Due to its versatile nature, copper foil tape can be used in a wide range of applications and environments. It is used by professionals and hobbyists alike, across a spectrum of uses including electro-magnetic shielding, slug repellent, and DIY crafting. Per a 2013 article by the pros at Seymour-Duncan , here is what you can expect shielding your guitar to do and not do for you: IMPORTANT! It is imperative that you understand that doing this work requires removing and replacing electrical components in your guitar. DO NOT attempt this work unless you have the full knowledge, understanding, skills, and tools to complete this project. Mistakes made in attempting this work can ruin electrical components in your guitar!

Use the same principle when shielding the inside of the body – carefully lay cut to size strips which overlap each other. Your scissors will become useful to cut strips to desired lengths and smaller widths to fit copper into all the little nooks and cranny’s. Use cut strips of copper tape lengthways running up the sides and use the full width (50mm) to do the floor of the cavity.The best guitar shielding method is to use either specially designed copper tape or specially designed shielding paint. The commonly overlooked but critical aspect of shielding is correctly grounding the tape or paint. If your shielding is not grounded it is effectively worthless. Should I Do This Myself or Pay a Guitar Tech? Although this is not a particularly difficult thing to do it makes sense to let a guitar repair shop do this for you. Why should you pay a guitar tech to do this for you? The answer is lower cost and more convenience for you. It is possible to solder copper tape, a practice which is largely used when working with non-conductive tape types. Separate strips can be soldered together, creating a strong join and a more reliable path for electrical connection to flow through multiple lengths. There are two main methods to shield a guitar – shielding graphite paint (conductive paint) or more commonly, aluminium or copper tape.

Have a work area with ample room and lighting. Do this process in a well-ventilated area and provide appropriate cover over the work area (layers of paper, drop cloth, etc.) A fresh, sharp razor blade or hobby knife is essential for this kind of work. For one, you’ll be slicing through thin bits of metal, which will eventually dull the blade. You’ll also be cutting a lot of different shapes and curves into the tape, and a sharp edge will make that task much, much easier. Allow a full 24 hours drying time between coats. Do not try to accelerate drying time with heat guns, etc.

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Grounding is, arguably, the most important part of the process. It is also probably the easiest thing to do. DISCLAIMER: The following information is provided as a general guide on how to shield your guitar. The exact process for any particular guitar brand or model may vary from this guide. We are not responsible for any problems which may occur when attempting to do this work and directly or indirectly using the information provided herein.

I like to begin by lining the bottoms of the body cavities first, then taking care of the walls after. First, I unroll an appropriate amount of tape and measure it against the area I’m working with, in this case the rhythm circuit rout of a Jazzmaster body. I’ll then cut it to length with my razor blade and set aside the roll. Once this is done, test for continuity between the copper shielding and the casing of the volume pot (ground). If everything beeps, you have successfully created a fully grounded Faraday cage and therefore a well shielded guitar.

Copper Tapes

NOTE - while this is hardly a dangerous job, the edges of the copper foil tape can become very sharp. Watch your fingers!

As previously mentioned, copper tape can be incorporated into a selection of different crafts and DIY projects. This can include stained glass artwork and wall art, as explored above, but it can also include a wide range of innovative craft ideas. Learn how to do conductive shielding correctly. Discover what it does for the tone and sound quality of your guitar. What is Conductive ShieldingGeometric designs are common, but there are certainly no restrictions on your creativity! Alternatives include the use of washi tape or simply using masking tape to enable precise, accurate lines between different colours or shades of paint on a wall. Copper Tape for Crafts