Why do i keep getting shocked!!

[failsafe306]

Ok, this is getting annoying- I recenlty bought an SM-58 mic so i can do backup vocals in my band. Everytime i accidentally touch the mic with my lips while i'm playing i get a shock on my lips-not a bad one, more like touching your tongue to the tip of a 9-volt. Do i have a bad ground connection somewhere on my guitar? Or is the ground on my strings causing the shocks in the first place?

[caprile]

the mic is not properly grounded

[failsafe306]

That's strange cause i'm using a brand new cable and mic through a good mixer, should i buy a different cable you think?

[ScottB]

Originally Posted by caprile

the mic is not properly grounded

Nope, the mic is grounded, that's why he's getting shocked.

Failsafe, try plugging your amp and your mixer/sound system amps into the same outlet.

Do you still get a shock?

If not, your solution is to use outlets wired to circuit breakers on the same side of the breaker panel.

The left side of a panel shares the neutral and ground with the right side. When you touch the strings or a metal cable connected to an amp plugged in to an outlet on the left side of the panel, and then touch a mic plugged into a mixer and p.a. amp plugged into an outlet on the right side of the panel, you complete the circuit and your body becomes a conductor.

OUCH!

Fix this problem as soon as possible! These shocks may not feel that bad, but I remember seeing a video from the 60's or 70's a few years back where a guitarist was electrocuted and died.

If you have a volt-meter, power up your set-up as it is now, and touch one test lead to your bridge and the other to a mic or mic cable. How many volts are you reading? SCARY!!

[smorg007]

All it really means is that there is a ground imbalance between your guitar rig and the PA. The electricity from one system or the other finds it easier to go through your lips to the other units ground, rather than through its own grounding circuit . try plugging both in to the same outlet. make sure the amps and soundboard are both well grounded. I would say try a ground lift also, but that could make it worse as well.
you have to be careful with that stuff. If there is a short circuit, and you have no ground other than through your mouth to the other system, it can get mighty painful, possibly fatal. sometimes its just easier to get a foam widscreen to keep your lips from touching the metal.
good luck.

[failsafe306]

Thanks for the replies guys! They both appear to be grounded properly and share the same outlet. It only happens when i sing and play guitar at the same time, not if i'm just touching the mic by itself, if that makes any difference. I'm kinda afraid to touch it now after reading about shocks on other sites. I read that it only takes a few milliamps (which is really hardly anything at all) going through your heart to kill you. Any other suggestions? Or i guess thats a good excuse to get that wireless unit i've been putting off for so long!

[smorg007]

I have one other suggestion that might help. It helps to eliminate buzzes in guitar systems. It should work for shocks too.
If you take a cable from an unused output from your amp, like a channel output or loop/direct out or something. (NOT a speaker output!!). and something that won't cut off your sound when plugged in. Then run the cable to an unused input on the board or snake, that can sometimes shunt the errant voltage through the cable, rather than through you. It's worked for me before. it's worth a try if you have extra outputs on your guitar amp

[kennydoe]

There is an in-detail explanation, followed by remedies to your exact situation here -> http://www.guitarnuts.com/safety/clubshock.html

Or, like smorg said, you could just go out and buy a windscreen for your mic.

Found this page by searching google.com for "electrical shock guitar microphone"

~K