Shielding opinions: paint or foil?

[tcarp]

I'll be doing this soon on my first partscaster with a fresh body, and the thing only I can tell is:

1) shielding paint is expensive but looks much much easier

2) copper is cheaper but seems like a major pita (and blood letting)

If this helps, I don't gig or play at excessive volumes, I'll be using a 3 way control/switch assy from a donor MIM Standard, and my choice of pups (for now anyway) is an SD Vintage '54 Tele bridge and an SD SSL-2 Strat neck.

As always, thanks in advance

Tom

[jkingma]

I prefer to use the foil, cuz if you ever decide to remove it you can. Some people claim it affects tone. Perhaps it does, but my hearing isn't good enough to tell. (Severe ringing in both ears).

[ehawley]

I use foil also...I used silver shielding paint ONCE!...It worked for awhile, but then started to "flake" off and short out my switch and pots! So off it came and foil ever since!
Cheers
ED

[GhostofJohnToad]

I used the foil for the cheap aspect. It works, but I thought it was a pain the the backside to install. To get it looking nice and smooth was hard and my fingers were ripped to shreds as a result.

I'm going to try the paint next time. On instructables there is a howto for making your own. I may try that. The link is below. it talks about glue but there is a section on paint as well.

http://www.instructables.com/id/SEOH3GFFABRWUOD/

[jkingma]

Originally Posted by GhostofJohnToad

I used the foil for the cheap aspect. It works, but I thought it was a pain the the backside to install. To get it looking nice and smooth was hard and my fingers were ripped to shreds as a result.

Why worry about aestetics? No one can see it. Do the best you can and if it don't look pretty, well, so what.

[Astro1176]

Aluminium foil has better shielding properties against interference from fluorescent lights and such than copper, but is a bit harder to work with because it is nigh on impossible to solder.

[GhostofJohnToad]

Originally Posted by jkingma

Why worry about aestetics? No one can see it. Do the best you can and if it don't look pretty, well, so what.

I guess what I meant to say was that it had a a lot of sharp areas and getting it smoothed out to make room for wires and stuff was a pain. I agree though no one is going to see it.

[Flat357]

Foil comes in 2 types ( at least ) .
Conductive adhesive and non conductive adhesive .

With the conductive stuff , there's little need for soldering .

[surfoverb]

Originally Posted by tcarp

I don't gig or play at excessive volumes,

Why do it at all then? Unless you need something quiet for recording I can't see why one needs a sheilded guitar.

[Ironwolf]

I use the copper tape with the conductive adhesives. I cut the pieces to the approximate shape, then smooth them into position with a pencil eraser. It works great. My unshielded guitars hum like a megawatt transformer; my shielded ones are dead silent.

[KevinB]

I shielded my partsesquire with the graphite-based paint that StewMac sells. It was very easy to do - water based so easy cleanup - and the guitar is now dead quiet. It looks pretty good too.

I did use a little self-adhesive copper tape to connect the cavities to the control plate and bridge. I plan to do the same on my next assembly.

[mudbean]

How about some photos, amigos?

mud

[GhostofJohnToad]

Here's a pic from my foiled one. What this doesn't show is the extra foil added on the lips of all the edges that interface with the pickguard shield.

[jkingma]

Old photo, but none of any current projects.

[uOpt]

Kitchen aluminium foil works just fine, if you can work with it without breaking it. But even if you leave a couple tiny holes, it's a huge improvements over just a pickguard shield.

I put it in using the paper glue sticks that you give school kids. Works fine and is removable with no problems.

[SixShooter]

Originally Posted by ehawley

I use foil also...I used silver shielding paint ONCE!...It worked for awhile, but then started to "flake" off and short out my switch and pots! So off it came and foil ever since!
Cheers
ED

I wonder if it would help to apply the shielding paint befor the guitar was painted. It might adhere better to the unfinished wood?

[Mr.Reed]

The copper tape works fine. Just use the 1" wide one and move slow and overlap. Your fingers will be fine as long as you don't drag it across the edge (which will happen, haha). I use it every-time, takes an hour or so, but no hum.

[Ironwolf]

Four shots.