How to Install Copper Foil in a Guitar or Bass

Copper Shielding Foil or Tape can be purchased from Warmoth here: warmoth.com/hardware/supplies...
00:00 Intro
00:35 Why install foil?
01:59 Copper foil will cut you
02:37 Making the job easier
03:39 Tools
03:48 Foil in the bottom
08:52 Foil on the sides
14:14 Wiring holes
15:36 The cover/pickguard
17:14 Soldering for continuity
19:02 Don't melt your pickguard dude
19:56 Rinse and repeat
23:26 Sum up and sign off

[@lyricbread]

Just wanted to add that it’s also a good idea to check your work by checking the continuity with a multi-meter. 👍🏻

[@obican]

Having one of the best jobs in the world isn't enough for you, you also do it in the best way possible. Great display of technique, very useful tips, a very clean job that sets the bar high for the people who'll do this for the first time.

[@delongpredannon]

I agree. I have done this a hundred times and it never looks this good

[@warmoth]

Thanks!

[@thegreatshocka]

Doing copper foil shielding on a body is my moment of zen, no thoughts, no outside world. Just making sure my new project rocks as hard as it can.

[@TommySG1]

I typically use the shielding paint from Stew Mac, just because it’s easier really. One quick tip for whomever maybe reading this too, paint it onto the bare wood prior to painting. The paint must be a water base of some sort because it doesn’t want to stick to a nitro clear coat too 🤙

[@MrJsteed2009]

Say Aaron, have you considered using a ‘Card Scraper’ to trim your foil on the top of (outer surface) the guitar you’re installing copper foil on? In hand woodworking we often use a rectangular sheetmetal card (there are other shapes) to finely surface wood. The card edge has a razor sharp burr created by a fine file and a burnishing tool that peels up see through, paper-thin ribbons of wood. Razor blades are made for cutting; card scrapers are made for making a fine surface by peeling up thin layers of material (like copper along the top/outer surface) from the guitar. 🎸 Just an idea.

[@mattb383]

Great video on how to do this process. A couple things to add. You should connect the cavities with a ground wire to both the pickup area and the back route area. All grounds need to be connected to the shield. Check the continuity with a volt meter to make sure everything is connected and grounded. That being said, I have done no shielding and complete shielding and I prefer the sounds/tones of my non shielded guitars...not sure if it is shielding or not. Idea for a video. See if shielding changes tone.

[@WillfulThinker]

How would you describe the difference in tone (shielded vs. non-shielded)?

[@fromquake]

You probably get some of that 60Hz bite through the overdrive or fuzz.

[@mattb383]

@@WillfulThinker I would say a little more raw, there is some additional noise but I feel I get a better feedback loop for sustain on my non shielded one.

[@dshowmusic]

I always use Copper Foil Tape with Double-sided Conductive Adhesive (rolls). It's much easier to work with and you can get them in differnt dimensions for bigger and smaller parts. Sure it doesn't look as clean but it does the job just as good.

[@etherboy3540]

Very useful information. Thank you!

[@mrnobodyinvr9762]

Perfect timing guys, I've got a couple I need to do and have my foil! Thanks as always Aaron and Warmoth.

[@shable1436]

Just use heavy-duty aluminum foil with glue and brush

[@stevekarl3761]

Well done!

[@bullyakker]

I mix $5 worth of graphite powder (door lock graphite powder or automotive works just as well) with a $1.50 bottle of acrylic art paint and paint it on. Plenty of graphite to make connections and I can do 2-3 guitars with one bottle.. quick, simple, easy and choose your own colors. Cheers!

[@bowfrog]

Well done Aaron, Blue Max.

[@AaronBegley]

Super helpful, thank you!

[@OzziePete1]

02:03 Thank goodness you have put this warning out, Aaron. I found out the hard way that it's worse than a paper cut, many year ago.

[@barackmycat9448]

Great info. Thx. I did a Carvin kit bass once. It wasn`t too bad but that stuff is sharp.

