Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey everyone, I have a 2004 4003 Ric that produces a noisy hum. It is not a ground issue, it is a shielding issue. I have procured the copper tape for the back of the pickguard, shielded wiring, and the conductive paint for the cavities. As I am new to this process, I am wondering if anyone knows a link or has experience with some good concise instructions, tips, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...

Koy Carson
West Texas

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Koy, forget the paint, use the copper, line all routs with it, leave a little over the top of the body to mate to the copper you back the pickguard with, and solder all joints in the routs. Make sure the copper is tied to ground at one place only. You want a "box" with only holes for the pickups. You will still pick up interference from the pickups but only from a source that is right in front of them - they are still single coil pickups. Done properly it will make a difference.

Thanks!

johnallg wrote:Koy, forget the paint, use the copper, line all routs with it, leave a little over the top of the body to mate to the copper you back the pickguard with, and solder all joints in the routs. Make sure the copper is tied to ground at one place only. You want a "box" with only holes for the pickups. You will still pick up interference from the pickups but only from a source that is right in front of them - they are still single coil pickups. Done properly it will make a difference.

1. Where is the best place to connect the one ground point from all of this copper?

2. Should you also line the treble pickup cavity, independently as its own copper box? After all it can't be contiguous with the other box. If so, where does one best ground THIS box?

My 4003s do experience DIRECTIONAL hum which apparently is the kind of hum this can fix. Fortunately that's the only noise malady they suffer and it's weak...

1) Pick a point - probably centrally located - wherever it is easy to reach.

2) The treble cavity becomes a complete enclosure of it's own, grounded by the black eyelet ground wire on the height adjustment screw.

johnallg wrote:2) The treble cavity becomes a complete enclosure of it's own, grounded by the black eyelet ground wire on the height adjustment screw.

So solder from the copper shield to the eyelet with a short wire?

cassius987 wrote:

johnallg wrote:2) The treble cavity becomes a complete enclosure of it's own, grounded by the black eyelet ground wire on the height adjustment screw.

So solder from the copper shield to the eyelet with a short wire?

You could, or let the copper overlap the top a tad and the surround will contact it when screwed down.

johnallg wrote:You could, or let the copper overlap the top a tad and the surround will contact it when screwed down.

... Duh!!

Thanks John.