Why Don't Guitar Manufactorers install......

[Lespaulsignature 74]

If inserting copper foil onto the backs of pick guards and into guitar body cavities greatly reduces single coil-60 cycle hum, how come guitar makers don't adopt this as standard procedure?:dunno

[Will Chen]

Cost.

[Rock Johnson]

Cuz Leo and Les didn't do it, and Lord knows guitar manufacturers haven't had an original idea since 1957.

[Lespaulsignature 74]

I don't think that the average Joe would mind paying a few extra dollars to have a hum free guitar...I know I wouldn't, I'm sure the alternatives such as...noisless pickups, backplate systems, noise gates... etc. cost much more than copper foil?

[Rock Johnson]

I can't let my own cynicism stand. Some "newer" manufacturers are shielding their guitars. Godin comes to mind immediately.

If your guitar's not shielded, that's the FIRST mod you should do. Zero impact on tone, except it doesn't hum.

[Rock Johnson]

I don't think that the average Joe would mind paying a few extra dollars to have a hum free guitar...I know I wouldn't, I'm sure the alternatives such as...noisless pickups, backplate systems, noise gates... etc. cost much more than copper foil?

You can even shield with aluminum foil, it's just a little trickier.

[mattmccloskey]

But they do!
New fenders (american series,etc) have shielding paint underneath the color in the cavities.

Also shielded:
Anderson
Suhr
PRS
Grosh
Godin
Music Man
Tyler
etc......

Fact is most guitars that are not vintage recreations are in fact shielded with conductive paint or copper.

[shane88]

a better q would be why don't fender use sheilded pu wire?

[greenguard]

I've seen a number of MIJ Fenders with shielding paint through the 90's.

[Husky]

Fender does shield (unless it is a relic historic version) even though they may not do a double coat which I think is a must. You can tell your guitar is well shielded if when you take your hands off the strings you dont hear extra buzz

[guitarfish]

This is the cavity of a Carvin DC-400 I used to own. It was impeccably built.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/guitarfish/Guitars/Carvin/ActiveElectronics.jpg

[khromo231]

I believe that shielding is more effective at reducing radio-frequency interference than 60-cycle hum.

Here's a little gimmick you can use to get a feel for the difference between the two. You'll need a single coil guitar like a Strat or a Tele that bucks hum in the in-between position. Set your guitar and amp controls as you normally do, and sit in front of your amp with your hands touching the strings or bridge and the pickup selector in the in-between (humbucking) position. Your body is acting as a shield to minimize the RFI because your hands are touching the strings. Now listen to the hum and hiss as you alternately take your hand off the strings and then touch them again. The (higher pitched) "hiss" that disappears when you touch the strings and reappears when you take your hand off is Radio-Frequency Interference.

Now touch the strings and continue touching them as you toggle your pickup selector between a non-humbucking position (like middle-pickup-only) and a humbucking position (like middle-and-neck pickup). You will hear a lower pitched "hum" appear in non-humbucking position, and mostly disappear in humbucking position. What you hear and then don't hear is 60-cycle hum. Do it a few times and you will be able to clearly distinguish between the sound of RFI and 60-cycle hum.

A lot of guys who have proven in blind A/B tests administered by neutral parties that they have Golden Ears have told me that they can hear a clear difference in tone between a guitar before shielding and the same guitar after shielding. My tired old ears can hear a reduction in noise, but not necessarily a significant change in tone. That might be something to think about before you make with the foil!

I have worked with killer guitarists who automatically roll their volume knob to "0" at the end of a tune, and automatically roll it back to playing level as the band kicks off. I suspect they had a few "oops" moments when they were developing that habit, but they could play any guitar in any environment with substantially no noise!