How do I get rid of Static in my Pickguard?

[Max405]

I've noticed this in my 175. Whenever I drag my fingers over the pickguard I hear static.
I thought it was a connection or the amp crackling but its definitely the pickguard. I had this happen a while ago on another guitar and I stuffed a dryer sheet under the pickguard. I am looking for another solution..
Funny thing is there is nothing wired to the pickguard. It's a 175 so there are no controls or anything connected to the pickguard.
By the way, I hear the static through the amp..
My humidity levels are good in the house at around 45%.
JD

[sgosnell]

Maybe a poor ground. The pickup, controls, output jack, tailpiece, everything, should be grounded together with solid solder connections. This is difficult to check without removing everything. You might be able to see obvious problems with a mirror or pictures from a phone, but it's not likely to be obvious.

[Fred Archtop]

Whenever I drag my fingers over the pickguard I hear static.

A foil of copper underneath the pickguard should solve your problem. A guitar tech can do that for you.

Best.

[rob taft]

Try rubbing a clothes dryer sheet on the pickguard

[Max405]

I will try the copper foil. Excellent idea.
its a very quiet guitar otherwise.
The dryer sheet was my 1st thought, because it worked on a previous guitar. I use to keep one folded up under the pickguard. Didn't want to do that again.
Great ideas guys thank you very much.
JD

[D.G.]

Don't forget to ground the foil!

[GNAPPI]

Joe, move to South Florida we do not have static here, it's too humid :-)

Failing that and the suggestions above a room humidifier will help. What is the RH of your room?

[Max405]

Sorry Joe, I didn't see that you had already tried the dryer sheet. Rob

no, no Rob. I appreciate your help I really do.
Dryer sheets are multi purpose items. They not only keep my clothes soft, but I wrap one around the back of my hat when I'm playing golf too. It keeps the bugs away.. I know, I got issues..
thanks buddy.

[Max405]

Joe, move to South Florida we do not have static here, it's too humid :-)

Failing that and the suggestions above a room humidifier will help. What is the RH of your room?

i wish I could move to Florida. I am not young enough, nor am I old enough yet..

the RH is kept at 45%. I might generate a lot of static because I rely on the PG as a home base for my pinky on my picking hand. I am constantly rubbing.
JD

[Max405]

iAttachment 37515

This is what I do , and this guitar didn't have Ground wire for the bridge

wow, that's nice and neat. Thanks for showing that to me!
JD

[sgosnell]

You can do that with aluminum foil and contact cement or double-sided tape, but the easier way is with duct tape. Not the gaffer's tape marketed as duct tape, but the actual duct tape, which is aluminum. It costs a lot more than the plastic stuff, naturally, but it's a lot easier to use than aluminum foil. You can buy copper tape, but it's more expensive than duct tape, and aluminum works about as well as copper. I still have a roll or two of copper tape in a drawer somewhere, I think. I usually shield the electronics of any solid-body, but it's really difficult with an archtop. You could create a Faraday cage around the controls and pickups, I guess, but it's not practical. I get a little hum/buzz from computers and other electronics now and then, but not enough to make me go to any great lengths to stop it. IME having everything grounded properly in a star pattern is more important than shielding, but I shield a solid-body anyway, because it's easy.

[Max405]

If I spray mount the aluminum foil and line the bottom of the pickguard, that will help eliminate the static?
that would be easy.

[Max405]

Thank you 999369.
I will do this right away.

thanks, Joe D

[jads57]

I had a Firebird CS 2008 Non Reverse in beautful Cardinal Red with this static issue. Turned out to be in the paint! I had to carry a dryer sheet in the case LOL!

[Bluedawg]

Try rubbing a clothes dryer sheet on the pickguard

I have this issue with my floaters ... rubbing the dryer sheet works great for me ... removes the excess static electrical charge that can build up

No need to leave it under the pickguard ... just have it handy for when the charge builds back up and starts causing noises


lots of other reasonable suggestions here, but the dryer sheet is easy and simple

[Max405]

Your advice is great and that's what I did tonight.
I am grateful for all the help.
Thanks everyone.

[Ol' Fret]

>> Whenever I drag my fingers over the pickguard I hear static. <<


Some pickguards are more prone to electrostatics than others. It depends on the relative permittivity (dielectric constant) of the material, often polar or non-polar plastics like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, etc., or compounds containing nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate. Of course, the material thickness, actual temperature and RH, skin resistance, surface contamination, etc., and, above all, your playing style do also matter.

