Pickguard Shielding

[Lazarus1140]

The Strat type pickguards I purchase from Warmoth have foil shielding for the control cavity only. Would there be any advantage to continuing that shieding to cover the areas that surround the single coil pickup openings and and the channels where the single coil pickup wires travel toward the control cavity?

I've always done that, but am I just wasting copper?

 

[Securb]

I would just assemble everything. If you encounter a problem, taking off the pickguard is a 10-minute task, and you can shield it.

 

[beaubrummels]

Not like copper is that expensive. I shield the whole thing. I have noticed a difference.

 

[Mincer]

Not like copper is that expensive. I shield the whole thing. I have noticed a difference.

Me as well. I just go ahead and take care of it.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I always shield everything.

My time is more valuable to me than to have to take everything apart later to put it in...just do it now and don't even worry about it.

 

[htrd]

I shield the whole pickguard. Don't forget to make cuts under the upper pickup bolts to break the closed loops near the coils.

 

[beaubrummels]

I shield the whole pickguard. Don't forget to make cuts under the upper pickup bolts to break the closed loops near the coils.

I'm not sure what that does. Even Fender doesn't bother.

https://www.fender.com/en-US/parts/...rd-shield-for-62-stratocaster/0019699049.html

 

[htrd]

I'm not sure what that does. Even Fender doesn't bother.

It prevents eddy currents in the copper shielding from slightly dampening resonant peaks of your pickups. Fender doesn't bother about many things, including quality of their stuff.

 

[beaubrummels]

It prevents eddy currents in the copper shielding from slightly dampening resonant peaks of your pickups. Fender doesn't bother about many things, including quality of their stuff.

I guess the compromise is you lose some shielding. If you poke a hole in a Faraday shield, it's no longer a complete shield; smaller wavelengths can get through.

 

[htrd]

I guess the compromise is you lose some shielding. If you poke a hole in a Faraday shield, it's no longer a complete shield; smaller wavelengths can get through.

Coils are not shielded anyway. You won't lose anything

 

[uOpt]

If you go close to the pickups you change the sound a little because of eddy currents building in the shield and dampening the resonance peak a little.

I some Strat like guitars I wrap grounded foil around the wires where they go through the cavities. More effective than just shielding them from the top.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Maybe in theory, but I've never HEARD a difference.

 

[Securb]

I shield the whole pickguard. Don't forget to make cuts under the upper pickup bolts to break the closed loops near the coils.

I didn't know you were doing singles. Yeah, shielding it is the right move.

 

[magillver]

Shielding is our friend! On that note, I've also been experimenting lately with the aluminum HVAC duct tape that you can buy at the hardware store, much cheaper than copper...

 

[Mincer]

I've never directly compared aluminum with copper as far as shielding goes.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Aluminum works nearly as good as copper. I'm not sure about that duct tape however. I used to use aluminum foil (Reynolds Wrap) to shield everything, but the copper tape with conductive adhesive is so much more convenient.

And don't worry about faraday cages or eddy currents...things that could theoretically exist in some high-current circumstances do not have any realistic/actual effect on guitar electronics.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Fender doesn't bother about many things, including quality of their stuff.

Did you mean to say "Gibson"?

 

[Bill Dennis]

I shield the whole pickguard. Don't forget to make cuts under the upper pickup bolts to break the closed loops near the coils.

Why? The mounting screws don't touch anything conductive in the pickup.

 

[htrd]

And don't worry about faraday cages or eddy currents...things that could theoretically exist in some high-current circumstances do not have any realistic/actual effect on guitar electronics.

Indeed.

https://imgur.com/a/s5EIZKA

 

[htrd]

Did you mean to say "Gibson"?

Kinda both of them.
Here is a soldering on the brand new CS Fat 60 set unpacked three weeks ago.
https://imgur.com/a/yxH4R2x