Black Plastic Cover to the main wiring on Thunder I

I need to replace the black plastic cover to the wiring. Can I buy a piece of plastic and cut it to size or does it have some sort of shielding on?
Thanks.

Also while I am at it - The Thunder I (not Bass) that i have has a thick lacquer on it. Were they made like this or do you think it has been applied after? I have always wondered if it would ook and sound better if I attempted to remove the lacquer.

jojosmith wrote:I need to replace the black plastic cover to the wiring. Can I buy a piece of plastic and cut it to size or does it have some sort of shielding on?

There's no magic involved. You can easily make your own from any suitable plastic sheeting. Generally the back is shielded. You can use sticky aluminum tape that is commonly used for sealing ductwork.

The Thunder I (not Bass) that i have has a thick lacquer on it. Were they made like this or do you think it has been applied after? I have always wondered if it would ook and sound better if I attempted to remove the lacquer.

The solid colors are catalyzed polyethylene and yes, it's a factory finish. I'm not sure about the natural finishes but I suspect they too are a thinner, clear version of the same finish. The colours are difficult to remove and the general advice is "don't". The natural finishes are a bit easier to remove, however I don't think anyone here would recommend leaving the wood exposed. Many have successfully used Tung or Danish oil to refinish.

If you want to make a big difference then take some time to remove the electrics and shield the whole cavity. It's a bit of a fiddle but made a hell of a difference to my Strat...much reduced hum/interference.

Thanks for replies. I think I will shield the whole cavity.

Re the lacquer. The guitar is the natural finish, but the lacquer is quite thick. I am happy to leave it on but just wondered if there would be any tonal differences if I removed it and oil finished the guitar?

jojosmith wrote:...just wondered if there would be any tonal differences if I removed it and oil finished the guitar?

I think on a solid body guitar the finish is almost irrelevant, particularly on a Thunder! The primary purpose of a finish is to protect the wood. There may be a slight difference in the case of an acoustic, but then the finish is generally given serious consideration in the design stage and is generally as thin as possible, so shouldn't make a major impact.

In any event, any tonal differences generated are likely so minimal as to be imperceptible except by audio test equipment. Practically, there's no sonic difference.

Thanks Barry. Will leave the finish as is.