December 27, 2002
I removed the pickguard and was not surprised to find that there was absolutely no shielding except for the foil that was directly underneath the pots and the electronic components were very low quality. I went to Michaels Craft Store at http://www.michaels.com and purchased copper foil made by ArtEmboss which is used for various crafts. This foil is considered light weight by the manufacturer but is very heavy by guitar standards and can be cut with scissors. I found early on that this stuff will cut fingers so one day someone will find my DNA under the pickguard and a new clone guitarist can be born. I had a can of 3M80 spray contact cement in my garage left over from a soundproofing job I never completed. Later, I found a web site referenced on the forum at GuitarNuts that sold heavy duty pre-cut pickup guard shields available at http://www.monteallums.com I ordered one for $10.00 since I had spent about $7.00 on the foil anyway. I decided to treat the electronics cavity with the foil and install the pre-cut shield on the pickguard. I am striving for a functional and professional looking job at this point.

December 28, 2002
This looks like it is becoming a full-time and somewhat expensive project. I decided that it was too late to turn back. I began to discover all the modification possibilities with a Strat and couldn't help to notice that many of them were provided to simulate a Tele sound, which is my favorite. With this in mind, I began to consider a HipShot B-Bender (I cannot afford the original Parson StringBender right now available at http://www.stringbender.com/Bender/default.htm or a Tele for that matter, and do not wish to route the back of this guitar). That Marty Stuart bender sound is what I would really like to achieve cheaply. Consequently, I took the plunge and ordered the Hipshot from http://www.hipshotproducts.com for $178.00. Listen

December 29, 2002
Work has begun on shielding my Strat. I guess I should begin considering a name for her. It was recommended that while piecing together the foil within the cavity, solder beads should be applied between layers to maintain conductivity. I quickly discovered that a power stapler and staples applied in critical areas maintained continuity and help hold the foil in place while the adhesive set. Solder beads were then placed at critical points within the cavity as well as outside the cavity (and within the pickguard area) to establish a good contact between the cavity shielding and the pickguard shield.

December 30, 2002
Decided on electronic modifications. I decided to try a couple that were outlined on GuitarNuts and other areas of the web to achieve a Tele sound using the neck and bridge pickups of the Strat. The first is utilizing a push-pull pot at the volume control that will turn the bridge pickup on while giving several new combinations available from the 5-position switch. The second modification adds a tone control to the bridge pickup without affecting the other positions. These looked promising for an uncomplicated Tele simulation. Ordered the 250K push-pull volume pot for the neck-on modification, a .022K film capacitor for the tone modification, a mirror chrome pickguard to mount the shield on, chrome volume and tone knobs, a chrome tremolo arm and chrome pickup covers from Discount Guitar Parts at http://www.dguitarparts.com for $123.00. Might as well work on the cosmetics while I am at it. I decided that since I would like to keep the tremolo as is but will be using the Earvana as well as a B-Bender, I had better supplement the springs of the tremolo. Three springs were installed at the factory. I ordered 3 additional tremolo springs and a mirror tremolo back plate that was not available at Discount Guitar Parts from WD Music Products at http://www.wdmusicproducts.com for $27.50. Decided to use my stock pickups so I purchase some beeswax and potted them. Cost for beeswax was $12.50 at Micheals. I have plenty left over for future projects. Information on potting to rid pickups of microphonic noise is available on the GuitarNuts site and the Stewart-McDonald site at http://www.stewmac.com/wiring101/pickup_potting.html.

December 31, 2002
Entered my first post on the GuitarNuts forum. Post as follows:

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Congrats on this site and forum. I stumbled on it last week and sure 'nuff, I am shielding and modifying a Strat (Mexico) made in 2000 that was given to me last month by a friend that bought a Tele. This site has inspired me. I have never really been a Strat lover but beginning to love the possibilities for modification.
After taking the guitar apart, I noticed NO shielding except for under the pots. All electronics are very low quality although the midnight blue / chrome appearance is quite beautiful. It should be very pretty with my mirror pickguard, backplate and new Hipshot installed. I am also installing the Earvana Tuning System as well.

1. While in the shielding process, would there be advantages/ disadvantages or simply no improvement whatsoever, in shielding the tremolo cavity and back plate? I realize that the trem claw, springs, bridge and strings will be grounded due to the bridge connection as outlined in your article. But, to my logic, additional shielding in this area would help eliminate stray RF etc. and may even help achieve more body mass and therefore more sustain. Comments or ideas? 

2. I would also like to achieve a simulated Tele sound due to the installation of the Hipshot B-Bender. I plan to use one of the Neck / Bridge modifications on your site. I thought about considering the Strat Lover mod but without a mechanical drawing, I would be lost due to my lack of electronic understanding. Also considering the simple 'Adding a Neck On Switch' and the tone modification following it. I believe I can handle those simple mods. 

Question is: Recently while surfing the web, I stumbled on what I believe was an orphan page on the Stewart-Mac site that suggested attaching a "cut to fit" thin steel bar to the back of the bridge pickup to achieve a Tele sound. The only requirement was to attach it with a non-vibratory adhesive such as silicon. Since I am using the stock pickups in this project, rather than investing in Chrome Domes which I had originally planned, I thought I would consider this modification if there is any substance to it. I have not been able to relocate that particular web page. Have you had any experience with these types of mods to achieve a Tele sound on a Strat? Suggestions all members of this forum is greatly appreciated. 

Once again, this is an excellent page and I have full faith in these mods and your advice. This has to be a labor of love. I am documenting these mods with pics and will probably post them on my web site later. Would be happy to send you the pics & commentary when completed. I have also picked up a few tricks that can simplify some of the shielding in some situations. Thanks in advance. 