[@AntonioZaccariaGuitar]

4:30 I've never thought about an "ultimate judo move" property of the copper foil 🤣

[@TepidJean]

That copper foil would look great inside a Sage Green body!

[@kevinmorris7722]

Great info and technic. Would love to see info on grounding loops that go along with shielding.

[@JohnShalamskas]

It's also good practice to use shielded cable to the output jack and pickups, and anywhere the audio signal goes. You can sometimes get away with unshielded wires if they are in a shielded cavity. On a Les Paul with the ability to split the humbucker coils, it's a good idea to also shield the 3-way pickup switch cavity. The switch itself is unshielded and can pick up a surprising amount of noise and hum. When you split the coils on a humbucker, you've got a single coil.

[@Les537]

I do this to all my guitars - except my hollow body! I don't think it makes one bit of difference unless you put it on top of your pickups, but it doesn't hurt! Rock on.

[@vesean4141]

This popped up at the time I’m shielding an LP type guitar and while I have did several builds in the past,it always helps to get another perspective,I usually use EMG’s the negate the need to shield (I do it anyway in case I choose to change pickups) this time I’m using EMG passive pickups ,so it’s safe than sorry

[@shable1436]

I remember one of my first wiring jobs was on an old strat, and it was a super strat converted to a regular one, and was wired all different and made all kinds of noises on each toggle phase, they had not grounded it because you couldn't get a wire to the bridge from inside or the back, so i just tucked it under the bridge from under the pick guard 😂, no more getting electrocuted evertime you touched the mics😂, nothing worse than the eye watering zap of lips getting fried on the mic when touching your strings, even with polarity changed, those foam spit covers were lifesaving some nights😂

[@alexbasson]

Hey Aaron, great video! Do you think Warmoth could make full-size PDF templates of the routing patterns available, so that we could use them to cut the copper foil to the right shapes?

[@travthedad305]

Awesome I think your the only person I have seen actually do it correctly.. very nice job sir

[@JohnShalamskas]

Is there a reason why you do not use the copper tape with conductive adhesive? Does the adhesive dry out and become nonconductive? Do you just prefer the cleaner look you get with a large piece of foil?

[@h.db.9684]

Yea. I know he has to use Warmoth stuff, but I'd really just get the StewMac stuff that has conductive adhesive.

[@lyricbread]

1:07 “See you in another life brotha!”

[@user-qr7ee2cp4y]

If you play with distortion , you need shielding... awesome video

[@packofliars3124]

You should also ground the bridge to the foil in the cavity.

[@andresilva8444]

I'm still using conductive paint.

[@Mark70609]

The problem with folding a piece of copper to make contact with another surface of copper is the copper will go dull and corrode. I used wire and a star earth wiring.

[@tommynoble3428]

I will defend the ending of LOST until my dying breath, Aaron. THE ISLAND WASN'T PURGATORY! WHAT HAPPENED HAPPENED!

[@warmoth]

LOL.

[@Obxhatman]

Couple things , You should improve ya technique , when wrapping the inside , leave the excess , fold it over the edge , that way you get a solid connection around the whole border of the cover. Not just a couple spots. Once the cover is on , you will not see any of it anyway , and the copper is not thick enough , if its flatted right , to mess up a flush look. Copper should go all the way to the edge around the whole circumference of the cavity. Also , when soldering , you heat the work area and then touch the solder a mm or two away from where the tip is touching , that way you know there is a solid bond between the solder and the copper. The way you are doing it , provides a cold joint and is not reliable. On the pickup side , trimming to the edge is acceptable. When removing the backing paper , you should only remove a small portion and make sure thats stuck in just the right place , then you can undo the paper and peel it back in small amounts to get the exact positioning right to leave less wrinkles behind , Not a huge deal here but it can keep from having wasted copper from accidental placement.

