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Post subject: Issues with static
Posted: Wed May 20, 2015 6:39 pm
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This is a new one for me. I'm getting a fair bit of static through the amp while playing. I'm playing a Tele Modern Player that has the humbucking PUP at the bridge. All is well when I play using that PUP, but as soon as I chose any of the other single coil PUPs I get a fare bit of static. I noticed that when I tap the pickguard around the area below the neck and middle PUP, I get static through the amp. When I select the humbucker and tap in the same area, there is no static. I live in a dry climate, so I probably should run a small humidifier near by. I also noticed that when I turn down the treble on the amp it has a tendency to go away. One of the techs at GC suggested that I wipe down the area of the pickguard with one of those static cling sheets you put in the dryer which might remedy the situation. I do recall reading many years ago about lining the inside of the pick guard with aluminum or copper foil. Any suggestions other than moving to a humid area - which for me there's no way. :D

Cheers

Edit:

Doing more checking, I came across a video that deals with the same issue I'm having. My problem, or at least I think it's a problem, is in regards the middle Strat PUP. If I want to remove the pickgaurd, I'm concerned about the fact that the Strat PUP is fastened to it, and if so I would most likely need to remove all the strings in order to remove the guard along with the PUP. Any thoughts on this?



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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Wed May 20, 2015 9:29 pm
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I had a similar issue with a Squier Tele, and it bugged the hell out of me.
Every time I touched the pickguard when the neck pickup was selectd I had a buzz.
And inspection of the pickguard showed me that there was aluminium foil on the pickguard that was not connected to ground in any shape or form.
In short, it was an aerial!
I removed the foil, and the problem has not raised it's head again, and it has been a good couple of years since I did it.

Screening without a proper ground path could well be the cause of your Tele problem too.


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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 4:39 am
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Bad shielding jobs whether it be missed grounds, open gaps of unshielded area or whatever can be the source of a myriad of issues an many times is worse than no shielding at all.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 7:55 am
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F-Stop wrote:
This is a new one for me. I'm getting a fair bit of static through the amp while playing. I'm playing a Tele Modern Player that has the humbucking PUP at the bridge. All is well when I play using that PUP, but as soon as I chose any of the other single coil PUPs I get a fare bit of static. I noticed that when I tap the pickguard around the area below the neck and middle PUP, I get static through the amp.

...One of the techs at GC suggested that I wipe down the area of the pickguard with one of those static cling sheets you put in the dryer which might remedy the situation. I do recall reading many years ago about lining the inside of the pick guard with aluminum or copper foil. Any suggestions other than moving to a humid area - which for me there's no way. :D

Cheers

This is technically not a shielding issue.
it is a static electricity issue with the plastic pickguard which is a common problem.
Fabric softener sheets will last for a short period of time and will wear off or become inactive.
I recommend that you line the back of the pickguard with copper tape, which should provide a "sink" for the static electricity.
This should resolve your problem.
If the problem persists, run a ground wire and solder it to the copper tape on the back of the pickguard.
Obviously, lift the copper tape from the pickguard before you solder.

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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 9:28 pm
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No more static - well for how long I don't know. The guy was right. My wife picked up a small box of those sheets you toss in the dryer today for me. Well I took one of them and rubbed down the pickguard and wallah - no more static. That stinkin' static noise was driving me nuts. I'd play the guitar for a few minutes and just put it down. Now I can play and enjoy. I guess as time goes on I might need to use another dryer sheet. If it can at least last a few days I will be happy. Perhaps I should get a humidifier for the room. It would be a good idea anyway as the climate is so dry here.


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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 9:59 pm
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F-Stop wrote:
No more static - well for how long I don't know. The guy was right. My wife picked up a small box of those sheets you toss in the dryer today for me. Well I took one of them and rubbed down the pickguard and wallah - no more static. That stinkin' static noise was driving me nuts. I'd play the guitar for a few minutes and just put it down. Now I can play and enjoy. I guess as time goes on I might need to use another dryer sheet. If it can at least last a few days I will be happy. Perhaps I should get a humidifier for the room. It would be a good idea anyway as the climate is so dry here.

You will find that fabric softener sheets will only work for a few days, and then the static "pops" will return.
You will also get tired of having that junk on your hands due to constantly having to reapply it to the pickguard.
While the fabric softener is working, I suggest you go to this link and get some copper tape.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_ ... Caps%2C474


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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Fri May 22, 2015 6:39 am
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MickJagger wrote:
F-Stop wrote:
No more static - well for how long I don't know. The guy was right. My wife picked up a small box of those sheets you toss in the dryer today for me. Well I took one of them and rubbed down the pickguard and wallah - no more static. That stinkin' static noise was driving me nuts. I'd play the guitar for a few minutes and just put it down. Now I can play and enjoy. I guess as time goes on I might need to use another dryer sheet. If it can at least last a few days I will be happy. Perhaps I should get a humidifier for the room. It would be a good idea anyway as the climate is so dry here.

