Humbucker wiring question for '94 Epi Les Paul

[Pauli]

Hi,
I'm new to these forums but have been lurking for a while, and really enjoying the expertise on show!

I bought a '94 Korean made Epi Les Paul Standard last month, and decided to replace all the shiney stuff, as basically a lot of it had become dull and tarnished (not in the nice antique aged way tho!)
There were a few cracks on the plastic fittings such as volume knobs, jack mount and humbucker surrounds. Also the bridge bolts and countersunk fittings looked pitted and tarnished.

I have basically stripped the guitar back and the various parts are now arriving in.

Now heres my question.

I stripped out the humbucker covers, and removed all the screws in the humbucker assemblies. On taking out the HB's, it was apparent that the coils were potted in wax. I ran a blade around the base, and the coils and magnets popped out as one piece, encased in a block of wax.
I then noticed a little black wire with one end detached and the other running into the coil, on each Humbucker. I had obviously detached this from its solder point when removing the chrome covers. I need to know where to resolder this wire to?
I have looked online, and cannot see a schematic for these humbuckers, as there is only one wire (red) running from the neck HB, and one wire (blue) running from the bridge HB. I'm gussing the black wire has detached from the blob of solder on the baseplate where the white and red wires are joined? Please advise. Please see photo (a bit messy, but thats due to the wax)

Neck pickup with black wire detached



Bridge pickup with black wire detached.





My second question is relating to the pots in this model guitar. I want to replace the southernmost (lower) volume pot as it feels loose and lifeless when turning the knob.
All the pots are 500Ω but the two volume pots are stamped B and the two tone pots are stamped A. Shouldn't this be the other way around, or does it make any difference? I know one refers to logarithmic and the other linear, but I don't know the difference.

Third question is for opinions only Since I'm geting the solder gun out to replace the pot, Ive order some 0.22 Orange Drop caps to replace the stock caps. Given this is a 20 year old guitar, is this a good idea or should the original caps "aged" well over 20 years?

Many thanks in advance guys!

[Pauli]

Anyone?

[lpstudiored]

i have no idea about the pups, but the caps are a good idea for sure.

personally, i'd also go ahead and replace all the pots if i were replacing one. (might as well right?)

of course, i'd (personally) also replace the pups with something nice (but at a decent price point) because i don't really like stock epi pups off of the older models like that one

sorry for rambling..... good luck!

[papajim]

I'm guessing the black wire has detached from the blob of solder on the base plate where the white and red wires are joined? Please advise.

Best guess is that the black wire serves as ground for the coil of your HB so go ahead solder it to the base plate.

And +1 for lpstudiored advice:

personally, i'd also go ahead and replace all the pots if i were replacing one. (might as well right?)

get some CTS pots for that baby

[Pauli]

What is the difference between soldering a cap between the volume and tone pots, or just soldering it to the tone pot and tone pot case (earth)?

My stock caps are soldered to the tone pots only, yet virtually every single wiring diagram I look at for the twin humbucker/ two volume pot/ two tone pot/ triple switch setup has the caps soldered with one end to the volume pot, and the other to the tone pot.

I am waiting on 2 x .22 orange drops and CTS pots to rewire the whole thing, so I would like to get the best setup first time. Am I also correct in saying that orange drop caps are non polarity?

[papajim]

What is the difference between soldering a cap between the volume and tone pots, or just soldering it to the tone pot and tone pot case (earth)?

My stock caps are soldered to the tone pots only, yet virtually every single wiring diagram I look at for the twin humbucker/ two volume pot/ two tone pot/ triple switch setup has the caps soldered with one end to the volume pot, and the other to the tone pot.

The diagram where the caps are soldered to the volume and tone pot pairs follows the 1950's wiring which everyone in this forum including me recommend. Stock wiring of Epi LPs follow the modern wiring.

www.singlecoil.com/docs/paula.pdf

I am waiting on 2 x .22 orange drops and CTS pots to rewire the whole thing, so I would like to get the best setup first time. Am I also correct in saying that orange drop caps are non polarity?

Yes they are non polarized but if you're gonna go for the 50's wiring it doesn't matter

[Pauli]

Excellent, thankyou. I couldn't see a diagram anywhere that had the same wiring as my 94 standard, and I was beginning to think that someone had ballsed up somewhere. This is the way my epi is currently wired after stripping the wiring loom out.

Volume cap
showing shielded wire from neck pup, yellow wire to switch and the grey wire runs to the tone pot.



Tone cap
shows the grey wire from the volume pot, a black earth wire and the cap connected and earthed to the pot only.



I think Ill rewire 50's style, its certainly neater and obviously sounds better.
I take it from reading your link, the only downside is losing independent pickup volume control?


Apart from the new pots and .22 Orange Drops, I have ordered a new jack and switch, waxed cloth wiring, copper shielding for the cavity, a new tunomatic bridge and stop bar, a set of GFS Vintage 59 Classic Nickel Alnico V Buckers (decided to swap out the originals afterall), and replacement exterior plastics and chrome all round- pickup guard, coil surrounds, jack surround etc and new Rotosound roto yellow strings. Just a set of tuners to go! The only thing left from original is the body and neck.

[papajim]

@Pauli

Yes that is a modern wiring there since the capacitor is grounded on the tone pot body.

I take it from reading your link, the only downside is losing independent pickup volume control?

Yes if the selector switch is in the middle position (both pups engaged) but if your going to use either bridge or neck pup you still have independent volume control for each pups that is why epiphone changed the wiring from 50's to modern so that we could still have independent volume control when we switch to the middle position. Anyway for me that is a small, almost negligible trade off since I rarely use the middle position.