Hey All --
Just put a new loaded TS pick guard into my strat and I have a weird issue (at least for me). When I plug it in, I get an almost record needle scratching sound when I rub the pick guard with my finger -- is this caused from static electricity, or am I causing a weird ground with my finger through the pick guard? I did notice that the pick guard has absolutely no shielding on it. Would shielding the back of the pick guard and/or the cavity eliminate this issue? If so, what's the best way to shield -- Aluminum pick guard shield or copper tape? Never had this issue with any of my other guitars! Help!

Bud


Keep on pickin' -- what else is there?

Shielding is always a good idea; either the aluminum or copper tape would work.

A quick fix to see if it is static build-up on the pickguard would be to rub it with a dryer sheet and see if that helps.

thanks for the info.

aluminum foil work for my strat doing the same exact thing--eliminatad all static

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

I wiped it down with an Ilford Antistaticum cloth (used for photography I think) and it eliminated the problem for a while -- but it's so dry here (and cold) this time of year it doesn't last too long. I will be shielding the guitar tonight! Anyone ever use that foil tape used for heat ducts? Would that work? And would the shielding itself have to be grounded?

Bud


Keep on pickin' -- what else is there?

Use a drier anti-cling sheet to wipe it down, like Bounce or a similar product. One good rub and it is good for the whole night. When you do not play the guitar, just stick the sheet under the strings. Works great and a lot less hassle than doing the shielding. I have a Clapton Strat that IS shielded and it did this really bad. The old drier sheet trick fixed it.....

_________________
Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

Shielding will help a lot ! I notice during the dry winters that all of my strats were making the scratchy sound you described if I rub the pick guard between the middle pickup and selector switch. Static electricity does indeed make this worse

My CS Clapton strat does it alot also.

the static dryer sheets would not work on my clapton--the foil cured the problem 100% and i just unscrewed the guard and pulled it up enough to do--didnt un string it

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

My EJ strat had the same problem. Static popping noise from the pickguard and pickup screws was driving me nusts. I just finished installing an aluminum pickguad shield I purchased from Bill Callaham. Costs more than tape, ($15) but won't screw up the back of the pickguard with glue residue. Easy to install and works great. Also elminated a great deal of the single coil hum. I highly recommend this.

http://www.callahamguitars.com/partsstr.htm

Did you ground the shield to the claw or volume pot?

Bud


Keep on pickin' -- what else is there?

That is what I am wondering in this discussion, because I did a foil shield and it did not do anything till I grounded it to the guitar.

_________________
Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

I did not do any additional grounding. The pots and pickups hold the shield to the pickguard. The pots are already grounded.