Silver Sky Static Noise!!

[bodia]

Well, give them a try at least to be sure. I live in the Midwest and during Fall/Winter/Spring - humidity is super low bumping up the level of static noise.

Likewise....suburban Chicago

 

[alantig]

Interesting. I use Optiwebs on my Silver Sky, and I haven't had any static issues. Weird.

 

[Tricko]

I can confirm this as an issue: Have a 2020 Les Paul Standard 50's on which I was getting an irritating crackling static only when I slid up and down the wound strings. After much research and testing for continuity with my Fluke multimeter, it seems the coating on the Elixir wound strings provides an intermittent continuity resulting in inconsistent grounding (at least to fingers as the sting itself is grounded to the tailpiece and tuner as the Elixir coating does not cover the ball end string part). Have not really noticed this on my other Elixir loaded guitars - will need more testing. LP forums going back years speculate on this common LP issue with static being attributable to Nitro coating not being cured, to not enough shielding, etc - so perhaps its a combination of elements but I notice a definite correlation to having a coated string on the guitar. Further investigation is necessary. Hate to have to take off my Elixirs because I love em - but cant stand the static.

 

[Xenophon Kirby]

Well everyone - I figured it out. It was a combination of some lack of humidity causing static....and the strings! I noticed when I got the replacement Silver Sky from Sweetwater and started replacing the low strings with the Optiweb's from Elixir - and suddenly the problem was back. Something with the coating on the strings? I have since kept non-coated strings on guitar and we are good to go.

INTERESTING!!! I have the same strings on mine. Let me try this solution. Thanks.

 

[John F]

Why not burnish the string by using a tiny amount of sand paper to gently remove the coating where the strings touch the bridge saddles? That is like stripping the insulation off a wire. If you don’t have locking tuners, do it where the string touches the tuner too. I’m guessing the locking screws will cut through the coating without having to burnish the string at the headstock. Afterwards, you can test for continuity with an ohm meter if available.

 

[Xenophon Kirby]

Why not burnish the string by using a tiny amount of sand paper to gently remove the coating where the strings touch the bridge saddles? That is like stripping the insulation off a wire. If you don’t have locking tuners, do it where the string touches the tuner too. I’m guessing the locking screws will cut through the coating without having to burnish the string at the headstock. Afterwards, you can test for continuity with an ohm meter if available.

Thanks John F.
I actually tried something different. I removed the pickguard and in addition to the shielding spray I had applied to the routed cavity before, I shielded the pickguard. From the factory, just the area where the pots are attached to the pickguard were shielded along with a few narrow copper shield strips from the pickups to the pots. Once I beefed up the shielding with copper tape, the static disappeared completely. I kept my coated Elixir strings. The Silver Sky is now magical. The tone is a bit warmer and fuller too (can't really explain why).

 

[John F]

Really glad you sorted it out! I agree that the Silver Sky does sound magical.

Enjoy it.

 

[Dr. Love]

I had a similar mystery static on a tele once that only occurred with a specific pick guard. It would charge up as I moved around and crackle randomly. I changed the guard and it’s never done it again.