great!

[@BeyondF1]

Showing how and more to the point why it is needed. Very helpful, thanks.

[@benvigs]

Brilliant! Clear, concise. Thank you!

[@HiltsyAdventure]

did this on my last couple builds, and works great, thanks bud :)

[@frankmcgrogan1607]

I just found this, good idea. Thanks for all the stuff you share with us! Bizzaro in Fla USA

[@musicmike1960]

Brilliant and simple....

[@roughcutguitars]

"Top tip" indeed Sir, thanks! Been soldering to the saddle bolt - but this is a nice clean look. Cheers!

[@danthsmith]

very helpful video, Thanks John

[@thomasmorgan930]

Thanks, very nice way to do this. Great tip on using the rivets for ferrules. I too would like to see you make your bridges.

[@FezzantPlucka]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing.

[@mickyboy1955]

Good vid....Thanks,CBJ

[@LordPadriac]

An easier way to get that long shallow angle into the string hole would be with one of the small jigs (the small hold in place or clamp in place type with only two holes) meant to drill pocket holes and a jobber bit of the right diameter.

[@ChickenboneJohn]

I've already made a jig for the job like that.

[@PuckettCigarBoxGuitar]

great idea - works best on Mag pickups - if you just have a piezo you can get away with not grounding the bridge... but your always "better off grounding...regardless" - thanks for the tip bud !!!!

[@rayk141]

ThX ChickenBone !!! I'll give that a try on the next build. Do you have any vids on building the various bridges you make?

[@7884golfguru]

Thanks bro 👍😎

[@Chaplin835]

muy bien gracias

[@74dartman13]

That's a great idea and it's hidden!

[@bob74551]

Thank you Sir for sharing your knowledge, if i drill three differents hole and connecting the rivet to the ground may I keep my bone bridge and avoid metal parts?

[@ChickenboneJohn]

Yes, if you are using a non-conductive bridge, ideally you'd need to ground all three strings that way.

[@bob74551]

@@ChickenboneJohn thanks you professor !

[@stephendavies1668]

Great video CBJ. Before watching it, I'd actually grounded my thru neck CBG the same way, but using string ferrules instead of rivets. However.....for some reason, I'm still getting some hum when my hands are not touching the strings and this is on both of my first CBG builds. One is earthed like the one in your vid (via one ferrule and then using a bolt as a bridge) and the other with the earth wire trapped beneath a metal bridge. Both earths start at the vol. pot on each. I've checked continuity at ALL the earth points back to the jack socket and all sound a tone. Really can't think why I still get hum and little 'clicks' when I touch the strings, bridge etc. Any clues to the remedy would be much appreciated!

[@chickenbonejohn714]

Earthing the strings wont necessarily get rid of hum -it helps but isn't a cure-all. You need to use quality sheilded wire , and single coil pickups are more prone to picking up hum than humbuckers.

[@stephendavies1668]

@@chickenbonejohn714 Thanks for getting back to me John. Take your point, but I still can't figure out the cause on these 2 CBG's. I've put several 'normal' solid electric guitars (all single-coil equipped) together and earthed them in a similar way and have had no hum at all, apart of course if you're either too close or at the wrong angle to the amp. Makes me mad not to be able to work this out!

[@12Radius]

Is that a Regal in the background ? cause I got one looks just like it.

[@ChickenboneJohn]

+12Radius It's an Airline, made by Harmony.

[@12Radius]

Oh ok thanks.Hope you do more Stella videos again.. I got a older Stella looks a little like your 1939 in one of you video.I can't find date any place on line or you tube videos.tail piece is like 1939.very fun guitar V neck also.Thanks man.

[@johanholmqvist6930]

Why do you need to earth it? Planning to build a cigar box guitar so II'm learning...

[@ChickenboneJohn]

Earthing the strings helps reduce the likelihood of the guitar picking up interference and buzzing from lighting and electrical circuits in buildings.

[@dgraytcps]

Can you tell me what you are using for string ferrules?

[@dgraytcps]

Never mind, you covered that lol... Lesson, finish video then ask questions lol

[@mickyboy1955]

I use a rod piezo with a bone bridge,not metal...Where and how would be the correct way to ground my strings?...Thank you,CBJ

[@chickenbonejohn714]

With piezo guitars you don't need to ground the strings . With an electric pickup, the strings create the sound by generating a signal (an electric current) as they interact with the magnetic field of the pickup, so they are electrically part of that system, and it is good practice to ground the strings to help reduce humming. With a piezo pickup, it is a mechanical interaction with the pickup with generates the signal, so there is no need to, and no advantage in grounding the strings.

[@mickyboy1955]

@@chickenbonejohn714 ...Thank you for that,CBJ

[@thefox8778]

Aluminum can conduct electricity but it does not conduct electricity as well as copper. Aluminum forms an electrically resistant oxide surface in electrical connections

[@thefox8778]

Aluminum won't ground

[@chickenbonejohn714]

Yes it will, aluminium is a pretty good conductor. What makes you think that aluminium doesn't conduct electricity?

[@brandyhawking7908]

I really like it. Also check out Woodglut and plans.