Static snaps with CV Tele?

[tjcurtin1]

I have been finding that my CV tele emits random snaps and pops, varying in volume and intensity, appearing randomly during playing. If I sit and damp the strings with the left hand, nothing, but while playing they appear, but not connected with anything like note attack or moving the cord. This happens with the VT30 and ALSO when playing through a modelled amp in the computer. I did perform a wiring mod some months ago, and everything works as it should otherwise. IF I switch guitars in any of these set-ups, no more pops. Any ideas?

[t_ross33]

Sounds like static electricity build up on the pickguard. Other than shielding the pickguard and connecting the shielding to ground, I've heard that "static-guard" type wipes can help... maybe...

[duhvoodooman]

Sounds like static electricity build up on the pickguard. Other than shielding the pickguard and connecting the shielding to ground, I've heard that "static-guard" type wipes can help... maybe...
Yup, 'xactly.

[wingsdad]

Yep, rub a dryer fabric softener sheet like Bounce, etc on the pickguard.

Be sure you like the fragrance of the sheet before you stash it in the guitar case and snap the lid shut, though.

[Spudman]

Sounds like it's broken. You need to send it to me and I'll fix it for you. It may take a few years but eventually you'll get it back.

Either that or a dryer sheet like the other guys said.

[jpfeifer]

I used to get this static build up on nearly every guitar that I have that has a plastic pick guard. (Strats especially) The best way to fix that, from my own experience, is to take off the pickguard and apply aluminum foil to the back side of your pickguard. Rubber cement works really well for glueing the foil to the back of your pickguard. Then just trim off the excess foil with an exacto-knife or something. Then re-attach the pickguard, and you will never have this static problem again. Note: make sure that your foil backing comes into contact with the metal part of your pickup selector or volume/tone control pots. These sections are normally attached to the ground lug of your input jack also. This is what grounds the back of your pickguard.

--Jim

[marnold]

If you do use a drier sheet, make sure to use vintage, NOS Bounce sheets. Nothing else is as musical. Just ask anybody.

[tjcurtin1]

Thanks, guys! But...what did they do back in the 50's?? I want to be Classic-Vibe- correct;) .

[Spudman]

If you do use a drier sheet, make sure to use vintage, NOS Bounce sheets. Nothing else is as musical. Just ask anybody.

I used to think that too and then I did an A-B comparison and really didn't notice much difference between Bounce, Downy, and Snuggle. However the Gain sheets definitely were louder. The Sun & Earth sheets had a more woody/natural tone than most of the others. I really thought the Bounce sheets were fine but the NOS Bounce really wasn't worth the extra cost. Besides, they make them in the same factory anyway.

[tjcurtin1]

LOL!!! Marnold and Spud, you've created new dimensions of cork-sniffing - but be careful of sniffing those drier sheets too much...:poke

[Spudman]

LOL!!! Marnold and Spud, you've created new dimensions of cork-sniffing - but be careful of sniffing those drier sheets too much...:poke

We're trying to get good enough to post on TGP. :rollover

[DeanEVO_Dude]

Thanks, guys! But...what did they do back in the 50's?? I want to be Classic-Vibe- correct;) .

If I might interject here... If I am not mistaken, didn't Leo put a copper shield (same shape as the pickguard) between the pickguard and the body? Or were they used on later Strats?

At any rate, you can search eBay for one...

[rock_mumbles]

What I did on my CV 50's Tele was I added a ground wire to the neck pickup cavity ... it was painted with shielding paint but it wasn't connected to the control area shield ... so I took a couple of short small screws and added a wire to connect the front cavity to the control cavity.

[Spudman]

What I did on my CV 50's Tele was I added a ground wire to the neck pickup cavity ... it was painted with shielding paint but it wasn't connected to the control area shield ... so I took a couple of short small screws and added a wire to connect the front cavity to the control cavity.

Did you just run a screw into the body through the shielding paint then?

[pictoratus]

Are you sure it's not a string or strings readjusting tension as a result of binding in the nut or saddles after bends?

[tjcurtin1]

Oh, yeah - it's definitely a static electric kind of pop and crackle.

[wingsdad]

tj, the only tele-type guitar I experienced this crackling with was a Korean-build G&L Tribute Series ASAT Special, and it only happened if my fingers touched the pickguard. Rubbed a finger on it, it would go 'scritcha, scritcha, scratch'. The drier sheet wipe trick would temporarily solve the problem, but my tech thought it might also have noting to do with static build up on the pg, but might be an issue with with the pots gathering static or how the pots were grounded to the input jack.

So have you noticed if the crackling happens only when you touch the pg, or is it all the time?

I've had 2 (and now have 1) American G&L ASAT, and they never had the problem. They have CTS pots, the Tribute did not. So maybe there's something to the cheapo pots/bad ground connection thing?

I never changed the pots on the Tribute, a $10 experiment; I went instead with a $500 solution and traded it up for my first American ASAT.

[tjcurtin1]

You got it, Wingsdad - it happens ONLY when fingers touch the pickguard - should have mentioned that! The drier sheet has worked so far, and I'm guessing that it's primarily a winter phenomenon with static build-up. But perhaps it's worth checking the ground situation - any ideas what I should look for? BTW, before I got the CV tele, I almost grabbed a lovely used A&L Tribute tele at a local store that got sold out from under me...

[wingsdad]

I was diving in here to see if you'd solved the problem, and when I read thru things, I realized you hadn't specified that...why would you? I didn't notice it at first myself, until I got more irritated by it, was putting the guitar down and touched the pg without hitting anything else. Snap-Scritch!

If it's a bad ground, my tech was saying he'd be looking at a loose connection of the ground to the jack or pots, from messed up soldering or a break somewhere in the wire, as in defective wiring or pinched, broken insulation. The guitar was brand new when I got it, so, if that was it, it would have been a warranty fix. But, if that wasn't it, the next culprit woud have been a flaw in the pots. He would've used a meter on the potential problem spots. I have no clue how to use one of those.

Tributes are a righteous economy line, because they use the same USA pickups as the American models they emulate, and G&L pickups are excellent. I think, but I'd have to check, they're even using more USA-made hardware nowadays. i/e bridges and trem systems.