I decided to shield my guitar

-Rhaab · #1 07-26-2007, 07:13 PM

Im going to use tinfoil in the control cavity
is there any significant different in noise reduction from using tin foil compared to copper foil?
and is there any special kind of glue i should use?

David McCarroll · #2 07-26-2007, 08:37 PM

No real difference - in fact Aluminium is a better conductor than Copper - so why isn't it used for wire you ask?

Because you can't solder Aluminium - hence you will have to work out how to reliably ground your shielding - you don't ground it, it doesn't do anything!

-Rhaab · #3 07-27-2007, 06:20 AM

im gona try glueing it all in one piece with a bit over the opening so the cavity cover can contact it too, and it will be all be grounded by the knobs.

Gusfmm · #4 07-27-2007, 11:29 AM

Rhaab,

A question, why are you concerned trying to shield the electronics cavity? If you were to pickup electromagnetic noise from the surroundings, your guitar pickups are the first to "translate" that into your audio signal. So why bothering? Tiny pickup cables inside the cavity handle very low voltages, have very short runs, and follow quasi-random paths, so either external or self-inductance should not be a concern.

Besides, the moment you cover the whole deal with foil, you are gonna have a single big ground conductor for all the stuff in the cavity, so you better be careful there are no connections, cable ends, soldering points, or circuit terminals (in the rarer event you had a piezo), unprotected that may get in contact with that or your are gonna have an issue much worse than what you thought you had initially.

I'd personally recommend against doing that your doing.

Gus.

Active 80's · #5 07-27-2007, 11:05 PM

Gusfmm, if you were next to me i would yell at you. Many times my guitar teacher's guitar picked up random RADIO, and buzzing noises, in his custom (all hand made) non shielded guitar... and we are in a tiny cement/brick walled with sound proofing... yes radio... happened to be spanish...
it never occured all that long, but still... not somthing most would consider GOOOD...

Gusfmm · #6 07-27-2007, 11:43 PM

If that happened to Vai, he'd probably use that as inspiration and turn it all into a shredding monster tune!

misplacedsanity · #7 07-28-2007, 12:03 AM

Reminds me of Spinal Tap at the airbase. Although I doubt your guitar teacher smashed his guitar to the floor stormed off and left the band.

Active 80's · #8 07-28-2007, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gusfmm

If that happened to Vai, he'd probably use that as inspiration and turn it all into a shredding monster tune!

LOL
quote (ghetto version of a quote) Reminds me of Spinal Tap at the airbase. Although I doubt your guitar teacher smashed his guitar to the floor stormed off and left the band.
end quote
LOL
no he didnt, i dont think he could afford that, its a very nice guitar... and if he did, i dont know if i would feel safe enough to show up to lessons any more

Martyr Machine · #9 07-29-2007, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gusfmm

If that happened to Vai, he'd probably use that as inspiration and turn it all into a shredding monster tune!

I'm pretty sure that the strange sounds at the beginning of Satriani's Flying in Blue Dream were radio signals picked up by his guitar.

Gusfmm · #10 07-29-2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martyr Machine

I'm pretty sure that the strange sounds at the beginning of Satriani's Flying in Blue Dream were radio signals picked up by his guitar.

That's right, I'd forgotten about that one.

Jennifer Batten has also got one suffering from the same issue, her version of Giant Steps, on the CD titled "ABOVE BELOW AND BEYOND"...

Gus.

Champagne Mist · #11 09-02-2007, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David McCarroll

No real difference - in fact Aluminium is a better conductor than Copper - so why isn't it used for wire you ask?

Because you can't solder Aluminium - hence you will have to work out how to reliably ground your shielding - you don't ground it, it doesn't do anything!

Aluminum is not a better conductor than copper. Copper and silver are best, then gold. Gold is often used in place of copper (or silver) because it doesn't oxidize. Aluminum is indeed used as a conductor, when weight is a factor.

For truly effective shielding, you would use a ferro-magnetic material, but since no one wants to put a steel box in the electronics cavity, other conductors are fine. For the same thickness and permeabilities, the better conductor is the better shield. i.e. copper is better than tin.

raphaelnikolai · #12 03-07-2011, 08:41 AM

check this post.. it might be helpful..

build-a-guitar.com/shielding-the-guitar-electronics/

Hikey Mikey · #13 03-07-2011, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raphaelnikolai

check this post.. it might be helpful..

Check the date of the post immediately preceding yours . . . might be even more helpful.

Peace

Mike

guitvai1 · #14 03-07-2011, 07:37 PM

The cheapest and easiest method I found was to go to Home Depot and get a big roll of aluminum duct sealing tape. Works great.

The only time I've heard radio come out of my amp was with a faulty cable.

linuxpenguin · #15 03-07-2011, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David McCarroll

No real difference - in fact Aluminium is a better conductor than Copper - so why isn't it used for wire you ask?

Because you can't solder Aluminium - hence you will have to work out how to reliably ground your shielding - you don't ground it, it doesn't do anything!

aluminum is not more conductive then copper.

for the thread, you can buy copper or silver (obviously silver is more pricey) shielding paint from a NON GUITAR store for "cheap". Little bit goes a LONG LONG way. Guitar oriented places jack the prices WAY up because its a niche market for us.

tin foil will work, but isnt the greatest; not to mention it looks super tacky. That tape would be the best "cost effective" solution.

Carbon would work as well