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Copper shielding question.

R

Rayle_Trail

Jun 14, 2004
138
0
38
Brisbane
#1
Im just about to start finishing my newly constructed EB with a 2-part epoxy spray and was wondering if when it comes to doing the electronics and PU cavities is it necessary to coat anything on the copper shielding tape to stop it corroding. I bought a roll of the stew mac conductive copper tape and just the oils from my fingers have begun to corrode it. Its very simple but seeing that Ive never finished a bass before I haven't gotten to this stage yet. :)
...?
 
#3
FWIW:

I've never seen it covered. I have one I shielded over a year ago and seems it's darkened up some but nothing more.

Just remember to be real present when installing the electronics cause there's nothing better I know for shorting hot leads than a foil shielded cavity. Just to make sure, I used to lay a strip of electrical tape below all pot lugs and against the wall anyplace a non-ground pot lug was close.
 
#4
You can buy small tins of aerosol laquer at electronics stores to spray over and cover it. The spray is used for covering printed circuit boards after they're etched to protect the board and help prevent shorts. The laquer can be easily scraped away to solder a wire to it, or some can be soldered through, ie the laquer will burn off. It's typically green in colour.
 
#5
Dharmabass said:
You can buy small tins of aerosol laquer at electronics stores to spray over and cover it. The spray is used for covering printed circuit boards after they're etched to protect the board and help prevent shorts. The laquer can be easily scraped away to solder a wire to it, or some can be soldered through, ie the laquer will burn off. It's typically green in colour.
Click to expand...

To expand on the Dharmabass info

Solder mask - the green covering on circuit boards, was originally designed to stop solder shorts when a board was floated on a pool of molten solder and then the assembly was picked up. This process completes the soldering of all the parts onto the board in a very fast step. The process was later improved so that the crest of a wave of solder was splashed against the bottom of the board.

However, the spray on lacquer does not help much to protect the circuit boards but is sold so that repaired boards look a lot better. Moisture will still travel though the lacquer (but at a reduced rate – faster however than you might think) and any corrosion will normally continue and in some cases speed up.

The salt from you skin is probably causing the problem not "oil" so if you are really are worried about it you could wear gloves. Most guitar electronics are solder with highly aggressive fluxes which should be more of a long term problem than most hand salts.
 
#6
On the bass I own ( A GB and a Shuker) both approached are different

Shuker use tradional Copper Shielding tape.. that you jhttp://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/lacquer.htmlust line the inside of the cavities with..

GB use a Carbon Based spray....

On a whole Both work very well tho the Copper is more effective if your doing a lot of playing in front of a computer and it reduces RF interferance from computer monitors better than the carbon spray.
 

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