Shielding/Grounding a P-Bass

[How1]

I’ve been getting a lot of noise from my Precision, so this morning I decided to shield it. I’ve covered the cavity in copper tape and attached a strip from the cavity to under the pickguard which is also shielded. It’s all one cavity, no separate PU cavity. I’ve also checked the bridge wire and added a bit of tape. It doesn’t seems to have made much difference. Do I need a wire going from the ground on the jack socket to the cavity? Or the bridge to the cavity? I’ve done all this once on a different bass and can’t remember exactly what I did.

Edited April 29, 2023 by How1

[nikon F]

i solder a wire from the copper tape to the back of a pot ,,,works for me.

[How1]

Brilliant, sorted (kind of). I’ve at least narrowed it down to some pickup/pole piece noise now. That’s a job for another day.

Edited April 29, 2023 by How1

[rmorris]

On 29/04/2023 at 11:59, How1 said:

I’ve been getting a lot of noise from my Precision, so this morning I decided to shield it. I’ve covered the cavity in copper tape and attached a strip from the cavity to under the pickguard which is also shielded. It’s all one cavity, no separate PU cavity. I’ve also checked the bridge wire and added a bit of tape. It doesn’t seems to have made much difference. Do I need a wire going from the ground on the jack socket to the cavity? Or the bridge to the cavity? I’ve done all this once on a different bass and can’t remember exactly what I did.

 

Yes. The copper shielding needs continuity to the Screen (Ground) connection on the output jack.

The bridge should already be connected to the jack socket screen connection (check it anyway with a continuity tester / DMM).

So cavity to jack socket or to bridge will have same effect in practice.

Without a connection the copper screen is just 'floating' electrically and effects are unpredictable.