Shielding. Which is better paint or tape?

I like copper foil tape with conductive adhesive.  It's much easier to remove than paint and its really not that hard to work with.  The only downside I've run into is that its pricier than paint.  They both work well when properly applied though.
 
I'd agree.

Especially in the case of a top route.  I paint the cavity, tape the Pickguard.

actually I guess that works with a rear route too... because you have to cover the control routes in any case.
 
Foil:

Pros:
Cheaper
Can easily be soldered to

Cons:
Messy looking
Can be difficult to apply in tight spaces

Paint:

Pros:
Clean look
Easier to apply

Cons:
Expensive
Cannot be soldered to
Does not work for pickguards
 
Coming from a background (work wise) that makes me want to shield everything I have a new opinion on this subject. As I promised Jack, in the interest of science, I did my latest build without shielding the cavity, only the pickguard was shielded since it came that way.

In one guitar I copper taped every last millimeter and left not one area for interference to get in. In another guitar I did nothing. All the electronics were the same and the pickups were the same. The result was that there was no discernable difference. Maybe I don't play in areas that it would really make a difference but I can honestly say that I could not find any difference.

I can understand the desire to do it, and support it, but you can always do it later if it needs it.

There ya go Jack. I keep my word, and you, were right.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=1481.0
 
TroubledTreble said:
Coming from a background (work wise) that makes me want to shield everything I have a new opinion on this subject. As I promised Jack, in the interest of science, I did my latest build without shielding the cavity, only the pickguard was shielded since it came that way.

In one guitar I copper taped every last millimeter and left not one area for interference to get in. In another guitar I did nothing. All the electronics were the same and the pickups were the same. The result was that there was no discernable difference. Maybe I don't play in areas that it would really make a difference but I can honestly say that I could not find any difference.

I can understand the desire to do it, and support it, but you can always do it later if it needs it.

There ya go Jack. I keep my word, and you, were right.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=1481.0

I too listened to Jack on this one.  I haven't shielded another guitar since.  They're all quiet, even playing near the computer.  I will admit, however, that I use humbuckers almost exclusively.  If I did a build with true single coils, I'd probably still shield, and would use paint.
 
Shielding may not be a big deal with humbuckers, but single coils are a whole 'nother animal as far as noise is concerned...

No amount of shielding will make your instrument dead silent, but a good shielding job does contribute to a quieter instrument.
Just how much is debatable, but IMO, a good instrument should be shielded anyways.

 
line6man said:
Shielding may not be a big deal with humbuckers, but single coils are a whole 'nother animal as far as noise is concerned...

No amount of shielding will make your instrument dead silent, but a good shielding job does contribute to a quieter instrument.
Just how much is debatable, but IMO, a good instrument should be shielded anyways.

My experiments were done in a commercial screen room used to do FCC RF testing on cell phones and involved both Fender type single coils and P90s; if using shielding tape or paint makes you feel better, knock yourself out. Bottom line is, it has a near nil effect.
 
The other note is that some preamps in basses can be noisy if not shielded.  They amp up the noise on board so you have to shield them.  Not so much the pickups, but the cavity where the preamp resides.
Patrick

 
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