Blackheart bh-15 shocking experience

[nosaj]

Got a message today my son got shocked by guitar strings playing on his blackheart bh15 head. It has not beed modded and is still stock. I have not had a chance to see it, but my gut seems to be say a possible ground issue in the room since it's already a 3 prong. What do you huys think and what should I be looking for?

Thanks,
Jason

[Steve Conner]

Blackheart is a new brand and their stuff should comply with current electrical safety regs. So yes I'd suspect a bad ground first. However it's not impossible that the amp could be defective, or its detachable power cord if it has one.

A guitar amp, and the metalwork and strings of the instrument connected to it, should be solidly grounded to the ground prong of the wall plug. But so-called Class 2 appliances are ungrounded and allowed to leak a little current. I often get a tingle if I touch my laptop with one hand and my guitar strings with the other.

If in any doubt, a licensed electrician should be able to check it out. You can also rub the guitar strings against another grounded object and see if the lights go out with a huge bang.

[Jazz P Bass]

It also could be another piece of equipment that is the problem.
The Blackheart, if it is properly grounded, may have "completed" the path.
It would be wise to check it out.

[Gibsonman63]

Home Depot has outlet testers for about $20 (assuming you are in the US). Just plug it in. There are three lights and a decoder key on the top to tell you if the outlet is wired correctly and if not, what the problem is. I found one outlet in my studio with hot and nuetral swapped.

[Jag]

What else was he touching besides the guitar strings?