Well, the first thing you DON'T do is imitate Keith Relf (singer for the
Yardbirds, whom decided one day to play electric guitar while taking a bath).
Many guitar amps (all amps SHOULD by law) have a ground switch, that helps
curb the zap. Usually when musicians first go on stage, when they strap on
their guitar and turn on the amp, they will approach the mic they will use and
lightly/quickly touch it. If there is a shock, they'll flip the ground switch
to the other position and check again (some of these switches even remove the
ground completely). If that still doesn't eliminate the shock, then there is
definitely something wrong in the electical wiring for the sound systen
(either the PA or the venue), at which time the musician(s) need to decide if
they want to continue.
In some cases, the covering of the mic with a windscreen solves the problem,
but many times, it's a matter of choosing to continue performing and keeping a
distance from the mic, or not playing at all.
Unfortunately, the wiring (especially if it is the problem with the PA or the
venue) cannot be solved with a simple adapter or flick of a switch.
Mitch Matthews
Gravel Train/Sunken Road
