Shown below are several examples, presented in (almost) chronological order, where a copper foil or plate is used to create the necessary Faraday cage by soldering ground to it. This often in conjunction with the metal control panel or control cavity cover connected to the plate by wire, conductive tape, and/or paint as demonstrated on this 1981 F-100 Series I. The lineage of the shape of this control panel can be traced back to US Pat. Des. 256,803, filed March 6, 1978, but using a blade switch as pickup selector instead. An example of an unfinished ¹⁄₁₆” thick, cold-rolled 6061/T6 aluminum control panel is shown together with my 1983 Nighthawk (no guard). As can be seen from the shielding on this 1982 G-200 w/rear-loaded controls or 1984 2nd style SC-3, the foil needed to be cut to shape to fit the different control cavities. The copper plate found in the cavity of this 1985 Rampage is made of the same template as used for the plates on this 1986 Superhawk w/Kahler and 1988 Interceptor HSS (3rd style). Also the Invader has the same shape plate whereas the one found in this 1986 2nd X-body Interceptor HH is only different in the “angle” of the holes for the pots. Of course, basses got the same treatment as seen on this 1987 Interceptor Bass w/rear-loaded controls and 1993 ASAT Bass Commemorative Edition. Shown below is an example of a copper foil typically used in the control cavity of any ASAT (see e.g. this 1991 ASAT Signature w/DFV). The thickness of the foil is a mere .016“.

For those instruments with plastic guards, conductive foil is applied to the bottom of the guard as seen on the guards for a late Skyhawk and my 1991 ASAT Signature ‘500’ employee guitar. A fully “loaded” example is this 1991 S-500 Signature. Often, this would still be combined with a shielding plate at the bottom of the cavity as can be clearly seen on this 1988 3rd style SC-3.