EBS_freak Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hi there... does anybody have any idea how to cure a static scratchplate? My jazz has developed an annoying crackle problem - after messing around with the earth on my bass, just by chance, I found that removing the scratch plate cured the problem. I then tried to destatic the plate... which worked (I used antistatic polish) but it is slowly returning. Anybody got any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 If you can't resolve what is probably a poor connection, someone posted a few weeks ago about putting one of those tumble-drier anti-static sheets in the control cavity - Worth a go I suppose? Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 [quote name='Hamster' post='115156' date='Jan 7 2008, 01:07 AM']If you can't resolve what is probably a poor connection, someone posted a few weeks ago about putting one of those tumble-drier anti-static sheets in the control cavity - Worth a go I suppose? Hamster[/quote] The connections are fine - if I remove the scratch plate, everything clears up. I have read about two further solutions - anti-static spray on the scratch plate, or put shielding on the back of the scratchplate and connect to ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOD2 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I've seen on may guitars/basses there is often some "tin foil" stuck to the back of the scratchplate around the area of the control cavity. The control pots (which are earthed) should touch this foil when they're installed. The foil is probably there for rudimentary screening purposes but it may also drain any static to earth. Do you have any foil on the inside of your scratchplate ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 [quote name='BOD2' post='115534' date='Jan 7 2008, 03:40 PM']I've seen on may guitars/basses there is often some "tin foil" stuck to the back of the scratchplate around the area of the control cavity. The control pots (which are earthed) should touch this foil when they're installed. The foil is probably there for rudimentary screening purposes but it may also drain any static to earth. Do you have any foil on the inside of your scratchplate ?[/quote] My strats have... No foil on the inside of this jazz scratchplate I am afraid. That's the next port of call... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 [quote name='EBS_freak' post='115547' date='Jan 7 2008, 03:47 PM']My strats have... No foil on the inside of this jazz scratchplate I am afraid. That's the next port of call...[/quote] A guitarist friend had terrible trouble with this - every electric he played would start making cracking sounds after playing for a few minutes. It was driving him nuts - so I suggested covering the back of the pickguards completely with self-adhesive backed copper foil shielding - it fixed it for good for him. Definitely worth trying on your Jazz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 [quote name='99ster' post='115665' date='Jan 7 2008, 06:32 PM']A guitarist friend had terrible trouble with this - every electric he played would start making cracking sounds after playing for a few minutes. It was driving him nuts - so I suggested covering the back of the pickguards completely with self-adhesive backed copper foil shielding - it fixed it for good for him. Definitely worth trying on your Jazz.[/quote] Just for people who may be experiencing similar problems. I put self-adhesive backed aluminium foil shielding (courtesty of a most generous basschatter) on the back of the plate - it looks to be a good fix! The rest of the instrument is shielded so that's good. Now I just have to rid the bass of it's single coils and get some of the dual coil beasties in there. Should be good to get an uber quiet, static free jazz! Thanks to all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorris Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 (edited) I had this on an Ibanez Strat type electric. The pickups are mounted to the scratchplate so I was able to take the scratchplate / pickup assembly out of the guitar body completely and get the problem and work out what was going on. Seemed to be caused by rubbing where the cratchplate had gone 'shiny' over time / use and also touching the scratchplate and pickup mounting screws. Rudimentary attempt at shielding the rear of the scratchplate with Aluminium foils improved things but not completely. I daresay better shielding would have been an improvement but in the end I got a new scratchplate cut ( shop in Orpington - cuts to template + doe smail order ). That's okay - it seems to be related to wear with plastic scratchplates ? I've now recently noticed a similar problem emerging on an OLP Musicman copy which has a white plastic scratchplate. Most of my guitars are 'non-scratchplate' types so I hadn't come across this issue before the Ibanez. I guess a grounded metal scratchplate would be a solution or a non-plastic eg wooden guard that could carry foil on the rear for shielding purposes. Edited May 2, 2009 by rmorris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 This is good practice for any guitar with or without a plastic scratchplate/pickguard. Get some of the self-adhesive copper foil and line your ctrl cavity with it, and also the back of the scratch plate, and include it in your earthing connections so what you have is a shielded Faraday cage for all your controls to help minimise hum, buzz, rf interference, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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