Shielding: everything must touch? pickups?

2 questions!

just want to clarify this: i am planning to shield my paranormal jazz as when it is on but not being touched it hums (which my understanding is likely a shielding issue.) i already have copper tape with conductive adhesive and have watched a few tutorials.

#1: my big question is: the shield MUST be touching/conductive to the rest of the metal on the bass, right? the shield is not isolated, it must be grounded to everything else correct?

my understanding this can be done by soldering a wire from the shielding to a pot. however, if when i tape the cavity i make sure that the pots are touching the shielding via the holes the post sticks out of, im good right? in other words if i just make sure some copper shielding comes up to the hole so the nut holding the pot in place touches it i should be good right?

#2 i was also reading that shielding the pickups cavities (this is a jazz bass) is essentially useless as the top of the cavity is open and uncovered by shielding. true?

#1 - yes. It cannot live in isolation otherwise, it’s just pretty. You can solder a wire to it and run it back to a pot or, run a part of the tape over the lip of the cavity so it connects with the control plate.

But Jazz basses hum. Esp with only 1 pickup on. Does it hum with both all the at up?

#2 - can’t hurt, makes it pretty, but ya, does a little but not a lot. I don’t bother.

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You can also solder a wire to ground on one end and crimp or solder a ring terminal on the other, and screw the terminal to your shielding. You see this often.

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great, thanks y’all!

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