stratocaster

[popoahi]

I hear if I line my pick-up cavity with metal tape (thick aircraft aluminum speed tape) it helps fatten the sound especially the bridge pick-up cavities tone???
Or even wrap the wiring part of the pick-up with the metal tape???

true or hogwash???

[big_teee]

Try it, but I think you will be disappointed.
You can put a steel base plate on the bottom of the pickup.
That will change the tone, but if it is not wax potted, It will more than likely be microphonic.
T

[Leo_Gnardo]

I hear if I line my pick-up cavity with metal tape (thick aircraft aluminum speed tape) it helps fatten the sound especially the bridge pick-up cavities tone???
Or even wrap the wiring part of the pick-up with the metal tape???

true or hogwash???

I wonder how does thick tape make aircraft speedier? Well I did see chunks of duct tape on the surface of a United Airlines jet I was about to board in Tokyo . . . so I felt reassured it wasn't about to fall apart . . . speedier I'm not so sure.

In any case properly applied - and GROUNDED - shielding tape can help keep hum & buzz out of your guitar signal. That's a signal improvement in my book. I use copper, then solder the overlapping layers for electrical continuity. Try that with aluminum - no - better that you don't.

I have one guitar where the builder wrapped the Strat-type coils with copper tape. Doesn't seem to have made any hum or other tone improvement. One day I saw a fleck of copper tape come loose. I pulled on it an the rest of the coil started to come undone. Oops . . . rewind time.

[popoahi]

aloha Leo,

this tape is about 3 times as thick as the thick aluminum foil... and the sticky side is the stickiest I've ever seen...

anyway mechanics use it to cover damaged, or small holes on the planes so that it can be flown back to the main base for repair..
once you put it on you rub it down and it's good for 600mph or so they say? it really conforms the the skin, amazing stuff!!!!

I have a big roll and it cost about 500.00 buck's..don't ask how I got it. it's like gold....

I use to work for the airlines but just took early retirement as I had 24 yrs with them and had enuff humping bags and band equipment..
last night I came back from Maui and I got stuck with the PA system...our mixer must weigh about 80lbs. pluse all the spkrs, floor monitors, mic's and rest of the junk...my aching back reminded me of work...

thanks for the info,,, popo

[popoahi]

forgot to say ,,, if you see speed tape on your plane or the mechanics rubbing the tape to smooth it out,,, it means there's a hole there...you might want to catch another flight,,, although if properly applied it's supposed to be good for 600mph??? ha,ha.

sent all your guys input to my amp tech ,,, hope he doesn't get pissed? lol

aloha

[Leo_Gnardo]

forgot to say ,,, if you see speed tape on your plane or the mechanics rubbing the tape to smooth it out,,, it means there's a hole there...you might want to catch another flight,,, although if properly applied it's supposed to be good for 600mph??? ha,ha.

sent all your guys input to my amp tech ,,, hope he doesn't get pissed?

Heck, he might want to join. Always something to learn.

On those United 747's out of Tokyo - I didn't have much of a choice. Take the plane, or wait for another one that doesn't obviously look patched up. Needless to say, the plane was OK, tape and all.

For your other entry, bass speakers generally designed to take more power, also have the cone move a bit more. Besides 15's and 18's not often used for guitar. I think you were running out of power mostly with only a 15W amp. Takes a lot of power to sound clean at volume, there's no way around it. A 50W Bassman is at the low end of the power spectrum, but I have used one with a 2x15 Electrovoice speaker cab & gotten satisfactory volume & tone for a small club (@75 people.) Closed-back cabs only for bass please. Open back defeats the low end, and it's a BASS. Also keep in mind, playing outdoors there's no room to reflect your sound back. Whenever possible put a mic on your speaker cab and let the PA do the "heavy lifting."

[popoahi]

aloha Leo,

did u see the numbers I had posted today?
seems the amp might be a 1970 or a still maybe a silver face with a black face front panel?

I stil am trying to figure out how to send pic's?? I did get some advice on sending so will try it tomorow it's getting late here...
I'll try to re-read some numbers I see on the bottom of what I think is the main transformer ( the larger one on the left) ?

I guess a 70's model is OK but I did want to find out if this is a blackface for sure..?

popo

[Leo_Gnardo]

aloha Leo, did u see the numbers I had posted today?
seems the amp might be a 1970 or a still maybe a silver face with a black face front panel?

Yes & I'm not worried. "Sounds Incredible." That's a heckuva good review, no matter what the amp's been through or when exactly it was made.

Repro BF faceplates have been easily available from Fender since they brought out their reissue, when, early 90's? The holes for the pot bushings are too small but that's fixed in 5 minutes with a hand reamer. Heck, I've done it a couple times.

Who knows the silver face panel may have looked shabby from corrosion.

Less common than a faceplate transplant, the grill cloth. The "authentic item" was black white & silver. Fender started to include a blue thread when they went silver-face. Not too many people would go through the trouble of re-grilling to try to make the amp look older, but some would.

[Fluoroscope 5000]

It's absolutely true. Fender used 0.015" Al pick guard shields back in the early days for just that purpose. It attenuates the upper mids without killing the highs. Don't waste your time with the pickup cavities, and definitely don't wrap the pickups. Try it first by layering it on the pick guard surface around the pickups with masking tape. If it's ~0.01" thick, 2-3 layers ought to do it. Layer 2-3 pieces the length of the bridge to the neck heal. Cut that in thirds. Cut each third in half length-wise. Stick them on each side of the pickups with masking tape, trimming if needed. Install them underneath if you like it. The affect is subtle -- a more syrupy "soulful" kind of sound. You notice it mostly on the high E and the pick attack. I used 7 layers of Al duct tape on my Strat type with very nice results.