Black paint in USA Strat control cavity

[tomjackson]

I’ve just stripped the poly off my American Strat and underneath the poly in the control/pickup/jack cavity there is a black paint. Is this conductive paint for grounding as there is a screw which goes into the wood in the pickup cavity.  If so is it required?

I was planning to just nitro the bare body and that’s all.

If it is a conductive substance, I’ve heard that this type of shielding can affect the sound?

Thanks

[Twinfan]

It's shielding paint to reduce noise.  I'd leave it there  :)

[WezV]

i would leave it there as well, more trouble than its worth to strip out the cavity

shielding in pickup cavities can change the sound but i dont think the stuff in control cavities does

[tomjackson]

Well most of of it has peeled off anyway now so I'll just see how I go

[WezV]

in that case get rid of it and do a proper shielding job with the sticky backed copepr foil