Official Luthiers Forum!

I've decided to shield my strat and hope that it hums no more. I'm planning on using the copper foil tape Stew-Mac sells, but if you have better, more available, or less expensive alternatives, please let me know!

I've been planning to shield the back of the pickguard and the control cavities, but I know a few people also wrap the pickup coils after covering them with electrical tape. What do you think of this? Effective? Too much? Stew-Mac's site takes it even a step further, suggesting that you replace the pickup leads with coax. That seems a bit much, and devalues the resale value if I ever decided to sell them, but is it effective?

I've never done it, but according to what I've read, it's done by some, but you have to connect the shielding to ground. I've also read that it reduces some of the pickup's high-end. But if you shield your pickup cavities and don't set your pickups too high out of the pickguard I would think you'd be good to go. And no matter what you do to them, if you play single coils, especially with high gain. they're gonna hum. MHO.

_________________
Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Thanks, Mike. I've read that about the high end, too. I wonder how drastic it is?

Black shielding paint. Ive done this and the shielding tape on pickups in the past but really didn't hear a difference.

What do you guys think about using aluminum foil? Aluminum has great conductivity, but not as good as copper. The positive is that I wouldn't have to wait or pay for Stew-Mac shipping.

Aluminum foil is just as good as copper, and is a lot cheaper. The paint makes for a much neater and quicker job (IMO) but is outrageously expensive unless you find it by the gallon somewhere.
Two bits of advice-if you are going to wrap the coils, leave a small break in the wrap to prevent eddy currents; second, use a method called "star grounding" where everything that is grounded has an isolated lead terminating at the main output lug. There is a fair bit of info out there on both of these subjects. I have heard you can quiet down a strat or tele quite a bit if you are careful.

_________________
It's not the miles ahead, it's the stone in your shoe


In Markham,Virginia

I have used this also. I do my cavities with it. Much cheaper then copper. I bought my aluminum tape at the home center. It was in the heating section with the various duct tapes.

Thanks, guys!