Guitar Wiring - Tame Static Noise and Hum with Foil Shielding

Started by shawnb, August 16, 2012, 01:15:49 PM

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pasha811

Well, I was fighting with static pops in my LTD ST-213 guitar for years. Two days ago I took the plunge.
I decided to give it a shielding. So I removed the strings, detached all the electronics from the pickguard and then glued a sheet of Aluminum to it. The sheet is the kind we use for food, conductive both ways and thick enough but fragile.   
After that I put back in place the electronics and checked with a tester if there was continuity between pots and pickguard sheet and between pots and pots and 5 way switch (a classic import, in line boxed plastic) all matched fine. There was also continuity between the bridge and the aluminum sheet. No need to solder. Then I mounted the pickguard and re-stringed. Well after two days I got only two pops while shicthing PU so it seems it worked! However I also took my time to apply some fingerboard remedy (fender original) on the fret-board and lowered the PU a little. I am skeptical that what I did could have had such a good effect on an everlasting problem.
What do you think? Is that Aluminum sheet the mysterious ingredient that was missing?  ???

Cheers
Pasha
Listen to my music at :  http://alonetone.com/pasha/

admin

Yes

Discussed in detail here


Guitar Wiring - Tame Static Noise and Hum with Foil Shielding
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6807.msg124024#msg124024


pasha811

Quote from: admin on December 30, 2018, 06:54:37 AM
Yes

Discussed in detail here


Guitar Wiring - Tame Static Noise and Hum with Foil Shielding
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6807.msg124024#msg124024



Thanks and sorry for posting in the wrong place. I have to rephrase myself : It's the second time I do it. I am puzzled of what I did wrong the last time...
Listen to my music at :  http://alonetone.com/pasha/

gumbo

Quote from: pasha811 on December 30, 2018, 07:57:53 AM
Thanks and sorry for posting in the wrong place. I have to rephrase myself : It's the second time I do it. I am puzzled of what I did wrong the last time...


...It's just an AGE thing....    ;D ;D
...get's us all in the end!  ::)
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

booth421

This has always been strange but I have never told anyone. Nothing too exciting or exotic: I have an original Dan Armstrong (which is exciting and exotic) and I have always believed I have felt some sort of low level charge running thought it when I played it. It isn't uncomfortable and there are no pops. It didn't affect the sound (nor the weight-ugh), but swear I could feel it even when it wasn't plugged in. Through my dang fingers and not at all unpleasurable.  I thought I was tripping. I really did not want to get all Eric Johnson about it as it isn't one of my main guitars. I am an alternative metal finger guy that plays without a pick and I expect a lot of rubbing, friction and potential static charge could build up on a lucite body and a formica pick guard. I wasn't standing in puddle of water. I don't notice anything with my other guitars. Please, this may be the answer to my 30 year mystery with this Dan Armstrong. Or I always go back on the meds. Has anyone heard of this before?  Thanx! 
Check my solo stuff out at Soundclick.com "Frank Must Die"

admin

Quote from: booth421 on January 01, 2019, 09:53:54 PM
This has always been strange but I have never told anyone. Nothing too exciting or exotic: I have an original Dan Armstrong (which is exciting and exotic) and I have always believed I have felt some sort of low level charge running thought it when I played it. It isn't uncomfortable and there are no pops. It didn't affect the sound (nor the weight-ugh), but swear I could feel it even when it wasn't plugged in. Through my dang fingers and not at all unpleasurable.  I thought I was tripping. I really did not want to get all Eric Johnson about it as it isn't one of my main guitars. I am an alternative metal finger guy that plays without a pick and I expect a lot of rubbing, friction and potential static charge could build up on a lucite body and a formica pick guard. I wasn't standing in puddle of water. I don't notice anything with my other guitars. Please, this may be the answer to my 30 year mystery with this Dan Armstrong. Or I always go back on the meds. Has anyone heard of this before?  Thanx!

Static discharge is a very real phenomena  - I have also felt similar electrical tingling anytime I borrowed a Dan Armstrong clear guitar and started strumming


https://blog.macsales.com/2225-discharging-static-electricity-for-safe-computer-upgrading

admin

Understanding Guitar Grounding

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2018/11/12/understanding-guitar-grounding/


YOU GROUND OUT THE STRINGS:
Grounding your strings is essential for having a quieter guitar. If you've ever noticed your guitar's noise get quieter when you touch the strings, you might have thought your body grounds your guitar's parts. You'd be wrong if you did. It turns out, a human being makes a pretty good EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) antennae! Your body is an antenna for all sorts of EMI, so when you touch your guitar strings, the guitar is grounding you!


shawnb

Since this thread has re-awakened...

The Rickenbacker I worked on in the initial posts above is still sounding clean, 9 years later!

Aluminum foil, some glu stick, & a careful rewiring of ground, and it's quiet & clean.
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

admin

Quote from: shawnb on May 02, 2021, 11:50:49 PM
Since this thread has re-awakened...

The Rickenbacker I worked on in the initial posts above is still sounding clean, 9 years later!

Aluminum foil, some glu stick, & a careful rewiring of ground, and it's quiet & clean.

Glad to hear!

Still works for me too
A recent  rewired $17 Strat Assembly (including pickups from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N1KRNRJ?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

is now the versatile Blues/funk/Swamp machine, no static noises as well.


Guitar has 14 new PU combinations. With new 6 position Dual Pole rotary switch where former Vol Pot was, I won't be accidentally turning down the Strat volume mid solo anymore.

Next on the bench is my Reverend for similar wiring - I'll add more foil to the smaller pickguard too , to tame static charge rice crispies