In my experience, aluminum or copper foil (plus the necessary grounding) work well - if it is a one-ply pickguard material. Multi-ply pickguards can be really nasty with statics. Not being an electronics engineer... I think the multi-ply guards could be considered as capacitors. Since some of them build up statics every few moments (drags of your fingers), I'm curious to know how people are able to remove this by using a dryer sheet?

Celluloid pickguards, or multi-ply pickguards where the upper layer is celluloid, are hardly an issue. Most people will know from own experience that less hair statics occur when they wear pure cotton or wool clothing, or when they use a comb made of celluloid or a hairbrush with natural bristles - instead of using synthetic clothing or combs/brushes.


In cases where you want to get rid of pickguard electrostatics and keep that original multi-ply ABS, etc. pickguard, IMO, two cures can be recommended: 1. put one of those very thin, tough, clear, high-gloss self-adhesives on your pickguard (put it on and cut it with a scalpel). If done well, it will be pretty much invisible, and it will also protect the original surface of the pickguard. 2. you can achieve the same by spraying clear lacquer layer on the pickguard, though the effort may be higher (using lacquer compatible with the material, the final polishing, etc.) than the adhesive method, and the originality is concerned.


I understand that the vast majority of guitar players will never care about the ambient noise caused by electrostatics. Their gigs may be louder, or their amps noisy anyway, or whatever else. But to those who do care, the usual suspects of the guitar industry have not much to offer.






When I was a kid, some of the guys would try to get me to hate white people for what they've been doing to Negroes, and for a while I tried real hard. But every time I got to hating them, some white guy would come along and mess the whole thing up. - Thelonious Monk

In jazz, there is a lot of European influence harmonically... If I were to call it black music, that would be untrue. - Dexter Gordon

[Sam Sherry]

One of my guitars has the same issue. Don't overlook the obvious: Some clothes really accentuate the static. When I'm wearing Polar Fleece, snap-crackle-pop. Put on jeans and a sweatshirt, no problem.

[rob taft]

I'm not an electrician or electronics engineer but in my last life I had some very good ones on my staff and some of their twigityness rubbed off on me.. I believe it is what is called the triboelectic effect. The human skin and the material of the pickguard (depends on the material) are opposite each other when it comes to their charge potential. The act of rubbing the skin on the surface of the guard creates charging. The dryer sheets contain ingredients that bring the two surfaces closer to each other electrically. They also contain a lubricant which reduces the friction. The only time I've had to use them was when I lived in the UP of MI. Here in North FL even though it does get cold. It was 35 this morning but the humidity was at a decent level.

[Max405]

>> Whenever I drag my fingers over the pickguard I hear static. <<

Some pickguards are more prone to electrostatics than others. It depends on the relative permittivity (dielectric constant) of the material, often polar or non-polar plastics like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, etc., or compounds containing nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate. Of course, the material thickness, actual temperature and RH, skin resistance, surface contamination, etc., and, above all, your playing style do also matter.

In my experience, aluminum or copper foil (plus the necessary grounding) work well - if it is a one-ply pickguard material. Multi-ply pickguards can be really nasty with statics. Not being an electronics engineer... I think the multi-ply guards could be considered as capacitors. Since some of them build up statics every few moments (drags of your fingers), I'm curious to know how people are able to remove this by using a dryer sheet?

Celluloid pickguards, or multi-ply pickguards where the upper layer is celluloid, are hardly an issue. Most people will know from own experience that less hair statics occur when they wear pure cotton or wool clothing, or when they use a comb made of celluloid or a hairbrush with natural bristles - instead of using synthetic clothing or combs/brushes.

In cases where you want to get rid of pickguard electrostatics and keep that original multi-ply ABS, etc. pickguard, IMO, two cures can be recommended: 1. put one of those very thin, tough, clear, high-gloss self-adhesives on your pickguard (put it on and cut it with a scalpel). If done well, it will be pretty much invisible, and it will also protect the original surface of the pickguard. 2. you can achieve the same by spraying clear lacquer layer on the pickguard, though the effort may be higher (using lacquer compatible with the material, the final polishing, etc.) than the adhesive method, and the originality is concerned.

I understand that the vast majority of guitar players will never care about the ambient noise caused by electrostatics. Their gigs may be louder, or their amps noisy anyway, or whatever else. But to those who do care, the usual suspects of the guitar industry have not much to offer.

You should change your sign on to , "Ol' Genious"..
As always, I enjoy reading your posts. I carefully read each one considering the amount of time and effort you put into your very thoughtful responses. Thank you sir.
The dryer sheet idea works very well. The sheet absorbs static somehow. You can actually feel it. I can understand how I generate so much static. My picking style requires that I brace my 4th and 5th finger on my picking hand against the pickguard. I generate a lot of friction as I move my picking hand about. I understand that friction causes static electricity by transmitting electrons from one material to another. So the ABS is collecting massive quantities of charge and then as I lift my fingers and then re-engage the static electricity ignites and the pickups transmit the energy to the amp.

