Grounding Paint

[Tom Phillips]

I got the impression that you had just a small area to cover that couldn't be easily sprayed. I was suggesting something more like this for $18
It's available at the second link I posted.
Tom

[big_teee]

I got the impression that you had just a small area to cover that couldn't be easily sprayed. I was suggesting something more like this for $18
It's available at the second link I posted.
Tom

Your correct, I just couldn't pass up the other link.
I just want something that could be used for anywhere you have a cavity, or put a cover on the guitar.
I bet you were surprised also.

[Tom Phillips]

...I bet you were surprised also.

Yep. They don't even list the details. I wonder how much you get for $7,695?

[Bruce Johnson]

I bought one of the small brush bottles of SuperShield (around $9, I think?). It's a little bottle like the model paints in a hobby store. I've used it once or twice for small touchup spots. To me, it just isn't worth the time and trouble to hand brush the inside of a control cavity. Masking and spraying is so much faster and neater looking.

The SuperShield spray also works great for shielding the undersides of pickguards and control cavity covers. Lay down a cover of 3" wide masking tape, draw the outline of the area you want shielded, scribe it with a knife and peel it up, and spray. The SuperShield bonds very well to the vinyl, probably better than copper tape.

[big_teee]

Anyone try this one?
I think this is the one a friend sent me.
Carbon Paint, Conductive - 30g bottle
Still looking for a bargain, and a deal, I guess there is no such thing.
T

[Tom Phillips]

The description includes "...Provides great conductivity (1 KOhm/sq)..." Hmm. That doesn't sound "great" to me.

[big_teee]

The description includes "...Provides great conductivity (1 KOhm/sq)..." Hmm. That doesn't sound "great" to me.

So I guess that means you haven't tried it.
I have and it seems to work great.
Carbon would be like a carbon trace on a Potentiohmeter.
It would have some resistance.
Not sure what a sq is?
If sq means square? So Square what?
T

[John_H]

I use aluminum tape for shielding. I have some that's 2" wide with peel-off paper backing. It's easy to cut to shape for a clean installation. Best of all, it's cheap.

[big_teee]

I like the aluminum foil on pickguards, I use it often.
Never was good at putting tape or foil in a cavity.
IMO for me the paint is much easier.
I'll probably order some more of that.
I think that is what I have.
T

[Tom Phillips]

So I guess that means you haven't tried it...Not sure what a sq is?
If sq means square? So Square what?

Right I haven't tried it. It just sounds like a high resistance to do a good shielding job but apparently it is conductive enough to work. Good to know.
I believe that resistance per square is a method used to specify conductivity of thin films. If you paint a square on a non-conductive material then measure the resistance from one side to the other then it will be 1,000 Ohms in the case of this stuff. Theoretically, you get the same reading no mater how big the square is because a larger square is like putting more resistors in parallel. It's an equal tradeoff of a longer resistive path but with more parallel paths.
Hope my explanation makes sense. There is a Wikipedia page on the subject at Sheet resistance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cheers,
Tom

[soundguruman]

Looking for an economical source for Grounding, or shielding paint.
StewMac gets a fortune for theres. What do you other guys use?
Later,

I don't. Because I know it's absolutely worthless.

All you are doing is adding capacitance to the circuit.
This chops off the highest frequencies.
The buzz "appears" to be reduced, because you have eliminated the high frequency portion of the buzz.
AND eliminated the high frequency audio, as well.

You could solder a capacitor across the output jack, and the result is exactly the same.

This is a gimmick, and a complete waste of time and money.

Get a humbucking pickup. This will REALLY eliminate noise. OR keep on pretending...

Welcome to the club
of people who INSIST on using single coil pickups...
and NEVER stop complaining about the noise.

[Enzo]

Interesting theory. So if we surround a circuit with conductive paint that is grounded, it is just a gimmick and acts like a capacitor? WHy then doesn't a metal film surrounding a circuit and grounded also act as a capacitor? Hmm?

When tiny companies like Peavey use conductive paint in the amp head cabs as shielding instead of foil, are they just pretending?

When guitar making companies use it in their body cavities, they too are just fooling?

And surely we can;t trust a company like Stew-Mac to sell things that work.


In fact, Peavey might sell the stuff, if they do it ought to be reasonably priced.

[big_teee]

Shielding gets rid of the static noise, that has nothing to do with AC hum.
I work on guitars too, so your not the only guy on here that has beat on them.
You have to ground the shield.
I put aluminum foil on pickguards too.
I cover the bulk of the pickguard with heavy foil.
It is grounded to all the components mounted to the pickguard. It makes a huge difference, IMO!
The guitar I have in pieces right now is a test guitar that I test humbuckers in.
I Carbon painted it this afternoon, and I'm going to put it back together tomorrow.
It was so Damn noisy, I couldn't tell if the new pickup I was testing was good or not.
I finally tested it in another guitar.
I'll let you know tomorrow if I cured it.
T
**Edit
How do I purchase from Peavey?
I'm not an amp repair shop.

[Jazz P Bass]

**Edit
how do I purchase from Peavey?
I'm not an amp repair shop.

Peavey will sell to anybody.

At there list price.

Credit cards are accepted.

[big_teee]

Peavey will sell to anybody.

At there list price.

Credit cards are accepted.

I sent an email to their parts department.
I'll let you know what they have available in the shielding paint?
T