Static discharge causes amp noise?

[abracadabra]

A couple of times now in the last few months I've been playing away and suddenly had an incredibly loud crackling noise, lasting less than a second, and much louder than the amp volume. So loud as to scare the crap out of me actually!

This has happened with different guitars, but one constant is that I'm sitting on a cheap plastic chair which, I have noticed, does sometimes tend to build up static electricity.

My question is, could some sort of static discharge building up from my clothes against the chair be getting into the amp? It seems logical, but since it is out of all proportion, noise-wise, to the amp or guitar volume it makes me wonder.

I don't have any other problems with the amp.

Any ideas?

[1ampman]

Check to see if your guitar strings/bridge is grounded to the rest of the guitar pots and grounds. Take an ohm meter and clip 1 lead on the strings and the other on the guitar output jack ground. It should be 000 ohms. If not you need to gound bridge....

[Enzo]

Stick a mirror behind the amp so you can see the tubes. Keep an eye that way so if the tubes are sparking and flashing inside, you'd know. A failing power tube seems more likely that static on several guitars.

Grab one of those cling-free dryer sheets and rub down the stool seat.

[kurtdaniel]

the cable could have a bad connection to the guitar or amp..be sure that both the cable to the distortion box from the guitar and the cable to the amp are both good.

[abracadabra]

Thanks.

The guitars are definitely grounded properly and this is definitely not cable noise.

I'm just gonna switch chairs and see if it happens again. Just wanted to know if this was possible.

[kurtdaniel]

Electrostatic charges can build up on our bodies which can be discharged to your instrument. It is generated by the hand & plastic pickguard as the guitar is played, which then finds a discharge path to your guitar circuit, causing a crackling sound.