is a ground a ground

[maze]

I am building a custom pop top pedal board and would like to
put a patch bay with 6 jacks on the outside of the case paralled to 6 jacks on the inside
they will all be mounted to the same matal box so all grounds will be together
I will use jack 1 as input 2 as output 3 as amp channel switch 4 as fx send 5 as fx return (amp fx loop)
and 6 as a spare
my question is how compatable will this be with my amp or any other amp
does the input,footswitch,fx loop jacks of my amp all share the same ground also
I am new to this forum and any feedback would be very helpfull
thanks

[LyleCaldwell]

Ground is not always ground.  You should separate the grounds, and steer them so they follow the signal path.  Don't connect them inside the enclosure - let the other gear do that if needed.  The switching jack groundss should be kept separate from the audio grounds, and the audio grounds should not be just lumped together.  Many times it's best for loop returns not to have their grounds connected.

Also decide which audio jack will always be used - typically the pedalboard to amp input jack.  This jack's ground should be tied to the enclosure ground/shield.  The other jacks should be isolated from the enclosure ground/shield.

I am building a custom pop top pedal board and would like to
put a patch bay with 6 jacks on the outside of the case paralled to 6 jacks on the inside
they will all be mounted to the same matal box so all grounds will be together
I will use jack 1 as input 2 as output 3 as amp channel switch 4 as fx send 5 as fx return (amp fx loop)
and 6 as a spare
my question is how compatable will this be with my amp or any other amp
does the input,footswitch,fx loop jacks of my amp all share the same ground also
I am new to this forum and any feedback would be very helpfull
thanks

[grapefruit]

I'd use isolated jack sockets. Definately isolate the switching socket. I'm assuming you have effects units in the box as well....
The input socket ground should go to the ground of the first pedal (sleeve of the jack plug going into it) and the output. The ground of the last pedal should be connected to the output ground, and the ground of all pedals should be connected from one to the next.

If you're going from the fx send on amp - through fx - then into fx return on amp you could have a ground lift switch on the return to eliminate a possible groung loop. As Lye said: the enclosure should be grounded too.

For more on grounding read here:
http://www.rane.com/note151.html

[brett]

Hi
I find it easiest to think of where nasty currents might be circulating, and keeping delicate signal ground away.

So: 
never pass the signal earth along the power supply of power amp earth.
never use the chassis for signal ground connections where there is a power amp or power supply.
Connect all signal grounds to ONE spot, using heavy guage wire.

[grapefruit]

I agree with what Brett said about connecting signal grounds to a single point, but if it's pre-built pedals in a pedalboard I can't see anyone doing this. You still need shielded cables going between the pedals, and with short cable lengths I cant see it being a problem. As long as your power supply is a decent regulated supply, or you run them all off batteries.

The amp channel switch doesn't have to and shouldn't be connected to other grounds. On most channel switching circuits all you're doing is shorting out the tip and sleeve. The sleeve happens to be ground on the amp but there's no need for it to meet the signal grounds.

Stew.