Grounding guitars for less noise

[glahnb]

I have already done a tele, but want to do my Hamer Special. Will copper foil on the rear cavity plate do anything, or do I have to foil the cavity too. Do I have to ground it in any way?

[EADGBE]

I have already done a tele, but want to do my Hamer Special. Will copper foil on the rear cavity plate do anything, or do I have to foil the cavity too. Do I have to ground it in any way?
In order for the shield to 'shield' it has to be grounded. Yes go ahead and put some copper foil on the cover plate. This will completely surround the compartment. Try to make sure it comes in contact with the foil in the cavity. I don't think you have to solder a wire to it. I don't. Anyway with shielding the more the better. Just don't let it come into contact with any hot wires as this could cause a short.

[glahnb]

Thank you for the advice.

[Guitar Josh]

In order for the shield to 'shield' it has to be grounded. Yes go ahead and put some copper foil on the cover plate. This will completely surround the compartment. Try to make sure it comes in contact with the foil in the cavity. I don't think you have to solder a wire to it. I don't. Anyway with shielding the more the better. Just don't let it come into contact with any hot wires as this could cause a short.

The "wire" is so that you don't have to worry about the foil on the guard touching the foil in the cavity. It's a five minute job that makes your life easier.

[muddy]

riddle me this; can conductive copper sheets (ala monte allums) replace a ground plate entirely? in other words, will it function as a ground plate on it's own, eliminating the pot to pot grounding?


ml

[Jef Bardsley]

Yes, muddy, it should work.

[DownByLaw]

My Hamer Special has a metal control plate for just this reason, it came stock. Not sure how adding additional copper will help. In addition, the control cavity is coated in a shielding paint, and when the cover is screwed on it makes contact with it making a completely shielded cavity. Is this not true on yours?

Patrick

[muddy]

just to make myself clear, i have no ground plate at all; i DO have enough leftover copper sheets from shielding one of my strats.


ml

[sixstringsteve]

here's a link to a great site explaining how to ground your guitar.

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/index.php

[Jef Bardsley]

The back casing of a CTS pot is attached by four tabs that grip the threaded casting. So, you can ground the pot by wires to the casing or by attaching the pot to a metal surface that's grounded. Using foil would eliminate soldering to the back of the pots.

[glahnb]

You're right actually. I assumed it was plastic, but today discovered it was already shielded and had a metal plate.