Foil under pickguard?

[Tom O'Dea]

Ok I might seem like a retard here, but I heard from some guy that having some type of foil underneath a strat's pickguard reduces the hum you get when you plug in. I get a slight hum noise when I am not touching anything, and I wanted to know if this guy was serious. If this is the case, do I just put tin foil on it's backside or something? I know I am a retard, but I don't know much about anything. I play a standard fat strat from Fender if it helps. Thanks a lot, take it easy.

[scarecrowX52]

Foil tape under the pick guard (the part that your knobs are mounted on) is to help reduce "noise". The noise it reduces is usually more long the lines of radio interference, but mabey it does something for hum. Thing is, it should already be there from the factory , and more probably wont help.

Does your strat have all single coil pickups? Does the hum seem to go away as you walk farther from your amp? If so thats just the standard 60 cycle hum you get from single coil pickups.

[skyneverclaimed]

I don't think you can jsut use any foil,I think it's a special sheilding, but i beleive you can get it from Warmoth (http://www.warmoth.com)

[UGB]

yes, the foil is to block RF signals only. The hum is either the 60 cycle mentioned above, or, because you say it goes away 'when you touch something' it's probably a ground loop problem.

[Tom O'Dea]

I don't think it has anything to do with the coils, because walking father doesn't prevent it. I dunno, this guy also has the same Standard Fat strat I do, and said that's what it is for, to reduce the noise when you aren't touching anything. He said he fixed it by puttin tin foil under it. I dunno, I found it kind of outrageous. I'll give it a shot, and see what happens. Thanks for the input everyone. Take it easy.

[corvette]

Originally posted by Tom O'Dea
I don't think it has anything to do with the coils, because walking father doesn't prevent it. I dunno, this guy also has the same Standard Fat strat I do, and said that's what it is for, to reduce the noise when you aren't touching anything. He said he fixed it by puttin tin foil under it. I dunno, I found it kind of outrageous. I'll give it a shot, and see what happens. Thanks for the input everyone. Take it easy.

I shield all my guitars with copper sheilding foil.....I don't know if tinfoil works, but the copper sure does. I revove all the controls from the guitar, and line the cavity with the foil so it overlaps slightly. I then solder the joint corners, and put the controls back in. I use good quality wire for the controls, and don't use an excessive length. I sheils the pickup cavites and on the coils as well.
I've noticed a great difference on some guitars, and not much on others. For the most part, my guitars are less noisy, but it depends on the pickups as well. With single coils, there is a certain amount of noise you have to live with.
One other thing....copper tape is expensive!
corvette

[crazyderek]

if you want to read up about using foil and other such things to sheild the inside of your guitar and get rid of as much noise as possible check this out

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/shield3.html

if that link doesn't work cause that site needs a certain cookie, then it's in the wirring and sheidling section, and it's labeled as
"Quieting the Beast"

it's a step by step instructional on how to do the entire job, the right way by your self.

[corvette]

Originally posted by crazyderek
if you want to read up about using foil and other such things to sheild the inside of your guitar and get rid of as much noise as possible check this out

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/shield3.html

if that link doesn't work cause that site needs a certain cookie, then it's in the wirring and sheidling section, and it's labeled as
"Quieting the Beast"

it's a step by step instructional on how to do the entire job, the right way by your self.

That's a great site for info...gives you lots of info. I just did my Godin SDXT with foil........it's quite a job!
corvette