Copper Shielding

[shaneman]

Hey Guys,

I've never wired a guitar before.  I've ordered copper shielding (8" and 2") as Warmoth directed.  I understand that I shield the rear cavity and the inside of the cover.  Do I also shield the Jack socket hole too and under the (Humbucker) pickups?  Thanks, Shane :guitaristgif:

P.S. I'm done staining the VIP(black) and am now working on the Tung Oil finish....loving it! :hello2:

 

[jackthehack]

You don't really need to shield the cavity if you are using quality pots/wiring and everything's properly grounded. If you are somehow working in an extremely high RF environment, the foil shielding or paint isn't going to do anything appreciable anyway....

 

[Alfang]

We discussed this in some other thread before you joined,  the end result was , we believe that most or all of your unwanted noise was gonna come from the pickups, not the controll cavity, so maybe shield and ground single coil routes, but don't worry about humbuckers or other controll cavities

I dont even shield my singles and they work fine

 

[jackthehack]

Out of curiousity I've run some extensive testing on this. Being the Sr. Systems Engineer for a major cell phone mfgr. I have access to extremely high dollar mylar shielding film you can't even buy non-commercially and $50K RF free shield rooms/chambers we do FCC RF/SAR testing in.

All my test results indicate that there is like 0 difference in audible hum between the same body/pickups/electronics/etc. completely unshielded, with StewMac "shielding paint", copper film/tape you can buy from guitar sources, or high dollar RF shield unavailable to the consumer.

All SCs and some humbuckers have some minimal amount of hum, and you're never going to be completely rid of it. Most hum "problems" are actually caused by poor grounding, which can be easily fixed or extreme local RF interference, e.g., "loud" fluorescent fixtures  or desktop computers that have shitty non-shielded cases. Just turn that stuff off....

 

[Alfang]

Raise a beer to jack, no more shielding.

I'd raise one but I drank it already, BRB, cheers  ccasion14:

 

[SkuttleFunk]

I shield all of my basses and notice a significant difference between shielded and unshielded

maybe it's just a bass thing

all the best,

R

 

[shaneman]

Thanks for all the input guys.  I already got the shielding coming along w/ a bunch of other parts, so I'm gonna shield, but do I shield under the pickups or not?

Oh....and the wire that is already attatched to the Warmoth body inside the cavity;...What do I do with this wire? 

Thanks.  As I said earlier, I've never wired a guitar before.

:dontknow: Shane

 

[jackthehack]

The wire that's already attached is your bridge ground, solder it to the back of your vol pot or other grounding point.

 

[Zionplayer]

I am building a Strat style guitar (my 1st. btw..) and I am installing new Emg  DG 20 pups in it.

The question is, do these active pick ups benefit from the cavity (copper) shielding that passive pups do?

Actually, everthing is waiting delivery ( 12 day delivery )...of copper sheilding tape.

Callaham tremolo is in, Shaller locking straps, The Warmoth showcase neck with Schaller locking tuners are in.
The pickguard with the Emgs are itching to get installed and one solder (3,actually) of the jack,  and I'll be ready to set it up.

Should I wait for the shielding tape??

Thanks

 

[GoDrex]

I am building a Strat style guitar (my 1st. btw..) and I am installing new Emg  DG 20 pups in it.

The question is, do these active pick ups benefit from the cavity (copper) shielding that passive pups do?

Actually, everthing is waiting delivery ( 12 day delivery )...of copper sheilding tape.

Callaham tremolo is in, Shaller locking straps, The Warmoth showcase neck with Schaller locking tuners are in.
The pickguard with the Emgs are itching to get installed and one solder (3,actually) of the jack,  and I'll be ready to set it up.

Should I wait for the shielding tape??

Thanks

no - post pics

 

[neilium]

I am building a Strat style guitar (my 1st. btw..) and I am installing new Emg  DG 20 pups in it.

The question is, do these active pick ups benefit from the cavity (copper) shielding that passive pups do?

Actually, everthing is waiting delivery ( 12 day delivery )...of copper sheilding tape.

Callaham tremolo is in, Shaller locking straps, The Warmoth showcase neck with Schaller locking tuners are in.
The pickguard with the Emgs are itching to get installed and one solder (3,actually) of the jack,  and I'll be ready to set it up.

Should I wait for the shielding tape??

Thanks

With EMG's, you do not want to ground the strings, btw. Other than that, there isn't much benefit that I can find from shielding the cavity and pickup routes. I've had actives that hum, but it was nothing that a better, cleaner wiring job couldn't fix.

 

[Zionplayer]

Trying to upload an image.....No luck......Is there a "how to" anywhere??

 

[Zionplayer]

Got it.......

This it an image of what I have so far......

 

[jimh]

That is a stunner. One-piece flame maple top.  Beauty.
What neck you putting on it? Have you already mentioned that? sorry if I missed it.

Thats a incredible. 

 

[Zionplayer]

Thanks man.

Figured Maple neck, ebony board, graphite nut, 6150 frets.Vintage tinted headstock with satin back.
I thought the lighter maple headstock needed an amber tone to match the body.

Yet to decide on Schaller staggered, Schaller minis, or Sperzels........Any thoughts??

 

[neilium]

Sperzels. Schallers are good, but I like Sperzels a little bit more.

 

[Zionplayer]

Neilium, why? ...What aspects of Sperzels do you find better? Do you have the staggered posts?

Thanks