I tried to do a search here but couldn't find anything. Are there any threads that discuss which is better? C'mon TBass, I bet you guys have debated this thoroughly, I just can't find it. Help a brother out.
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Shielding paint vs copper foil
- Thread starter 48thStreetCustom
- Start date
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
I'm curious also my tech said he will do either on a bass I need this done on so I need help also great question sir
I've never done any shielding personally, but what I can tell you is that my local luthier took my completely stock Geddy, applied a few layers of shielding paint to all of the cavities, and apparently also lined the insides of the pickups with copper tape. It is now completely noiseless, even from single-coil hum (except under the most extreme circumstances). YMMV.
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
sweet thanks that's what I want to hear I have a Big Block Precision and it's a 18v monster the only issues are they are noisy especially when you hit that boost switch
I bought a pint of the shielding paint and a sheet of copper pickguard shielding foil from StewMac.
Now all I have to do is use it on my '98 Geddy Lee and my 2012 Vintage Bluesman.
I'll be checking the shielding in my other basses when I give them a thorough "going through." I'm sure I have a couple others that will benefit.
Now all I have to do is use it on my '98 Geddy Lee and my 2012 Vintage Bluesman.
I'll be checking the shielding in my other basses when I give them a thorough "going through." I'm sure I have a couple others that will benefit.
Wow, what does "lined the insides of the pickups with copper tape" mean? do you have any photos?
I imagine it means just what it sounds like; he covered the inside of the plastic pickup casing with copper tape. I don't have any pictures and I haven't opened the pickups (I don't dare; there's a reason I paid a professional to do this for me).
And keep in mind, the single-coil hum isn't COMPLETELY gone, it's just gone in most circumstances. For example, with just one pickup on, you could still hear single-coil hum in his shop (something about the lighting in there was always extremely noisy to begin with), but so far I haven't heard the hum when I tried it anywhere else.
As far as normal noise when not touching the hardware, that is now gone completely, even in his extremely noisy shop.
No, he lined the pickup cavities with shielding paint, just like all of the other cavities. He used copper tape inside the pickup casing itself, although I am not sure exactly how.
Copper tape is superior to conductive paint, as it is more conductive.
If you're going to shield pickup coils, remember that it will influence the flow of eddy currents.
If you're going to shield pickup coils, remember that it will influence the flow of eddy currents.
Interesting. All the pickups I've seen have been epoxied inside the shells. I guess they are not all like that.
It's possible I misunderstood him, but I am sure that he said he painted the cavity and did something to the pickups themselves using copper tape.
You've never seen a standard J pickup or P pickup, or MM pickup, or Strat pickup or Tele pickup, or PAF humbucker?
Correct. In my limited experience I have never seen the insides of any of those things.
So, I guess people shield inside pickup shells and/or around coils. I learned something.
Does it change the tone to do that?
My Sadowsky Metro UV70 has paint shielding and it seems to work just fine. Of course, they're hum-cancelling pickups, though.
A friend of mine showed me this. They lined the pickup cover with coper foil
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My G&L L2500 Tribute had shielding paint that didn't work very well. I replaced it with copper foil and it's silent now.
