Build Your Own Clone Message Board

I saw in one of the photos that someone had applied shield tape on the back board. Is this easy to apply? How do I do it and where do I find?

In the past I have used heavy-duty aluminum foil (you know, the kind you use for cooking) and some wood glue. Worked great for me. I have used it in some of my guitar bodies and on an amp build and it was just as effective as copper tape (and way cheaper). Just be sure that the foil is touching the chassis securely so that it makes a ground connection.
-P

I think he is referring to a Champ Build that had Copper shielding tape on the back board of the cab.
-P

He is. MMarsh had it on his. I put that aluminum tape on the back of my plate.

You can get that at Home Depot. Copper is about impossible to find just walking into a store, at least near me. I know Stew Mac sells the copper tho.

I actually asked at the local Hardware store a few months ago about getting copper tape. I was told they stopped carrying it because it was being stolen off the shelf by people who were selling it to copper recyclers. Just as copper thieves have been hitting commercial sources (street lights, wind turbines), they are also stealing it from stores. Our local ACE has all of its copper wire locked up.
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A sad commentary on our society indeed

That's where I got mine!

No, I got it from Stew Mac and usually use it to shield pickguards...

*EDIT* Oh, and it's a cinch to apply, but I wonder if it is at all necessary

Maybe for single coils?

But the way I figure it is why not. It doesn't hurt and doesn't take that much time. I mean we are all DIY'rs here so what the heck at the end of the day. That is how my mind works anyway.

I meant shielding the amplifier...

Oh that

How about a high gain amp/circuit? Or maybe if you are one of those unfortunate ones where the RF noise from power lines and crappy house wiring is just playing havoc on your stuff?

K, thanks.

Sounds good. I figure why not? It will be like putting icing on the delicious cake.

I think because I just shielded the back plate that it probably doesn't make that much difference. Shielding the WHOLE INSIDE of the cabinet might help in some situations. A high gain amp picks up more noise from it's input (I think) and power source than from the external environment environment. The Champlifier is not so high gain, thoughn

BUT...

it does look cool

I used this on mine

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessor ... lding-tape

You can hear a difference in noise between the amp being out on the bench and in a properly shielded enclosure. All of the high gain stuff I've owned/built has simply had aluminum tape on the bottom of the enclosure. In the past I have taken a piece of copper screen that was grounded and laid it over the open chassis on my bench to lower the noise floor and allow me to troubleshoot the circuit easier. Noise comes from alot of different places, I always like to unplug the guitar cable from the amp and just listen to the noise to see how noisy a circuit is on its own. Since the input is usually shunted to ground when the cable is removed, you hear what the amp is producing all on its own plus whatever EMF is getting in through the seams between the chassis and enclosure/etc (if that even makes a difference, I've not bothered to do the math to see).

I'll try that, another quest in the name of science!

Thanks for the input on that.

You're welcome. Though in re-reading my post, I need to say something....


A note on this. If you don't know how to do this safely, don't do it. You will make sparks and possibly cause a fire if you eff up.

Just makes it better!