Custom Les Paul Wiring

[jhadhar65]

Now that I've had a chance to spend some time with the Epi Gold Top I bought, I'm actually thinking of making some changes.  I'm starting a new thread since the other one on this guitar was just general rambling.

The stock wiring incorporates a single volume and single tone for each pick up, as is expected.  When both pickups are running, either volume pot acts as a master volume with the attendant tone changes due to each pickup loading the other - at least that's my understanding.

What I think I'd like to do is make each volume pot totally independent of the other so they each only affect their respective pickup.  I also never use tone controls at all.  I thought of modding these for "no load" at 10, but I think I'd rather just convert the bridge tone pot into a true master volume and make the neck tone pot a master no-load tone.  I'd want the selector switch operation to remain the same as it is now.  Can all of this be done?  If so, how would I wire it so that the controls do what they should?

[Fresh_Start]

Haven't tried a wiring setup like you describe.  Seems like some Rickenbachers are setup that way though.  Also, have you looked at "50s" wiring for an LP?  Pickup goes to volume wiper & "top" of volume goes to selector switch.  That isolates the volumes from each other except when they are at "10".

Just a thought...

Chip

[G._Hoffman]

The independent volume pots is easy - just swap the pickup hot wire and the wire going to the switch.  The master volume is again easy, and I'll assume you can figure that one out.  A no load tone pot is going to be more of an issue, as I don't know of anyone making a 500k no-load pot, much less one with a long shaft.  That's the only problem I see with wiring it like that.


Gabriel

[Geezer]

For the "no-load" tone, how about using a 500k push-pull pot to take the tone control out of the circuit when not needed?
Pushed "in" could be "normal" (no tone control) & pulled "out" could be active tone....easy to see at a glance what mode you're in.....

[jjasilli]

Some people feel that the no load wiring kills the liveliness or sparkle in the guitar's tone.  Checkout this thread:  http://www.el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=4684.0

[jhadhar65]

Thanks for the input here everybody!!  I feel much better about the possibility of doing this mod.  Guitar wiring always confuses me way more than anything I've run across inside an amp.  I'm going to draw up what I have, then go back and make the changes you guys suggest to that and hopefully "see" what I'll need to do to get this done.  I'll post the schematic here so you all can see if I have it right.

As for the no-load tone, I'm planning to just open it up and just scrape away the carbon at the "10" setting.  That should be the same thing as no tone pot at all.

[jhadhar65]

Okay, see if you guys think I'm on the right track here.  I "think" the drawing labeled "ORIGINAL" is how it's wired now.  I took that from a Seymour Duncan diagram and I'll be able to confirm it later today.

As I was drawing these, I thought more about da Geezer's switched pot idea and I like it more and more.  It's not drawn in right now, but I'm thinking it will be.


EDIT:  My guitar's wiring is exactly like the drawing labeled "ORIGINAL".

[G._Hoffman]

Some people feel that the no load wiring kills the liveliness or sparkle in the guitar's tone.  Checkout this thread:  http://www.el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=4684.0

I find that odd, since the whole point behind a no-load pot is that tone pots kill the sparkle in the guitar's tone, and a no-load pot removes the pot from the signal.

I use them on my own guitars whenever possible, and they work quite nicely.



Gabriel

[jhadhar65]

I finally got around to implementing this idea, except I didn't do the no-load mod yet.  I may not bother with it at all.  As for the volumes, it's working better than I expected.  The iso wiring for the volume pots performs exactly like I want with each PU volume control independent of the other.  The MV is amazing.  No tone change at all, just louder or quieter, as I choose.  The volume pots surprised me, being both linear instead of logarithmic.  The master tone and master volume pots (both formerly tone controls) are log.  I used the stock pots.

In short, I'm very pleased with this mod and sincerely appreciate the help as always.