First mod for the SoCal:

[jet66]

Better shielding:


And cool strap:


I also polished the frets and scrubbed down the neck with synthetic 'steel wool' and did a oil+wax treatment, WAAAY smoother feeling.

[Chubtone]

Looks great!

[El Chiguete]

DUDE I wanto to do shielding on my guitar, where do you buy the shield material and hod do you do it, do you just cover everything like it was a wallpaper or do I need to know some stuff first?

[jet66]

Looks great!

Thanks!

DUDE I wanto to do shielding on my guitar, where do you buy the shield material and hod do you do it, do you just cover everything like it was a wallpaper or do I need to know some stuff first?

There are a few ways to do it, but the most popular/convenient ways are using a shielding paint on the interior or the copper foil tape like I used.

The copper tape is made specifically for the job, so the adhesive is also conductive. You can keep continuity by overlapping. You don't want too many overlaps on the top of the body or pickguard, it can stand the pickguard off of the body a little bit.

Another way is to use a spray-on adhesive and tin foil. I've done this before, and it works pretty well. It can be a little messy, dealing with a spray adhesive. There is also using the silver/aluminum duct tape (basically a sticky foil like the copper) but both of these methods have a little drawback/consideration: You have to employ some method of keeping different areas connected. With most of the cheap aluminum tapes (with all that I have tried, this was true, but some people claim success) the adhesive doesn't conduct, so an overlap isn't enough.

I bought a set of copper tape from stew-mac, it comes with wide, medium, and thin rolls for about $25 shipped in the US. That is probably easily enough to do 3 whole guitars, maybe more.

[Grandturk]

I wonder what EVH thinks about foil shielding - he'd probably have a stroke because you're not letting the wood breathe!

[jet66]

I prefer to think of it as 'sealing in the freshness.'

[SEEGERMANY]

I've shielded my control cavity with copper on several occasions, but this is the first time I've ever seen anyone shield the pickup routes.

[El Chiguete]

But do you just put the copper foil in and that's it or do you need to grounded or connect it to something?

[jet66]

I've shielded my control cavity with copper on several occasions, but this is the first time I've ever seen anyone shield the pickup routes.

Some people even suggest additional shielding around the pickup coils themselves, but I've heard that it can bleed off high end, at least with single coils.

But do you just put the copper foil in and that's it or do you need to grounded or connect it to something?

It has to be connected to the ground one way or another. Since the shield in the body and the shield on the pickguard are in contact, and the pot and switch are connected to the shielding of the pickguard, it is all grounded. The ground terminal in the body between the trem spring claw and pot back is also attached to the shield. (although some might be concerned with a ground loop, it's too small to matter, IMO)

[beachjammer]

I wonder what EVH thinks about foil shielding - he'd probably have a stroke because you're not letting the wood breathe!

BAWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! That's classic!

[sully]

1. screw ed. yep. screw him.

2. easiest shielding job = shielding paint. i've done the tape as well and prefer the paint.

3. what kind of oil did you use over the already oiled neck? more gunstock? i've noticed that they tend to wipe on the gunstock oil and wipe it off almost right away. it feels way better when you build up a few coats, then steel wool it down.

sully

[jet66]

2. easiest shielding job = shielding paint. i've done the tape as well and prefer the paint.

3. what kind of oil did you use over the already oiled neck? more gunstock? i've noticed that they tend to wipe on the gunstock oil and wipe it off almost right away. it feels way better when you build up a few coats, then steel wool it down.

sully

I've done quite a few with normal tin foil and adhesive spray and am fairly proficient with it, so the tape was more comfortable for me on a new guitar. I don't know how or if I could screw it (shield paint) up, but I didn't want to find out on a new guitar. I've got another guitar I am refinishing, I will probably try the shield paint on it.

I used the Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil and wax. I used 000 synthetic steel wool and a little run of 600 grit paper to clean it down a little and smooth it out, then did three apps and wipes of oil, then two of the wax. I let the oil sit for about one-two minutes each time. I read some accounts of only waiting 30 seconds, which seemed kind of short, to anwhere from 5-30 minutes, which seemed kind of long. It definitely feels way smoother than it did new. I'll probably experiment with slightly different methods in the future until I see what feels the best for me. This just seemed like a good compromise from all of the different info I have read thus far.

[El Chiguete]

Shield paint? that's a new one for me... please recommend brands and products for that.

[jet66]

Stew-Mac sells it, I imagine other places do as well. I'm not sure what places will be easiest/cheapest to get it from outside of the US.

[ADR]

I dig the shielding,however my So-Cal wasn't noisey/hum etc.So why the need to do it,it's a cool mod but necessary on the new models?