Most guitarists think it's normal that their guitar hums if they don't touch the strings. It's not. That is, for a guitar it is normal, but for no other electric device this is acceptable nowadays. Seems like a lot of guitar companies are stuck in the vintage 50s.

So below is a photo essay of how I went about shielding and star grounding a electric guitar or bass. This is very easy and effective and really brings out tonal characteristics of your instrument. Although you don't seem to hear a difference, you will certainly be able to turn up more without extra hum and hence have more dynamic response in your playing.

0. All you need is the following:

a) materials
-Aluminium foil: any household type will do, but thicker might be better
-Spray glue: glue in a spray, be it what it may...
-A terminal ring or washer of any kind.

b) tools
-screwdrivers to remove the pickguard
- something sharp to cut the foil
-soldering iron
-solder


1. Dissembly of the Strat
- Loosen the strings or remove them completely.
- Loosen and remove a screws on the pickguard and put them in a very safe place.
- Idem for the guitar's input jack screws, lift out the jack assembly and every cut or desolder the wire on the jack close to the jack itself.
- Remove the pickguard, but be careful, the wires to the jack should be free now, but there's still another wire connecting pickguard and guitar. It goes into the tremelo cavity and its solder the tremelo spring holder at the back of the guitar. Cut this wire halfway. Now you can remove the pickguard.
- It is possible to remove all elements from the pickguard while still keeping them together. Anyways, remove all to end with an empty pickguard.
- Clean the back of the pickguard with alcohol or lighter fluid to remove all grease and dirt.


2. Shielding the pickguard
- Cut off a piece of foil large enough to cover the entire pickguard. Put it on some newspapers. Do the same for the pickguard, lay it so you see the backside.
- After a good deal of shaking with the spray glue, evenly spray on the foil and the back of the pickguard, trying to cover every corner but don't overdo it.
- Let both dry for a minute or 2 until the glue is sticky. Lay the foil (glue up of course) on the flattest table you have and put the pickguard down on that.
- Check the back of the pickguard on rub to remove air bubbles.



You can leave it to dry until last, then it will really stick well.


3. Shielding the guitar body
- Take a large piece of foil and try to mold it into the cavity. Depending on the routing of the guitar this maybe easy or hard. Make sure that the foil continues to the top of the guitar, and hence will touch the foil on the pickguard, otherwise your shield will be partly ungrounded and the whole project useless.



Here's I've molded the foil into shape and its sitting gently in the cavity. Make sure that it really touches the wood though, or you won't be able to glue it down. Make a small incision in the middle of the foil for the wire from the tremolo.



- In order to get glue in the body cavity and nowhere else, cover the whole face of the body with masking tape. Don't worry, if the finish comes off your guitar is probably worth less than the tape :-)



- When it's covered completely cut out the routing with your sharp implement. I like to use an Exacto knife.



- Cover the untaped areas of the guitar with old newspapers, and get ready to shake and spray. Try to get as much glue on the side of the cavity. You might want to tape the wire from the tremolo aside.

- Wait until the glue's somewhat sticky, then apply the shield after having put the tremolo wire through the whole. Apply enough pressure everywhere so the foil is really attached to the cavity and not hovering in mid air.





- Now solder the ring to the wire for the tremolo and screw that down unto the shield anywhere.




4. Star Grounding

Fold a circular wire that goes around the volume pot and attach all ground wires to this point. It should touch the pot as well as the foil on the pickguard to complete the shield.


Check the DIY Audio Links section for essential links on shielding and guitar wiring in general.

More strat shielding pics and illustrations in the Strat 87 upgrade entry