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First Build, Performer Copy
- Thread starter mapleglo
- Start date
Thanks again everyone, for your kind words 
A small update. I routed out the inset for the control cavity, and found a piece of brass at the local hobby store. They also had a piece of aluminum which I picked up. I started to shape the brass piece, as it sort of spoke to me. I usually don't like the gold colored hardware, but I just may use this brass for the control cavity cover. And, it will save me a little copper shielding. If I end up not liking the brass, I'll try the aluminum. At least that will give me something to play with as I wait for the pickups, which should be shipping this week.
A small update. I routed out the inset for the control cavity, and found a piece of brass at the local hobby store. They also had a piece of aluminum which I picked up. I started to shape the brass piece, as it sort of spoke to me. I usually don't like the gold colored hardware, but I just may use this brass for the control cavity cover. And, it will save me a little copper shielding. If I end up not liking the brass, I'll try the aluminum. At least that will give me something to play with as I wait for the pickups, which should be shipping this week.
Well, to be honest, if I must...
It does look nicely shaped, and well fitted, but, imo, the gold/brass color doesn't play nice with the silver colored ferrules.
Again, this is my opinion, but it's a pretty strong one.
Besides that, it does look well done.
It does look nicely shaped, and well fitted, but, imo, the gold/brass color doesn't play nice with the silver colored ferrules.
Again, this is my opinion, but it's a pretty strong one.
Besides that, it does look well done.
The photos weren{t working on my computer for a bit, I figured it was the computer or something and just stayed subscribed just in case.
Well...today! They started to show up again, just gave the thread a thorough read...looking quite nice, very well done!
Well...today! They started to show up again, just gave the thread a thorough read...looking quite nice, very well done!
Yeah, I may go with the aluminum piece. Turns out I have a little more time before the pickups arrives. I heard from Classic Amplification this morning. I was advised there would be a few days delay. At least I'm kept up to date, and he advised me a day before the original ship date, with an option to cancel. That's the proper way to run a business. I'm hoping they'll ship by this weekend, and I have them by next weekend.
There are a number of ways to connect an aluminum back-plate to the shielded cavity, should you find that simply shielding the cavity isn't enough.
The simplest is to just extend the copper tape that's within the cavity up onto the plate's mounting ledge. Then, when the plate is screwed down, it'll contact the conductive side of the tape.
A more secure way would be to install a threaded post on the plate (just use a screw and nut w/washer) to which you would attach a wire from the shield in the control cavity (to which that end of the wire would be soldered).
By the way, if overlaying pieces of copper tape within the cavity, I would recommend soldering them together to get a good electrical bond, as the adhesive of the tape is often non conductive.
(And I'll echo the previous poster -- the magnetic properties of the metal are not important. You really just need good electrical conductivity, as the goal is to provide a capacitive "shunt" path for the electric field from the AC voltage in your house's wiring that would otherwise be capacitively coupling to your guitar's wiring.)
The simplest is to just extend the copper tape that's within the cavity up onto the plate's mounting ledge. Then, when the plate is screwed down, it'll contact the conductive side of the tape.
A more secure way would be to install a threaded post on the plate (just use a screw and nut w/washer) to which you would attach a wire from the shield in the control cavity (to which that end of the wire would be soldered).
By the way, if overlaying pieces of copper tape within the cavity, I would recommend soldering them together to get a good electrical bond, as the adhesive of the tape is often non conductive.
(And I'll echo the previous poster -- the magnetic properties of the metal are not important. You really just need good electrical conductivity, as the goal is to provide a capacitive "shunt" path for the electric field from the AC voltage in your house's wiring that would otherwise be capacitively coupling to your guitar's wiring.)
Don't overthink the shielding. Aluminum for the plate is fine. A little bit of copper tape over the lip so the cover makes electrical contact with the shielding--shouldn't need to solder the cover plate at all. Using conductive paint over foil tape is wasteful. Just check for conductance to make sure that the grounding lugs, bridge, ground wires, pickup cavity shielding (if done) all connect electrically to any point on the shielding. If you have a ground that doesn't short to the shielding, it's not properly shielded. It's how I do it anyway.
I also don't get the copper foil is expensive bit. Building quality instruments is expensive. A 60mm X 50M roll of copper tape is $59.99 on ebay right now. That's 3,000,000 square mm. A control cavity uses like 60,000 square mm?? $1.20 per guitar if my math is correct. Cheapest part of the build.
I also don't get the copper foil is expensive bit. Building quality instruments is expensive. A 60mm X 50M roll of copper tape is $59.99 on ebay right now. That's 3,000,000 square mm. A control cavity uses like 60,000 square mm?? $1.20 per guitar if my math is correct. Cheapest part of the build.
I think my current plan is to use the aluminum plate as a control cavity cover. If I have any copper shielding left, which I should, I'll just use that on the aluminum.
You know, for most of the time I was gigging, mostly through the 70's, I played a Rickenbacker 4001. I don't remember there being any shielding anywhere in that bass, and it had single coil pickups. I never remember any kind of noise problems. I think this will be ok.
You can do this, but it is not necessary. The aluminum plate will shield just fine as long as it "touches" somehow to the shielding in the cavity.
Yeah, at gig levels (except single coils under some types of fluorescent lighting--which can be bad) it's not really as important. In the studio? Noise can be a real headache.
Stopped by the woodshop this morning to get another router bit, a respirator, and they were having a sale on maple. Picked out a nice 6/4 7' x 8" slab for $40. I belong to their "rosewood" club, so that's after the sale and my discount. I also found they had spray lacquer, and for $9.00 a can, plus my discount, I picked some up. Never heard of the brand, but I guess we'll see.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,600
- 222,011
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I've not used Deft but have used hardware store rattle-can lacquer and even after the required curing time it remained soft. I used Stew Mac's w/no issues. As always, test first.
Hopkins
Commercial User
You should have no problems what so ever with the Deft lacquer. It is a very good product, I have used it many times.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,600
- 222,011
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Thanks! I read a few reviews on Amazon and the Home Depot sites and it seems that's the general consensus. A few reviewers mentioned that it might take a little while to fully cure, but from what I've read, most nitro finishes take about a month or so. Perhaps those that said it takes a while to cure didn't have much experience with nitro.
