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Vintage threads from the first ten years

Static Noises on Strat Pickguard?

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11/6/1997 9:07 PM

Static Noises on Strat Pickguard?

I'd been trying to track down the source of an occasional scratchy noise that I'd get on my strats but not my LPs, and I finally figured out that the noise was coming from my pickguard! No noise if I tap the pickguard with the handle of a screwdriver, but if I ground the strings with one hand and rub my knuckles on the pickguard I would hear the "s-s-h, s-s-h, s-s-h" sound I've been tryin to eliminate.
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I thought I had read about a fix for the static problem here. Any ideas on this? (I'm going to try rubbing a fabric softener sheet on it to see if that helps. I heard that if you rub a sheet of Bounce on your arm it'll keep the mosquitos away!)
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Steve Ahola

11/14/1997 3:06 AM

. I did my laundry last night and remembered to bring in my last sheet of Bounce and used it to polish my pickguards. No more static noises! I'll definitely keep that sheet in a plastic baggie in my strat case to reapply as needed...
. Jeez- I changed out a set of stock pickups because I thought the noise was coming from the coils! With 20/20 hindsight, the dead giveaway that the problem was with the pickguard and not the pickups was that the static noise didn't change at all with the settings of the selector switch. I had even tried disconnecting the string ground thinking that might help.
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Steve Ahola

11/14/1997 10:19 AM
SProuty	A friend of mine had a similar problem and a local tech recommended using a quality non-abrasive wax (on both sides of the pickguard). As far as I know the problem never returned. Steve Prouty

11/18/1997 3:30 AM
Steve Ahola	Steve . >>... a local tech recommended using a quality non-abrasive wax...<< . "Wax" as in "waxing my car so that it'll rain?". Is there any brand that you would recommend? . Steve Ahola

11/20/1997 6:27 AM

Since I was essentially passing on second hand information, I contacted the original Tech who my friend said provided the tip. (Stan at Noll Guitar, Warwick, RI). In short, he said he only recommends Martin Guitar polish now. According to him "some of the car-care products have additives that are designed to cut through the existing layers of wax and road crud and even though they are labled nonabrasive they aren't nearly as easy on your guitar."

Steve Prouty

11/21/1997 6:50 PM
Bob	Interesting to say the least. I'm an electronic tech at a Fender authorized repair center and never heard of this particular problem, so for ha-ha's I called Fender to get their take on this. Their head tech said they are aware of this problem (caused by a static charge built up in the players body) but they have no remedy "we just hope no one notices" Sound like a cover-up to me!!!! Bob

11/24/1997 1:57 AM
Steve Ahola	Bob: I was browsing through Fender's website earlier tonite and they had several recommendations like using guitar polish, using an anti-static treatment (Bounce?), gluing tin foil to the back of the pickguard, painting the control compartment with conductive paint and replacing the pick guard with a high tech metal(?) one. So far Bounce has worked for me. Steve Ahola

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