[@fromquake]

Interesting that their tape has non-conductive adhesive. Is this a recent switch? The stuff I bought a year ago had conductive adhesive either that or it just happens to conduct in spite of the adhesive. Thanks for the video.

[@druwk]

I wish I had Warmoth do the swimming pool route when I got my Strat body. I want to put a pair of Humbuckers in on a new pick guard, and now have pay someone to do it, or mojo it myself? I’ll be reapplying cooper foil soon enough!

[@MixingGBP]

Do you have to create an electrical connection between the control cavity and the pickup routes? Could you just run a thin wire or thin piece of copper tape thru the pickup wire pathway in the body? Then solder each end of that thin wire/copper tape.

[@dinamoarg]

Yes, you must ground all cavities, if it's not grounded it doesn't work.

[@ngronlund]

Ok, I need one of those engine turned finish jackplates! Where can I get one?

[@jantzencase7524]

Do i need a specific brand of tape i have a strat but the emg installed won't make any noise no matter what i do i ordered another one and it did the same thing

[@arielvargas2446]

Thank you for posting this video. I had always wondered why copper foiling guitars was necessary, but does it affect the tone guitar? Just curious.

[@warmoth]

Some think it does, others think it doesn't...same as everything else. LOL.

[@WillfulThinker]

Is there any downside to using copper foil with conductive adhesive?

[@LarsonGuitarPlayer]

No need for ground connection for the shielding in the pickup cavity?

[@nickmizell1141]

Another great video!! Who is the guitarist in the background music?

[@warmoth]

That's all me. Search Aaron Cheney on the streaming service of your choice. The song is called "Seven Circles".

[@warmoth]

or here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGW1moWDZ8xpotUsi=aFzfwtL4QMR14ERX

[@nickmizell1141]

I kinda figured it was you, I really like your music.

[@warmoth]

Thanks!

[@BenBreard]

Oh man this would have been a good one to tone test before and afterwards. I've heard some say it affects the sound. ....meh, I always shield mine.

[@jamesonpace726]

Or, use conductive paint. But don't breath that stuff....

[@JohnShalamskas]

Might need more than one layer of paint to get good results. There are YT videos covering this subject.

[@Dbj5555555]

Not really a cage. To do what you’re talking about would require you to also cover the pickups holes. What you’re really doing is adding something for the noise to bleed to ground to. The most metal you can get in a cavity to ground to the better.

[@Zundfolge]

So on a Tele, do you need to put foil on the back side of the metal control plate? Or because its metal does it work fine on its own?

[@warmoth]

No need to put it on the backside of a Tele control plate.

[@Nellil]

Shielding paint in the cavity and copper tape on the cavity lid...

[@warmoth]

I like this idea!

[@Mark70609]

Shielding paint has a resistor of about 50 ohms. The copper has the lower resistance.

[@robsheppard5353]

Does conductive paint work as well as this, or no?

[@dinamoarg]

Yes, even a sloppy paint job would attract electrical signals and ground them.

[@TommySG1]

Aaron, is the copper shielding a better choice over the shielding paint? Just curious here, on a side note I usually do 3 coats of the shielding paint too. Not sure if it’s necessary but excessiveness is in my nature LOL! 😂

[@warmoth]

Paint is much easier to apply for sure. I've read that when properly done copper foil is more effective, but have not tested that myself.

[@TommySG1]

@@warmoththanks for replying man, I’m sure you’re busy with lots of other stuff too 🤙 Maybe 🤔 an idea for a future video / comparison? Ahah! On a side note here, here’s the current project on one of your ultra light one piece Ash bodies. I tried Mary Kay white and it was just hiding the grain way too much on this gorgeous piece of lumber, ( Thank God for Acetone LOL! ) so I’m going with a vintage amber base and then I’ll do some Iced tea and finish probably with tobacco brown on the edges 🤙 Ugh….. I just realized I can’t submit a photo on Boob Tube 😑

[@warmoth]

LOL. But I can imagine it based on your description.....and it is GLORIOUS!!!! ;)

[@lawndart188s]

Why don’t you shield the neck pick up?

