I've used copper shielding tape on guitars and basses since the 1990's. In this video I share my tips for not just applying the tape, but making your shielding job stand the test of time.
I already know how to do this and I've done it a couple of times before. But your content is SO good I'll watch a drying paint video of yours just because you'll be as detailed as one can be! Cheers, mate 🍻
Cool. Thanks Tristan. Back in 2001, I made the the black tele that I have featured on the channel a few times. It is a set neck with some Australian timbers, plus Duncan and Armstrong pickups. I still love this guitar. Good luck with your build!
Great video mate, I've been sheilding guitars for a while and you just taught this old dog a couple new tricks. Thankyou! Super Glue and Circuit Board sealer now a part of my process. +1 Sub.
great vid, thanks Rob - all your stuff is great. In your opinion, is this worth it on a P bass that only hums when not touching the strings? I never notice in a gig/band setting, just at home.
Nice one! Top class content. I once used wood glue and aluminium foil for shielding, which work alright, but it's a bit of a mission because you have to do it in one piece to keep continuity around the whole cavity. Why did you prefer the copper coloured tape VS the nickel coloured take?
The nickel shielding is actually a conductive paint. It works ok, and is pretty easy to apply. But witha side jack you have to find a reliable way to connect it to earth. Plus it really needs sealing since it rubs off so easily. With copper tape, since you can solder to it, you don't even need to solder to pot casings if you don't want to.
That's a very neat job. I feel that copper affects the tone, and prefer to mould a single piece of aluminium foil to the cavity shape, glued down with Pritt Stick, and connected to ground using wire wrapped around a woodscrew. It's not at all neat or professional, but it works, and costs pennies. Shielding is the first job I do with any guitar, before thinking about pickup swaps, etc.
Interesting. I've never noticed a difference in tone with shielding as such, however with some pickups, connecting the magnet pole pieces to earth can dull the tone. I believe it has to do with stray capacitance and the orientation (phase) of the coil windings.
@@RobMods Thank you. I didn't know the pole pieces could be connected to ground, so I'll have to look on my guitars to see if that's the case. On a separate, but related note: if I take a cable from my amp's "send" output, to a pedal, and another cable back to "return", the amount of hum depends on the physical distance between those cables (further apart = more hum); I suspect that's down to capacitance. Consequently, I've taped two cables together, exclusively for use with the send/return loop, which works well.
Awesome, cheers Rob. One question, in your opinion, is it worth shielding a P bass? I ask as sure, mine hums when not touching the strings/bridge but aside from that, no worries. So in my case is it worth it do you think?