Happy New Year 

Cheers, 

Dew
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Since this post, I have located the page describing this modification at http://www.stewmac.com/wiring101/covers_compacitance.html.

I checked my mailbox and to my surprise, the pickguard shield had arrived. Seems to fit perfectly but it is really not any thicker than the foil I am using. I may decide to use it as a template and cut a piece of foil as a veneer. Success! I cut out a veneer using the pre-cut shield with X-Acto knife and very minimally spot glued the foil shields together. I then burnished it with a spoon to expel any air. It has almost a rubbery consistency and much more durable.

I took a chance after I performed some research on vintage Tele pickups and hearing from James on the forum, a chap from the U.K. that had performed a similar modification.  I come up with a piece of steel stock that was 1/2 wide and 1/8 inch thick buried in my garage. I cut a portion from the stock approximately 2 3/8 inch long that would perfectly fit against the magnet on the back of the bridge pickup. Included is an excerpt from the Stewart-McDonald web site:

"Pickup covers are typically made from nonferrous (iron-free) metals such as brass or nickel-silver, and are usually plated with nickel, chrome, gold, or black chrome finish. If a cover were to contain iron, it would alter the pickup’s magnetic field, thus changing the pickup’s tone and response significantly. A prime example is the copper-plated steel plate used under original ’50s Tele bridge pickups to focus the magnetic field up toward the strings. This helped give those old pickups their bite and presence. Just for fun, take a piece of steel, about 1/2" x 2-1/2" x .060", and put it underneath your favorite single-coil pickup. The magnets will hold it in place. The pickup will have a new sizzle that may give you the edge you’re looking for. This can also be useful for getting more of a Tele sound from a Strat bridge pickup. If you like it, you'll have to glue the steel in place with silicone or a glue that will isolate vibration. If you don’t, she’ll squeal like a pig!."

OK, makes sense to me and sounds what I am looking for.

When I placed the steel directly on the magnet as suggested above there was an extensive amount of attraction. I was also weary of the fact that the stock was much thicker than suggested and I didn't  want a pickup so hot that it would trash the sound.  Armed with the knowledge from the Stew-Mac article and favorable results from James, I took a piece of my thick copper foil and created a simulated copper plating by carefully and smoothly wrapping it around the steel stock similar to a Hershey bar. I then tacked the back of the copper together beads of solder evenly spaced across the back of the foil. I placed the stock back on the magnet of the pickup and the attraction calmed considerably and the lines of magnetic force seemed to smooth out where previously the steel bar was attracted to one side of the magnet or the other according to the bar orientation. I then carefully scraped the beeswax left from potting the pickup from the magnet and applied a smooth line of silicon on both sides of the magnet. I placed the bar on the pickup. The bar would still slide on the magnet from one side to the other until I finally found equilibrium and the silicon was tacky enough to hold it in place. Logic would dictate from my amatuer radio days (KI5QY) and antenna construction, that at equilibrium the magnetic lines of force focused to the strings would not create a lobe on one side of the pickup or the other. I think I may be on to something but proof is in the pudding and the sound is what counts. I didn't like the sound of that pickup to begin with so it will be easy for me to see this as an improvement. But who knows, it may be wonderful! Enough for tonight. Going to enjoy New Years Eve...

January 4, 2003
It has been slow going the last couple of days.  The other night while entering my subdivision, a car ran a stop sign and plowed into me.  I was beat up pretty badly from the combination of the impact, air bags and the seat belts.  Just glad that no one was hurt seriously but it did put a damper on my project.  Rather sore to say the least.

Received my shipment from Discount Guitar Parts.  I went ahead and mounted the copper shield on the mirror pickguard and mounted my pickups on the pickguard with the new chrome pickup covers.  Just for kicks, I laid the pickguard on the guitar along with the HipShot.  Man, this baby is looking good.  I had ordered a pot and a chrome tremelo as well.  I was a little disappointed in the quality of the pot.  I think I will look around for some industrial grade log taper pots from a parts house.

I installed the pot that I received from Discount Guitar Parts and sure enough, it was a bad pot.  Those chrome domes are beginning to look better every minute.

January 18, 2003
It has been a while since I have been able to work on the guitar.  Began today by discovering that while tightening up the screws on the 5-position switch, I cracked the acrylic mirror finish.  Looks like hell.  My first instinct was the purchase the chrome plated brass pickguard and should have followed my instinct.  At more than twice the price, $110, I went ahead and ordered from http://www.dguitarparts.com.  Will continue on when it arrives. 

February 10 , 2003
I received the new pickguard last week.  It is made of chrome plated brass.  I took my multi-meter and checked for continuity on the back side of the pickguard to make sure it would make a good shield and the grounds would work.  I  mounted all the components and tested the guitar utilizing the above wiring modifications.  It is hot as a firecracker and looks great.  I then installed the Earvana tuning system, set the intonation and adjusted the nut for offset tuning according to the directions.  I performed a slight neck adjustment and installed the Hipshot B-bender. 

This guitar has a lot of chrome and is very heavy but the sustain is fantastic and the shielding did the trick on quieting it down.  I can sit directly in front of my computer monitor with almost no noise whereas before it was quite noisy and loud.

It kind of reminds of a chrome bumper of a '56 Buick.  Lots of chrome.  Since the fellow that gave me the guitar was named Little, I named it 'Little Chrome Bumper'.  I am getting ready to have a nameplate engraved for it at a trophy shop at which time I will call it finished.  

This is a very unique and functional guitar and I am very proud of it.