Control Cavity Shielding Paint

guitar007 · Post by **guitar007** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:09 pm

Have any of you used this? Where can you get the paint? What's it made of? Is it toxic? Is it effective?

JimiJames · Post by **JimiJames** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:30 pm

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics ... Paint.html
Works well !
Major companies use this effectively. Ibanez & Peavey to name some....

guitar007 · Post by **guitar007** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:37 pm

Thanks, bro. Is it a good idea to paint all the cavities (pickups, toggle switch cavity, etc.)?

JD · Post by JD » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:39 pm

robert · Post by **robert** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:22 pm

Hi,

of course, you can use graphite and paint or spray the cavities. But IMHO selfadhesive copperfoil would be look much cleaner if the work is properly done.

Regards

Robert

St August · Post by **St August** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:48 pm

Doesnt anybody use the self addhesive copper sheeting anymore?

Duh what robert said.....lol

JD · Post by JD » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:54 pm

St August wrote:Doesnt anybody use the self addhesive copper sheeting anymore?

Duh what robert said.....lol

I have used this kind of stuff but I find slapping in some shielding paint with a little brush is the easiest and very effective.

St August · Post by **St August** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:08 pm

you use that on the back of the cavity cover also

I always use the copper on the cover and run a ground wire to it....

Tubes · Post by **Tubes** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:37 pm

jd wrote:To me, I dont like shielded cavities in guitars, with shielded paint or copper foil. It dampens the highs of your tone. For me, it muddies the tone when you connect that shielding to the ground in your circuit. What it is doing, is essentially adding capacitance to ground!

I use 100% graphite powder from a hardware store(really cheap, and comes in a pin point applicator tube) and mix it with polyurethane. Mix as much graphite as possible, while still being able to paint the inside cavities. This works best for me, as it doesnt need to be connected to ground, and thus won't add capacitance to ground, and thus won't affect the high end on the guitar. Graphite has natural shielding properties. This method will help alot with buzzes too from lighting in bars. It may not be as helpful to noise as a copper foil job or something, but it will shield ALOT and not affect your tone, which is the best part about it.

Also, the graphite powder pin point applicator is super cheap, and you can use it's pin point applicator to lube your guitars headstock nut, so the strings don't bind. This helps with a tremelo on a strat to stay in tune! Helps alot.

The springs in the back of a strat tremelo help alot with blocking noise to the pickups from behind it. The ground of the guitar is connected directly to it, and the more springs you use, the more of a "wall" of ground you have behind the pickups.

hope this helps.

PS: I only do this to strats that need it, some that aren't bad I dont shield at all. I never understood why people have so much trouble with noise. Maybe cuz they have cranked Marshalls....

All you really described is shielding paint that you can buy online and is in most modern guitars.

JimiJames · Post by **JimiJames** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:41 am

Tubes wrote:To me, I dont like shielded cavities in guitars, with shielded paint or copper foil. It dampens the highs of your tone. For me, it muddies the tone when you connect that shielding to the ground in your circuit. What it is doing, is essentially adding capacitance to ground!

I use 100% graphite powder from a hardware store(really cheap, and comes in a pin point applicator tube) and mix it with polyurethane. Mix as much graphite as possible, while still being able to paint the inside cavities. This works best for me, as it doesnt need to be connected to ground, and thus won't add capacitance to ground, and thus won't affect the high end on the guitar. Graphite has natural shielding properties. This method will help alot with buzzes too from lighting in bars. It may not be as helpful to noise as a copper foil job or something, but it will shield ALOT and not affect your tone, which is the best part about it.

Also, the graphite powder pin point applicator is super cheap, and you can use it's pin point applicator to lube your guitars headstock nut, so the strings don't bind. This helps with a tremelo on a strat to stay in tune! Helps alot.

The springs in the back of a strat tremelo help alot with blocking noise to the pickups from behind it. The ground of the guitar is connected directly to it, and the more springs you use, the more of a "wall" of ground you have behind the pickups.

hope this helps.

PS: I only do this to strats that need it, some that aren't bad I dont shield at all. I never understood why people have so much trouble with noise. Maybe cuz they have cranked Marshalls....

Good to know about new methods. You give a little contradicting statement for those who just want to elimiate the buzz as much as posible but you have an interesting approach..

Tubes · Post by **Tubes** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:18 am

Contradicting? hmmm That is because you added words to the post in yoru quote! Duh nice move.

fatcatefx · Post by **fatcatefx** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:07 am

I have also used the shielding paint from stewmac. I used to own a reissue strat that had quite a bit of noise (as strats tend to have!), and I used the paint. Took my time, applied with a small watercolor type brush and it really reduced the hum (note: did not eliminate it, but reduced it_) -- I did not notice any difference in tone, just in the reduction of buzz/hum and other unwelcome noise. I have never tried the application of the foil paper except in building effects (yes this works well for shielding as well), noticable difference when used... I've also read that using the shielding tape alone on the back of the cavity cover reduces noise by itself....

BUT......since applying the shielding paint in that one reissue strat, I have never done it with anything else (only for customers who request it) -- I've learned to live with the dreaded single coil buzz.....

Tubes · Post by **Tubes** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:37 pm

fatcatefx:
Did you connect the shielding paint to ground inside the cavity of the reissue strat?

fatcatefx · Post by **fatcatefx** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:43 pm

tubes,

no. i just painted the cavity.... This helped by just isolating the cavity -- it reduced noise quite a bit.

I do believe that if you use the foil shielding tape that you need to ground to it (from the one of the pots I am sure would be fine) -- although, I am not sure if it is absolutely necessary, since the goal is just to isolate the cavity...anyone else have any thoughts on grounding to the shielding tape?

hope this answered your question tubes!

JD · Post by JD » Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:57 pm

Your pot casings will ground the paint (connect it to the ground). Just paint right up to the pot holes and you will be all set. If you paint the "lip" around a recessed control cover cavity (think PRS or Gibson) and put foil or paint on the control cover plastic, it will be grounded as well when installed. If you paint in the cavities behind your Humbucking pickups, the shielded pickup lead wire will ground the control paint. It's not really rocket science, just slap a good heavy coat or two in all the cavities and it will sorta take care of itself.