Screw heads and shielding tape?

[Bighouse]

FWIW, I use a cheap toothbrush with MAAS metal polish/cleaner to get into the screw slots (and threads) for deep cleaning.

Yup! That’s exactly what I did! I also used some metal polish and 0000 steel wool on the tops.

[Isaac]

Is there any benefit to copper tape shielding the controls cavity on a 4001? The my pickguard and both pickup cavities are now shielded, and I’ve seen a video by one guitar tech who recommends NOT shielding the controls area.0ABC5671-6E1B-438E-9495-241CD33F137E.jpeg

Why did he recommend not shielding the cavity?

[Bighouse]

He said that most of the times when people have issues with shielding MAKING more noise or not working right, it's because the shielding of the cavity caused some kind of (ground loop?) issue- and when he advised them to remove the shielding in that area it solved the issue. Also, he contends that there's nothing in the control area (pots, switches, wiring) that will benefit from the shielding as radio frequencies won't cause interference through those components as they will through the pickups.

FWIW, I shielded mine anyway. Everything's working great on mine.

[lumgimfong]

I shielded control cavity, entire back of pickguard, and back of neck toaster, and entire bridge pup cavity. Silence!!!! No noise! No ground loops!!

[rickenbrother]

FWIW, I use a cheap toothbrush with MAAS metal polish/cleaner to get into the screw slots (and threads) for deep cleaning.

I'm glad you're not using MA's toothbrush.

[Isaac]

He said that most of the times when people have issues with shielding MAKING more noise or not working right, it's because the shielding of the cavity caused some kind of (ground loop?) issue- and when he advised them to remove the shielding in that area it solved the issue. Also, he contends that there's nothing in the control area (pots, switches, wiring) that will benefit from the shielding as radio frequencies won't cause interference through those components as they will through the pickups.

FWIW, I shielded mine anyway. Everything's working great on mine.

Seems to be fine on mine, too.

Looking around online this morning, I found a couple of videos that refute the ground loop hypothesis. This guy says he used to believe it, but no more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4u5EZ7 ... ineGuitars

This guy makes a good argument for it being impossible for there to be a ground loop in a passive guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n67T1O1 ... nTalksTone

[bdawson7]

When I redesigned my 350 circuit for a 6-way switch, parallel/series & phase switching on 3 pickups, viewtopic.php?t=402990 I decided to not shield the cavity because I re-wired the pickups so that each had an independant ground wire that was connected to the metal shell around each pickup.

After re-assembly and soldering a single-point style ground wire around the outside of the pots, so that each separate metal part had only one point for the ground to exit it, the guitar is now the quietest I own, including a Brian May 3-pickup I shielded entirely w/copper like shown here above!

[Bighouse]

When I redesigned my 350 circuit for a 6-way switch...

Wow, that's an impressive change you made to your instrument!

[lumgimfong]