Ragpicker
Wholenote
I'm playing it in a different key
Posts: 336
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Post by Ragpicker on Feb 16, 2022 10:56:51 GMT -5
My Mim 69 thinline has a static charge that happens when I rub/touch the pickguard. This guitar has Bill Lawrence noiseless pickups. Copper shielding or shielding paint the answer ? Maybe just shielding the pickguard ? Thats a big pickguard !
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Post by Leftee on Feb 16, 2022 11:03:10 GMT -5
I'd guess the pickguard is already shielded. But is that shielding connected to ground?
What's the humidity level in your room? I'd bet very low this time of year.
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Ragpicker
Wholenote
I'm playing it in a different key
Posts: 336
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Post by Ragpicker on Feb 16, 2022 11:26:01 GMT -5
Yes , humidity is single to very low two digits. Next time I change strings on this axe I'll check the shielding and grounding. Didnt know I had this problem Monday when I changed the strings.
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Post by ninworks on Feb 16, 2022 12:08:14 GMT -5
Copper shielding will fix it. Do all the cavities in the guitar as well as you can and do the pick guard. Being a thinline I don't know if that's possible. I'm not sure how the insides are configured. Never had one.
I had a 60's Tribute Gold Top Les Paul that had terrible static problems whenever dragging fingers across the top of the guitar or the pick guard. Humidity levels didn't make any difference. It was bad. I shielded all the cavities with conductive copper tape as well as the back side of the pick guard and grounded that to the neck pickup. I have shielded 2 Strats as well. That eliminated all my static problems and reduced EMI a little too.
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Ragpicker
Wholenote
I'm playing it in a different key
Posts: 336
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Post by Ragpicker on Feb 16, 2022 12:42:03 GMT -5
Any opinions or advise re: copper foil shielding vs. shielding paint ?
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Post by LeftyMeister on Feb 16, 2022 12:57:34 GMT -5
Pickguard Static... *wOOt*
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Post by ninworks on Feb 16, 2022 13:41:53 GMT -5
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Feb 16, 2022 13:45:54 GMT -5
Have you tried the "rubbing the pickguard with a dryer sheet" trick?
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Post by ninworks on Feb 16, 2022 13:51:29 GMT -5
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Ragpicker
Wholenote
I'm playing it in a different key
Posts: 336
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Post by Ragpicker on Feb 16, 2022 22:36:03 GMT -5
I think Ill get some copper foil ordered up. This Thinline is my go to Tele.and I want it 100% all the time. Ill try a dryer sheet tomorrow. I used to have an antistatic gun sort of thing that was marketed by Discwasher Co. To de static vinyl Lps. Wish I knew where that got to. It worked well on records
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Post by pcalu on Feb 17, 2022 17:48:36 GMT -5
Sometimes... a simple piece of tinfoil running from under the pick guard into the control routing... making sure that the screws to both the pick guard and the control plate go through it also does the trick..
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Ragpicker
Wholenote
I'm playing it in a different key
Posts: 336
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Post by Ragpicker on Feb 17, 2022 22:23:51 GMT -5
Gave her a good anti static rub down with a dryer sheet. Seemed to work. Rub her again if necessary. Mmmmmmmm
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Post by jazzguy on Feb 18, 2022 2:36:19 GMT -5
Yes , humidity is single to very low two digits. Next time I change strings on this axe I'll check the shielding and grounding. Didnt know I had this problem Monday when I changed the strings. That's way too low humidity, you want it around 40-50% to prevent issues like fret sprout etc. Highly recommend you get a humidifier. Probably solve the static problem too. |
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Ragpicker
Wholenote
I'm playing it in a different key
Posts: 336
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Post by Ragpicker on Feb 19, 2022 10:44:37 GMT -5
I hate humidity ! My playing space is now also my sleeping space. I really dislike a humid environment. Thats one reason I live in Arizona. My guitars sit out on stands 99% of the time and Ive never really had any problems with dry air. I dont have expensive guitars anymore so the ones I do have will just have to livve by my rules !
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Feb 19, 2022 14:19:15 GMT -5
I've found even some guitar polish works, too. Lacquer does it sometimes as well. If I buff out a guitar I can get static pops even just on the finish. Hit it with guitar polish and it fades.
I haven't gone too deep down the rabbit hole - mild soapy water or something else might work, too.
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Post by LVF on Feb 20, 2022 12:15:16 GMT -5
The only time I've ever had an issue like this it was with Gibson guitars of which, I have two and the static was only limited to the pickguard. I've used a humidifier for years now and have no other issues on other guitars I have. I've used the 'dryer sheet' method on my first Gibson, a es 345 and that has worked well. My latest Gibson Les Paul, I copper tapped the pickguard underside but, that had no effect. Another interesting thing is I only get the static noise through the amp. You can rub your finger across the pickguard and get a continual static noise out of the amp at times. I'll have to try out some of the other interesting remedies mentioned in this thread at some point. It just funny I only have this issue with Gibson's. Perhaps they are all zapped by Thor in the manufacturing process (?).  |
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Post by Stinger22 on Feb 20, 2022 13:15:12 GMT -5
My Mim 69 thinline has a static charge that happens when I rub/touch the pickguard. This guitar has Bill Lawrence noiseless pickups. Copper shielding or shielding paint the answer ? Maybe just shielding the pickguard ? Thats a big pickguard ! The static is from you rubbing it with your hand or arm or shirt. Make sure the pickguard can see a ground to bleed it off instead of grounding to you. If the pickguard is black it may have carbon in it which will bleed it off to a wire underneath or as someone else post the picture of the copper tape on the back WHICH IS ASLO GROUNDED. Copper shielding inside the cavity protects against outside radio interference/60hz hum and it must see a ground too. GROUND GROUND GROUND |
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Post by Stinger22 on Feb 20, 2022 13:19:53 GMT -5
Have you tried the "rubbing the pickguard with a dryer sheet" trick? All that does is provide a lubricant on top of the pickguard so whatever is rubbing against it creating the static has less friction to cause it. It is only a temp. Ground the pickguard is the solution. |
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Post by Stinger22 on Feb 20, 2022 13:23:49 GMT -5
Yes , humidity is single to very low two digits. Next time I change strings on this axe I'll check the shielding and grounding. Didnt know I had this problem Monday when I changed the strings. That's way too low humidity, you want it around 40-50% to prevent issues like fret sprout etc. Highly recommend you get a humidifier. Probably solve the static problem too. 65% is the key to prevent static, at 65% and above there is enough water vapor in the air that it acts as a ground to static build up and it dissipates into the air. |
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Post by Stinger22 on Feb 20, 2022 13:27:53 GMT -5
I'd screw a ring lug into the bottom of the control cavity so it sits on top of the copper tape and bring all your grounds there including the one from under the pickguard! |
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Post by Stinger22 on Feb 20, 2022 13:30:16 GMT -5
I bet the ground on your output jack is in contact with the carbon paint on the inside and all the shielding also contacts the carbon paint so everything gets a good ground including the pickguards. |
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Post by ninworks on Feb 20, 2022 21:17:22 GMT -5
The copper tape in the Les Paul is all connected. The shielding in the hole going to the output jack is connected to the tape in the pickup cavity. That is grounded to the neck pickup. The shielding tape in the switch cavity is grounded to the pickup selector switch which is grounded to the pickups so they are all connected. Even the pick guard is grounded to the neck pickup. It works great just the way it is. It completely eliminated the static problems I was having.
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