Can Shielding Adversley Affect Pickup Tonality?

[Alex]

The dark grey graphite shielding paint is not a "very strong shield". Also, to be effective, shielding needs to be grounded.
I think "shielding" refers more to cooper tin foil being applied to control cavities like the one in the picture below.

That shouldn't be under the pickups anyway.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Anyhow.....I just found the pics of your guitar on another thread.  Since it doesn't have a scratchplate, I'd guess if the pickup cavities are shielded the conductive paint will be connected to ground with wires (since it's difficult to get paint through the wiring channels). 

If you disconnect those wires then --- I think --- the shielding in the cavities will have no effect, so long as the metal parts of the pickup don't touch the shielding.

Shielding that is left unconnected to eath can act as an antenna for noise
If you have shielding there it is best to connect it to earth

Personally I generally favour shielding and keeping guitars quiet
Shielding done badly is a problem in my eyes whilst shielding done well helps a lot with noise reduction.

[llJasonll]

I know this reply is much later, BUT...

I just wanted to let everyone know, that I did have shielding paint in the pickup cavities of this guitar, until I sanded the cavities, tonight.  I did it to see how it would affect the tone.

I still have the painkillers in that guitar, and I can honestly say that removing the shielding paint drastically improved my tone.  My pickups seem less "Boxy" and the pickup just screams with top end.  Harmonics are so much easier for me to hit, as well.

Finally after 2 years, I can hear what these bad boys can really do, and it is inspiring all over again!  I just wanted to let everyone know.

Cheers!

[WezV]

is it possible the pickups went back a bit differently, height variations can make a big difference too.  not doubting that the shielding has made a difference, but the size of the difference can be down to a combination of factors

[HTH AMPS]

for guitars with longer signal runs of cable (Strats, Explorers), why not use shielded cable? - could even 'make' a shield by wrapping some wire around the existing pickup wires and grounding one end of the 'shield'. 

[gwEm]

for guitars with longer signal runs of cable (Strats, Explorers), why not use shielded cable? - could even 'make' a shield by wrapping some wire around the existing pickup wires and grounding one end of the 'shield'. 

this is my preferred approach too. its not always possible with cloth covered 'push back' wire, but in truth i've never had masses of problems with noise so far.

[ToneMonkey]

The last guitar I made (or at least half finished anyway), I used McDonalds drinking straws as channels between cavities.  You can glue these in and then you're almost guarenteed that you'll be able to pull the wire through it..... This is what I do at work, just on a much smaller scale.

I shielded the straws by wraping them in copper foil (brought from the garden centre) and earthing them.

It doesn't really add much to the conversation, but I thought it was a good idea  :lol:

[HTH AMPS]

The last guitar I made (or at least half finished anyway), I used McDonalds drinking straws as channels between cavities.  You can glue these in and then you're almost guarenteed that you'll be able to pull the wire through it..... This is what I do at work, just on a much smaller scale.

I shielded the straws by wraping them in copper foil (brought from the garden centre) and earthing them.

It doesn't really add much to the conversation, but I thought it was a good idea  :lol:

will Burger King or KFC straws work just as well, or are the McDonalds one's preferable for tonal reasons?  :lol:

[ToneMonkey]

It's more to do with quality of milkshake  :D