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Conductive Shielding Paint


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I tried local music stores but all they carried was copper sheilding tape. They suggested trying local lutheries.

Someone at MIMF mentioned an alternate product named Slip Plate. It's an industrial coating that contains graphite but I don't know where it's sold.

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The conductive paint I have found is expensive everywhere :D so I've gone to using aluminum tape. The factory PG's are lined with it and some factory and custom cavities I've seen also use it instead of the copper. Aluminum is actually a better conductor than copper and is more readily available. You can pick up 3" aluminum tape at the hardware store for $4-5 for a 30 foot roll. It seems to work as well as the copper in my experience. It quieted a "hummy" strat down I had (G&L Legacy) with pretty good results. It didn't clear all the hum up, but I'm not sure anything would have. That thing had some HUM!

You may want to try it. It's cheap, easy to get, easy to form in the cavity and if it doesn't work for you you're only out $5.

Just a thought.

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Someone at MIMF mentioned an alternate product named Slip Plate. It's an industrial coating that contains graphite but I don't know where it's sold

Slip Plate can be found at a hardware store or lawn & garden dealer. The John Deere brand comes to mind but there are others. It's messy, more like a lube than a paint. It comes in spray cans like paint. It's about $5-8 a can. I use it on my mower deck to keep the grass from sticking - never thought to use it on a guitar. :D

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Aluminum is actually a better conductor than copper

This is a bit off topic but I'm interested in where I can find information on this?

Here's what I found (they both seem to indicate that aluminum is about 60% less conductive than copper).

Although its electrical conductivity is only about 60% that of copper, it is used in electrical transmission lines because of its light weight.

from Aluminum vs. Copper

Aluminum also has a rather high electrical conductivity, making it useful as a conductor. Copper is the more widely used conductor, having a conductivity of approximately 161% that of aluminum.

from Second Page

Not a big deal, but I was wondering if you were talking about an alloy or something that made it more conductive than normal aluminum.

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Someone at MIMF mentioned an alternate product named Slip Plate. It's an industrial coating that contains graphite but I don't know where it's sold

Slip Plate can be found at a hardware store or lawn & garden dealer. The John Deere brand comes to mind but there are others. It's messy, more like a lube than a paint. It comes in spray cans like paint. It's about $5-8 a can. I use it on my mower deck to keep the grass from sticking - never thought to use it on a guitar. :D

Cool! Thanks a lot. I've done one guitar, used copper, and hated it.

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daveq Posted on Jan 2 2004, 02:35 PM

Aluminum is actually a better conductor than copper 

This is a bit off topic but I'm interested in where I can find information on this?

Here's what I found (they both seem to indicate that aluminum is about 60% less conductive than copper).

Although its electrical conductivity is only about 60% that of copper, it is used in electrical transmission lines because of its light weight.

from Aluminum vs. Copper

Aluminum also has a rather high electrical conductivity, making it useful as a conductor. Copper is the more widely used conductor, having a conductivity of approximately 161% that of aluminum.

from Second Page

Not a big deal, but I was wondering if you were talking about an alloy or something that made it more conductive than normal aluminum. 

yea, im with dave here.

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This is a bit off topic but I'm interested in where I can find information on this?

Here's what I found (they both seem to indicate that aluminum is about 60% less conductive than copper).

Although its electrical conductivity is only about 60% that of copper, it is used in electrical transmission lines because of its light weight.

from Aluminum vs. Copper

Aluminum also has a rather high electrical conductivity, making it useful as a conductor. Copper is the more widely used conductor, having a conductivity of approximately 161% that of aluminum.

from Second Page

Not a big deal, but I was wondering if you were talking about an alloy or something that made it more conductive than normal aluminum.

Yeah, you guys are correct. I always thought the aluminum was better, but I poked around on your links and some others and found out otherwise. Makes sense (and I don't know why it didn't before B) ) because you always use 2 sizes bigger or more aluminum wire when wiring service drops to a house.

I'm always learning! :D

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This is information I've read from other sites in the past on discussions just like this one about copper vs graphite.

They reported that the graphite paint, per 1 coat, is only about 25% as effective at shielding as the normal copper tape is. So as long as you apply 4 coats, you've equalled the tape.

I tried the black paint once, but I've used the copper tape for everything since then.

I personally really like the tape, and all of my guitars, being pre-amped now, really really need the best possible shielding I can provide, so I go with the tape.

And they have all turned out dead-quiet for the most part, even under boost.

Also, I have read that the 'secret source' of copper tape is stained glass supply houses. I haven't tried looking for it there yet, but that was a tip someone posted once. They said Much cheaper there.

FWIW. :D

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i just bought some of that conductive paint from stewmac.it is great stuff.spreads well with a brush,dries quickly,and that $30container will sheild about 20 guitars or more is my guess.and it only takes about 5 minutes to "install"

my opinion is it is a time saver over copper

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Also, I have read that the 'secret source' of copper tape is stained glass supply houses. I haven't tried looking for it there yet, but that was a tip someone posted once. They said Much cheaper there.

I have also read that some copper tapes aren't backed with conductive adhesive like the tape sold purposely for shielding, so you have to insure electrical continuity between the foil pieces by connecting them with dabs of solder. That's also why aluminum tape might not be as good a solution as copper tape since solder doesn't stick to aluminum.

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I have also read that some copper tapes aren't backed with conductive adhesive like the tape sold purposely for shielding, so you have to insure electrical continuity between the foil pieces by connecting them with dabs of solder.

Good point. I would guess the stuff you might find at the stained glass houses will probably fall under this catagory too.

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