Alright team. Since I’ve plugged in and played after the pickguard change. My feedback is comical. Amp feedback when I’m not touching the guitar. Yall think I should get back under the hood and tape all around the cavity? ….
Or install the EMG GZR PU’s and tape the cavity. ? Im pretty new to modding with out the help of a pro, I just really want to try and attempt it all myself.
I don't see where you would be getting feedback, unless the volume of the amp is really high.
going by what you described before, you were getting was 60 Hz hum/Electrical Frequency Interference. If you touch any metal on the bass and it gets quiet, then that is a grounding issue. If you didn't ground the shielding tape on the back of the pickguard, then it is going to act like a satellite dish, reflecting the EFI into the pickups. The same with the bridge and strings, if not grounded, they reflect tat RFI into the pickup.
In your pictures above, you left gaps between the strips of tape. If the tape isn't touching the next strip, you just created a reflector. If the copper tape is actual shielding tape, the adhesive should be conductive and all you need to do is add some tape connecting to the next strip. As long as the pots and jack still have their metal "star" washers, the strips should be grounded properly once they are all connected.
While it's open, check to make sure the bridge ground wire is still connected. If you have a multi-meter, do a continuity check between the bridge and pots body. A tug on the wire will at least make sure the wire is secure between the bridge and body, but not necessarily grounded to the bridge.
To further reduce the RFI, line the pickup rout with the foil tape. To ground it here you can either add an additional ground wire screwed down in the cavity or just leave a tab of tape over the edge of the rout next to where the tape on the pickguard will make contact with the tab. This is tab should be at one of the screw holes, so you get a secure connection. Also, be sure not to go so far out, that the tape is visible from under the pickguard.
Many say to shield the control cavity, but I find that to be unnecessary, as there isn't a coil (like a pickup has) in there to pickup the the RFI. It doesn't hurt anything, but just isn't necessary. You do need the tape on the surface the pots mount to, for a solid ground between them. Lining the control cavity won't hurt anything, but does open you up to possibly grounding out your signal, it any exposed wire comes in contact with the shielding or the pot turns and the contacts touch the shielding.
TLDR: apply some tape to the gaps in tape on the back of the pickguard. There has to be a continuous connection with all the shielding tape.