You will find that fabric softener sheets will only work for a few days, and then the static "pops" will return.
You will also get tired of having that junk on your hands due to constantly having to reapply it to the pickguard.
While the fabric softener is working, I suggest you go to this link and get some copper tape.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_ ... Caps%2C474


I will do just that. Since this is such a problem for many, one would think that the manufacturers would do something about it on their end.

At least the dryer sheets afford a temporary fix for the meantime until I can do a permanent fix. The problem I foresee is that I will have to remove all the new strings I had put on a few days ago when I had the guitar set up. It's a replacement guitar from the one I had a nut issue with. You see, the Luthier (which I won't be going back to) that set up the guitar, messed up the nut, so GC was nice enough to change out the guitar for me. I was surprised that they would do that under the circumstances, but they did say that in order to keep a customer happy they would only do this one time. If the guitar was a traditional Tele, the job would be easy. But since the Modern Player has the middle Strat PUP, I would need to remove the strings in order to unfasten the PUP. Unless, of course, there is a way to do this without the removal of the strings?

Cheers


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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Fri May 22, 2015 2:36 pm
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F-Stop wrote:
MickJagger wrote:
F-Stop wrote:
No more static - well for how long I don't know. The guy was right. My wife picked up a small box of those sheets you toss in the dryer today for me. Well I took one of them and rubbed down the pickguard and wallah - no more static. That stinkin' static noise was driving me nuts. I'd play the guitar for a few minutes and just put it down. Now I can play and enjoy. I guess as time goes on I might need to use another dryer sheet. If it can at least last a few days I will be happy. Perhaps I should get a humidifier for the room. It would be a good idea anyway as the climate is so dry here.

You will find that fabric softener sheets will only work for a few days, and then the static "pops" will return.
You will also get tired of having that junk on your hands due to constantly having to reapply it to the pickguard.
While the fabric softener is working, I suggest you go to this link and get some copper tape.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_ ... Caps%2C474


I will do just that. Since this is such a problem for many, one would think that the manufacturers would do something about it on their end.

At least the dryer sheets afford a temporary fix for the meantime until I can do a permanent fix. The problem I foresee is that I will have to remove all the new strings I had put on a few days ago when I had the guitar set up. It's a replacement guitar from the one I had a nut issue with. You see, the Luthier (which I won't be going back to) that set up the guitar, messed up the nut, so GC was nice enough to change out the guitar for me. I was surprised that they would do that under the circumstances, but they did say that in order to keep a customer happy they would only do this one time. If the guitar was a traditional Tele, the job would be easy. But since the Modern Player has the middle Strat PUP, I would need to remove the strings in order to unfasten the PUP. Unless, of course, there is a way to do this without the removal of the strings?

Cheers

I looked at your guitar on line.
The Neck pup appears to be mounted to the guitar body under the pick guard.
However, the middle pup is mounted to the pick guard.

You should be able to loosen the strings and unscrew all of the pickguard screws including the middle pickup adjustment/mounting screws and remove the pickguard.
I think you may be able to avoid removing the strings.


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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 9:21 am
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Static be gone! :)

I followed the advice from the video about sanding the bottom of the pickguard. No static since. Hopefully this has alleviated the problem once and for all. If it comes back I will do the copper tape trick some have advised. Try the easy way first right. Here's the video again:



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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 12:22 am
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[quote="F-Stop"]Static be gone! :)

I followed the advice from the video about sanding the bottom of the pickguard. No static since. Hopefully this has alleviated the problem once and for all. If it comes back I will do the copper tape trick some have advised. Try the easy way first right. Here's the video again:

I've never tried that.
Good luck.
Let us know in a month if you believe this is a permanent solution.


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Post subject: Re: Issues with static
Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 7:50 am
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MickJagger wrote:
F-Stop wrote:
Static be gone! :)

I followed the advice from the video about sanding the bottom of the pickguard. No static since. Hopefully this has alleviated the problem once and for all. If it comes back I will do the copper tape trick some have advised. Try the easy way first right. Here's the video again:

I've never tried that.
Good luck.
Let us know in a month if you believe this is a permanent solution.


Will do!


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