Source for Copper Tape

[TelZilla]

Hey all-

I'm thinking of trying to shield my tele, and I want to use the conductive copper tape. StewMac has it, but they're going to charge me 8.50 for shipping.

Can you get this stuff at radio shack or other local sources, or do you have to have it shipped?

[RnB]

I've gotten some Copper shielding from here.

[Vizcaster]

I never had a problem with copper shielding tape on my Hagstrom or my Strat, but when it came time for a pair of tele builds I switched to conductive carbon paint. One luxury is that you can paint the wire channels using a Q-tip and you'll have a way for the three cavities to be connected to to each other. And getting tape into a 7/8" round jack tunnel on a tele would be quite a trick. Tack soldering all the little pieces of copper tape is a nuisance. Also, Lindy Fralin advises against tape because of the risk of it coming loose and causing a short in just the right place at the wrong time.

Having said that, you're still facing the shipping issue from SM for the paint or the tape. I got copper tape at a hole in the wall electronics supply retailer I found in the yellow pages. You might also find it at a hobby shop, the big kind with all the trains on display and the remote control fanatics.

[CrazyManAndy]

Maybe there is something else you can get from them, to help balance out the shipping?

I think you can get copper foil at craft stores, such as Michael's. It isn't quite as convenient as the Stew-mac stuff though.

CMA

[Mark Davis]

Check your local hobby shop where they sell model trains cars etc.

[graham232]

I put this post here last week. http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-tech...und-sound.html
In the UK we have it garden centres as slug tape. It is not really that much cheaper (found another store this weekend where it was cheaper) but it is easy to pickup if the missus it dragging you round anyway!
Don't know if you have something similar over there (or even have big fat juicy slugs like us) since my knowledge of US gardening is not as great as my knowledge of guitars and music.

[RnB]

Originally Posted by CrazyManAndy

Maybe there is something else you can get from them, to help balance out the shipping?

I think you can get copper foil at craft stores, such as Michael's. It isn't quite as convenient as the Stew-mac stuff though.

CMA

I got some from Michaels once and it was pricey & real thin. I didn't care for it's quality for shielding. Conductive paint works real well for the cavities/routs. The Copper foil is better for pickguards.

[Tedecaster]

The Stew Mac stuff really works well if you can deal with the shipping. The glue is conductive & seems to stay conductive. I checked a body I did two years ago & there is still continuity between all the pieces. Also, none are loose.

As far as connecting the individual cavities you just run a jumper wire from each cavity & solder each end right to the foil, no screw or eyelet needed.

You can use shielded cable for your run to the jack.

[Pesty]

www.guitarpartscanada.com has it as well, I have some comming in with my next order. It comes in copper or silver. You can get 12"x12" sheets of copper as well.

[pottedmeat42]

what about this (asking b/c I've never tried it & have been too lazy to start a new post!): could you use aluminum tape that roofers & duct workers use? It's like beefed up duct tape w/very thin aluminum & an adhesive backing. You can get it at Home Depot. I've never tried it. Would this be a viable alternative? Has anyone tried this? Aluminum is condictive, no? =jason

[Pesty]

I remember reading somewhere that Aluminum has some strange sheilding properties, where it will sheild out some higher frequency interference that other metals would not, I'll try to find that article...


Here is a pretty indepth article about guitar sheilding, and it talks about that particular tape. http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/shield3.php

[blacklinefish]

Originally Posted by Vizcaster

Tack soldering all the little pieces of copper tape is a nuisance. Also, Lindy Fralin advises against tape because of the risk of it coming loose and causing a short in just the right place at the wrong time.

I recommend soldering the entire seam, and every last one of them. The heat will make the glue (away from the seams) stick to the cavity better. Also, I'm convinced that the soldering locks the entire thing down, it won't want to move around at all. It's a nuisance, a hassle, but it's worth it (unless you have more than a handful of guitars).

--gh