Help me solve static electricity problem

I too may have been having a static problem. Just started testing a new (used) Sonic Frontiers Preamp and the thing went to full volume before the APC power conditioner shut everything off in a fraction of a second. I had read that there was an issue with the attentutor being defective on some Line 2 machines. The designer offers a $300 fix. So now I am unsure if it is the static or the volume control electronics acting up?

It has been very cold here and I have been having a variant of this problem that drove me nuts till I figured out what was going on. I would play one side of an LP and when I put the next side on a channel would be out. I finally realized that the static discharge when I touched either my phono stage or int. amp would mute one channel. When I would turn the phono stage off and then back on the channel was back. Also it affected only the MC and not the MM. So my wool rug is the problem, when I move the phono stage to another location no problem at all, it may be in the amp or somehow in the interaction of the two. If you are having mysterious problems this time of year it may be static electricity.

"So my wool rug is the problem, . . . "

Indeed, I had what I thought was a serious issue with a piece of my equipment that through trial and error, tracked it down to static. And more interestingly, by design I could drag my 'slippered' feet (didn't work with socks or bare foot) across 35 ft of my wool rug and give my finger enough of a jolt that it would be uncomfortable for a day or so. So I did it again just to be sure . . . . . . ha

UPDATE: More than a month has gone by and the use of a simple dryer sheet before touching components appears to be the solution to my particular situation. I suggest that everyone should try this before more dramatic, awkward or time-consuming options are considered.

There are two separate issues IMHO - to prevent static and to prevent damage from static. Damage from static can be prevented by grounding chassis directly to earth ground.