Perhaps that is why Gibson chose to use Cellulose on those guitar destroying pickguards? The static charge never occurs when I play my Tal or my GJS.

I think Heritage has it right by making pickguards out of real wood.. I don't get the same static with my HJS. Although they should do a better job shielding and grounding components on their guitars.

Thanks Ol' Fret.

One of my guitars has the same issue. Don't overlook the obvious: Some clothes really accentuate the static. When I'm wearing Polar Fleece, snap-crackle-pop. Put on jeans and a sweatshirt, no problem.

Hey Sam how are you buddy.
These days, I don't wear much clothing when I play. Just a cotton shirt and a pair of shorts (if that).. So its definitely not my clothes.

I am going to try and line the bottom of the PG with foil or copper. I will report back with the results. Hopefull that might be of some benefit to others.

JD

[Max405]

I'm not an electrician or electronics engineer but in my last life I had some very good ones on my staff and some of their twigityness rubbed off on me.. I believe it is what is called the triboelectic effect. The human skin and the material of the pickguard (depends on the material) are opposite each other when it comes to their charge potential. The act of rubbing the skin on the surface of the guard creates charging. The dryer sheets contain ingredients that bring the two surfaces closer to each other electrically. They also contain a lubricant which reduces the friction. The only time I've had to use them was when I lived in the UP of MI. Here in North FL even though it does get cold. It was 35 this morning but the humidity was at a decent level.

Rob, that was a GREAT explanation! The whole proton, electron theory came to life on my guitar. I think you hit the nail on the head and put it much more eloquently than I ever could. Thanks for the perfect explanation.
JD

[999369]

>> Whenever I drag my fingers over the pickguard I hear static. <<


Some pickguards are more prone to electrostatics than others. It depends on the relative permittivity (dielectric constant) of the material, often polar or non-polar plastics like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, etc., or compounds containing nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate. Of course, the material thickness, actual temperature and RH, skin resistance, surface contamination, etc., and, above all, your playing style do also matter.

In my experience, aluminum or copper foil (plus the necessary grounding) work well - if it is a one-ply pickguard material. Multi-ply pickguards can be really nasty with statics. Not being an electronics engineer... I think the multi-ply guards could be considered as capacitors. Since some of them build up statics every few moments (drags of your fingers), I'm curious to know how people are able to remove this by using a dryer sheet?

Celluloid pickguards, or multi-ply pickguards where the upper layer is celluloid, are hardly an issue. Most people will know from own experience that less hair statics occur when they wear pure cotton or wool clothing, or when they use a comb made of celluloid or a hairbrush with natural bristles - instead of using synthetic clothing or combs/brushes.


In cases where you want to get rid of pickguard electrostatics and keep that original multi-ply ABS, etc. pickguard, IMO, two cures can be recommended: 1. put one of those very thin, tough, clear, high-gloss self-adhesives on your pickguard (put it on and cut it with a scalpel). If done well, it will be pretty much invisible, and it will also protect the original surface of the pickguard. 2. you can achieve the same by spraying clear lacquer layer on the pickguard, though the effort may be higher (using lacquer compatible with the material, the final polishing, etc.) than the adhesive method, and the originality is concerned.


I understand that the vast majority of guitar players will never care about the ambient noise caused by electrostatics. Their gigs may be louder, or their amps noisy anyway, or whatever else. But to those who do care, the usual suspects of the guitar industry have not much to offer.






When I was a kid, some of the guys would try to get me to hate white people for what they've been doing to Negroes, and for a while I tried real hard. But every time I got to hating them, some white guy would come along and mess the whole thing up. - Thelonious Monk

In jazz, there is a lot of European influence harmonically... If I were to call it black music, that would be untrue. - Dexter Gordon

[999369]

Just got this fender a week a go

this is my job today ( that is how I kill my time )

how much better ? = do it then you well know !!!




Before ~ after

[JazzNote]

My duo partner would have a simple solution for this, he really did this for several recording sessions ......... wrap a blank wire around your leg, connect it to ground by using a jack plugged into the second input of your amp. This will ground YOU, with the same effect as removing static from the guard.

[999369]

Finally finished
I do have more Ground wire ( White wire Silver-plated wire ) even make sound better

yesterday when I ( finger ) touch the bridge ( with boost pedal ) is make noise " loud " now it should go a way

" Tested when touch the bridge with boost pedal no noise " ha ha ~~~