Basic questions about star grounding

[atmars]

Sorry to be so dimwitted, but i wonder if someone here can answer some basic questions about star grounding before i put it into practice in my latest 5E3.

1.) Nodes: Aiken talks of dividing the preamp and power amp section with separate star grounds. Are these stars isolated from the chassis, but have a wire that connects to the central star which is their ultimate grounding point, or are they two separate points that contact the chassis and are not connected to each other?

2.) I think i have seen both versions of this - which is correct? The first filter cap goes to the first node of the star ground and the the next two caps go to second, or the first two filter caps are grounded to the first node, and the third goes to the second node

3.) When one is using isolated speaker jacks , the ground tap runs from the OT to the jacks and then terminates, or continues on to one of the grounding nodes?

Sorry for bother everyone with questions to which the answers to must be obvious to most here.

[tubeswell]

1.) Nodes: Aiken talks of dividing the preamp and power amp section with separate star grounds. Are these stars isolated from the chassis, but have a wire that connects to the central star which is their ultimate grounding point, or are they two separate points that contact the chassis and are not connected to each other?

When I do my grounding I keep these two sets of 'star' ground return points separate - one at either end of the chassis. Works for me

2.) I think i have seen both versions of this - which is correct? The first filter cap goes to the first node of the star ground and the the next two caps go to second, or the first two filter caps are grounded to the first node, and the third goes to the second node

I have tried it both ways and prefer it with the Pii filter (plate and screen nodes) caps' grounds connected, but the pre-amp filter/decoupling cap ground going to the pre-amp 'star' ground return point.

3.) When one is using isolated speaker jacks , the ground tap runs from the OT to the jacks and then terminates, or continues on to one of the grounding nodes?

I just terminate the OT secondary ground return wire at the speaker output jack ground(s). Works for me.

[loudthud]

3.) When one is using isolated speaker jacks , the ground tap runs from the OT to the jacks and then terminates, or continues on to one of the grounding nodes.

O'Connor grounds the speaker at the phase inverter when feedback is being applied.

[dai h.]

I think that should go towards a different grouping of grounds. Mine goes to nearby power tube cathode to next power tube cathode to in between the primary and secondary filter cap grounds. You could make a star too but it's sort of the same but just stretched out in a line. Basically copied that from the Soldano SLO100. Here are pics of my guinea pig marshall numero dos.