Why did i get an electric shock from my guitar?

Question

I was just playing my guitar and i rest my arm over the strings and i got an electric shock. It didn't happen to my fingers and every time i pt my arm over i got shocked. I restrung my guitar a few days ago if that helps.

Answer 1

Vintage/Tube amps use mostly AC current at high voltage to achieve amplification, a poorly grounded amp combined with a guitar that is also poorly grounded can result in a shock.  I noticed this once on a marshal super-lead on a Gibson Les Paul SG we had found in a friends basement.  The guitar itself was a very rare reject and because it was a small line (before gibson stamped the truss rod covers with SG and instead with Les Paul) it was not repaired until I intervened.

Answer 2

silencetheevil8 is onto this. Let's go a little deeper with that. I'll make some assumptions- that you are in the US and the AC cord on your amplifier has 2 prongs vs. a 3 prong grounded cord. I play guitar in bands quite often, moving my (our) equipment around to different venues and plugging into different wiring systems. I have never been shocked with a properly grounded amplifier (I have been shocked several times with ungrounded amps). Does the amp have a "polarity" switch? That's a good sign that it's NOT a properly grounded amp. Have a reputable electronics shop replaced the old 2 prong cord (eliminating the polarity switch, if any) with a 3 prong grounded AC cord. I did this with MY 1970 Marshall Super Lead (good taste, silencetheevil8!) and that took care of it. If you already have a 3 prong grounded cord on the amp- the wall outlet in your house may not be properly wired and not grounded- call an electrician. Are you getting just a 'tingle' when you touch the strings? It may become worse if you touch the guitar AND another piece of electronic equipment (like your lips to a metal microphone, for instance) so "get ur done".

Answer 3

It was probably just a static shock, like the one you get from other things like doorknobs. Unless you've got a battery wired to your strings or something. Or maybe you hit your funny bone, that always feels like a shock.