[@OutstandingBill1]

Does it matter if the foil is connected to the ground of the guitar signal?

[@dinamoarg]

It should be. If not grounded it won't work as a shield.

[@ass_jay]

I went to try this in my dark wine red Warmoth body but there's a problem

[@Dbj5555555]

The noise is coming from the pickups. The electronics does not cause noise if wired correctly.

[@armandodiaz67]

I've always debated whether to go through this process? They don't do this on factory guitars, so is it really worth it?

[@warmoth]

Many factory guitars DO come with shielded cavities, but they use shielding paint rather than foil, which is much easier/quicker to apply in a manufacturing process.

[@armandodiaz67]

Do you have a link to purchase that cavity cover? I need one just like that.@@warmoth

[@Tyrannocaster]

It is if eliminating rf buzz is worth it to you. It's so great to be able to take both hands off your guitar and not get any little "bzzz". Foil won't kill 60 cycle hum (single coil noise), but it will do a number on the rf buzz.

[@newgunguy4176]

Will you guys be offering nitrocellulose finishes?

[@warmoth]

We already do on necks, but we won't be doing it on bodies.

[@helixworld]

How was the guitar was used for the earlier pickup demos without being lined with foil?

[@warmoth]

Just like pickups, bridges, tuners, and anything else, copper foil can be installed, removed, and installed again. ;)

[@user-mr7hr9qi6z]

I thought u couldn't overlap it... I don't know where I heard that

[@starfighter2952]

Don't you have to connect each cage to ground with a wire?

[@warmoth]

It typically happens "automatically" once you install the pots, switches, etc.

[@starfighter2952]

@warmoth what has keep me from buying Yarmouth products is the lack of finished fret work on necks. Other companies finish frets before installing necks. And I have no one I can trust to do it in my area. Doing it myself would require the spendature of a substantial amount for tools I will only use once.

[@warmoth]

Our necks are generally perfectly playable out of the box. I have many personal Warmoth necks that I've gigged with for years and never done a single thing to the frets. I have a video coming up in a couple weeks where I talk about this in detail, but in a nutshell: doing the fine fretwork you are talking about before the neck has ever even been attached to a body and strung up to pitch it a fruitless labor. You would just end up paying for it twice.

[@starfighter2952]

@@warmoth Thanks, I will have to re-think a warmouth build.

[@T0neXIII]

Anyone else bridge ground/ocd conflict? bzzzz

[@JohnShalamskas]

Yeah I noticed that too. Strings need grounding via the bridge.

[@wallyhitchcock845]

LOST! What I lost from watching that show was 6 years of my life!!! I planned my life around that show! The finale was CRAP !!! Nothing was explained! Crap!

[@sidsuspicious]

It's not a Faraday cage. Imagine sitting in your metal car which is an example of a Faraday cage, in a thunderstorm & sticking your head out of the sunroof... Think about it.

[@WillfulThinker]

Is my head sticking out of the sunroof analagous to the pickups on a guitar?

[@sidsuspicious]

@@WillfulThinker Yes, precisely.

[@carsgunsandguitars]

It doesn't really do anything as the pickups are outside of the "cage". Shielding can help with noise from poorly grounded power in a building.

[@travthedad305]

Ps love your products..😁😁

[@hjmism]

Would there be continuity if you just used strips of conductive copper tape on a pick-guard? Would it be okay as long as they're overlapping?

[@warmoth]

As long as they have conductive **adhesive**, yes.

[@hjmism]

Awesome, thank you for reply.@@warmoth

[@travthedad305]

I had the heated battle between an individual. That thought, just because you overlap that tape that it's conductive. And I tried to explain to him How or why do you think the adhesive side is conductive? And he could not fathom that.

[@MixingGBP]

The copper tape comes in both conductive adhesive and non-conductive adhesive. So I could see why two people could have different views on this topic.