Wiring Library

[Samantha]

I had been searching for new wiring diagrams for my V to fix the modern styles control problems, the volume and tone controls seemed to have multiple functions which really messed with me. the tone didn’t seem to do much of anything except for suck on the volume when it was turned down along with only removing any tone when it was at three or lower and it wasn't the cap (a repo BB) the volume controls messed with the tone and i never bothered to touch it. the 50's style wiring delivers so much more from the pickups if you have a V you should try the 50's or 50's with independent volume control wiring.

 

[Big_dawg]

dont suppose anyone can do a 50's left handed diagram please...

Im getting confused trying to draw one out..

 

[Samantha]

dont suppose anyone can do a 50's left handed diagram please...

Im getting confused trying to draw one out..

ill give it a go.

 

[Big_dawg]

thank you....

 

[Samantha]

there ya go

 

[Big_dawg]

excellent Really appreciate that...

 

[Samantha]

excellent Really appreciate that...

no probs i'v done 50's wiring on all of my guitars (playing) and i don't know why they ever changed it they sound much better after the switch.

 

[cantafford59lp]

Just mirror the image
Manny

 

[toneguy86]

Any help appreciated for wiring two pickup guitar with one volume and one tone pot.
Thanks in advance (Diagrams appreciated if available--or just a really good description)
Mark

 

[jonesy]

Any help appreciated for wiring two pickup guitar with one volume and one tone pot.
Thanks in advance (Diagrams appreciated if available--or just a really good description)
Mark

Here you go...

2 Humbuckers 1 vol. 1 tone....

 

[noslen1968]

I am seriously considering replacing all the electricals in my Vintage Mahogany LP, but I want to understand it as is before changing it. I can't figure out what that 'board' is in the center - are those the grounds from the bridge and stopbar? Is the metal plate all the pots are attached to the way it is grounded? Thanks for your help.

 

[ArchSgro]

I had the same question a month or so ago but it fell through the cracks and didn't get any response. I figured it out though and recently put new pots and caps in my Studio Prem. Plus. By the way, the change in tone is significant and noticable if you do this. I didn't rewire back to the switch, only desoldered and resoldered the existing wires using the 50's wiring scheme.

Your current wiring is identical to mine. The small vertical plate is for convenience and acts as a grounding point as well as the connection to the output jack. Using your photo, the grounding occurs on the left side of the vertical plate. The braided wire from the output jack is exposed and soldered below while the grounds from the switch are soldered above. The right side is where it receives the signal coming from the switch (thin black wire)and links it to the output jack (wire with black sheath). If you are rewiring the switch you can bypass this and have a continuous wire from the switch's output to the output jack. Just make sure its grounded.

The metal plate that the pots are attached to is a ground. It probably helps in production as Gibson can fit the plate out with pots and caps and plop it right in.

The ground from the tailpiece is the exposed single wire soldered to your neck volume pot which is in the lower right corner of your photo.

 

[voxac30dude]

so whats the difference with 50's wiring vs modern. does 50's tyle have a better tone?

 

[noslen1968]

Thank you for the response. I want to use an RS prewired vintage and I wonder if it would be best (or bad) to leave the metal plate in and all the wires as is and simply take out the pots and caps together replacing them with the prewired unit. I kinda want to take out the plate and have it look exactly as vintage, but I haven't seen what to do with all those wires. I also am thinking of replacing the switch as it is 'scratchy'.

I would like to remake my photo with text indicating what each wire does. Could you please indicate what each wire below does?

Large Black = jack output
Thin Black = switch
Braided Metal = pickups
Exposed Metal (to wood) = tailpiece ground (stopbar or bridge?)
Braided Black = ???
Yellow = ???
Green = ???
Red = ???
White = ???
Thick Gray = ???

Thanks again.

I had the same question a month or so ago but it fell through the cracks and didn't get any response. I figured it out though and recently put new pots and caps in my Studio Prem. Plus. By the way, the change in tone is significant and noticable if you do this. I didn't rewire back to the switch, only desoldered and resoldered the existing wires using the 50's wiring scheme.

Your current wiring is identical to mine. The small vertical plate is for convenience and acts as a grounding point as well as the connection to the output jack. Using your photo, the grounding occurs on the left side of the vertical plate. The braided wire from the output jack is exposed and soldered below while the grounds from the switch are soldered above. The right side is where it receives the signal coming from the switch (thin black wire)and links it to the output jack (wire with black sheath). If you are rewiring the switch you can bypass this and have a continuous wire from the switch's output to the output jack. Just make sure its grounded.

The metal plate that the pots are attached to is a ground. It probably helps in production as Gibson can fit the plate out with pots and caps and plop it right in.

The ground from the tailpiece is the exposed single wire soldered to your neck volume pot which is in the lower right corner of your photo.

 

[ArchSgro]

Hope this clears it up for you.

You might want to rotate your photo 180 degrees and start looking at the guts from that orientation. Most of the wiring diagrams are set up that way and you may get confused comparing the two. Just a thought. I found myself standing on my head to look at your photo while I added my notes.

Keep me posted on how the upgrade is going.

 

[noslen1968]

Thank you very much - that is great! I seem to have flipped my guitar over the opposite way as most people... I will be ordering the prewired RS Vintage this weekend - will take a while to get to me as I am working in Korea.

That was a lot of work that I would have been glad to do - thanks again!

 

[Cacophonous]

Nice thread!!! I do not understand anything about electronics... but I do have a Les Paul copy, japanese Burny, 1983 ... and I just bought SUHR Doug Aldrich PUPs ... how do I install them? I might be confused but I think the wiring is different from every example here... they have two wires that should be welded together (white and red) and taped, which leaves three wires, one bare, one green and one black. I´ll attach a picture of the original wiring... would you guys help me figure how I should change it ?

 

[jonesy]

Looks to be a variation of the Gibson 50's wiring, but with the caps tied back to tone pots in more modern fashion. First thing I would do if you are not totally gutting the old pots etc. is get those little green chiclet caps out of there. Replace them with some better Tone caps and wire them from tone pots to volume pots as shown in diagrams below. IMO That in itself will be major Tone upgrade. You may want to consider replacing your jap pots with some quality CTS Pots. Just as easy to do it all now then have to go back and do it later. On Humbuckers with 4 wires generally the two taped off(red & white on duncans)are for coil splitting mods, the others are just hot, neg. & ground wires.


Thanks, jonesy

 

[Cacophonous]

Hum... it got clearer now (thank you!) but I still don´t understand how to solder the wires...

hot, neg. & ground wires. > Where should I solder them to ? So far, I understand that the pickup wires are not soldered to the tone pots... only to the volume ones... Did I get that right?

 

[jonesy]

You need to find a good wiring diagram to follow or copy control set-up from a good picture...Not sure what you got going on your end?

Archsgro took time to post a wonderful detailed picture below with everything labeled quite nicely. Be aware the picture is flip-flopped(upside down?) showing vol. pots on right, tone pots on the left. the opposite of your picture.

Don't worry about the cluster in the middle, look at how the caps are wired from the tone pots to volume pots. Also note where pickup wires and switch wires go on volume pots. This is just one of several versions.