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A step by step on how I'm modding my LP


KVL

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Hey gang, A while back I was hemming/hawing about redoing my LP or getting something different like a Gibson Studio LP or an Epi LP Tribute +. It seemed that one day it sounded great, and on others not so much. It's hard to explain. After much deliberation (and consulting my bank account) I decided to redo my LP.

 

I was intimidated by the project, but decided that with enough patience that I could do it. I took pics of every step along the way to go back to as reference as necessary. I don't know if anyone here has done such a thread, but I thought that sharing the pics would help someone who was contemplating the same, almost as a "How To" kinda thing.

 

I bought a pre-made wiring harness with CTS 550k pots and Sprague 225P Polyester tone caps wired 50's style from Jonesy Blues. Short shaft pots are required for Epis, long shaft for Gibsons. The CTS pots have 3/8" threaded shafts & the stock knobs on the Epi are metric, so I needed to switch them. I decided to get black speed knobs instead of the amber witch hats as an aesthetic change.

 

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I see that the previous owners had changed the pups and stripped the threads in doing it and plugged his sloppy work with tooth picks. If working on a second-hand guitar, you may come across this.

 

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This is as good a time as any to polish the body, since you can get all the nooks & crannies typically out of reach. I also put some fret board conditioner on. The new pick-ups are Seymour Duncan APH-2 Slash Signatures. I dropped 'em in and snaked the wires through the body and out of the cavity

 

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This is the worst part... seriously... I was so worried about messing this up, but take your time, get a sip of coffee and it'll be fine.

 

The CTS pots have those larger threads making us need US knobs, not metric knobs, remember? We need to widen the holes in the guitar to accommodate them. It doesn't need much, though. I read on another forum that you can roll up some 100 grit sand paper and use it to bore out the holes ever so slightly. Use a 3/8" drill bit as a guide. If the bit fits in the hole, then you're good to move to the next hole.

 

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OK, the harness is in. The vintage braided wiring is up and out of the way, and the stock switch wiring is through the middle of the pic. As you can see, It's a thin, junky looking bird's nest with a clip in the middle.

 

Unfortunately, I thought I'd save a few pennies and not change the switch, but honestly, I've come this far already. No sense putting budget tires on a Ferrari, so I ordered a switchcraft switch with the same vintage braided wiring. It's still in the mail, so I'm at a lull in my project. It's my own fault for being cheap.

 

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More to come...

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Need better pics, because this doesn't do her justice, but here she is...

 

Rewired 50's style with vintage braided wire, CTS550K pots, sprague caps, new swichcraft switch, Slash p'ups, and DR 0.10 Pure Blues strings, and all I can say is wow...

 

It wasn't all too hard, and was well worth it. I can roll down the tone and volue knobs without ending up in muddy tones.

 

null_zps7afad51c.jpg

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Need better pics, because this doesn't do her justice, but here she is...

 

Rewired 50's style with vintage braided wire, CTS550K pots, sprague caps, new swichcraft switch, Slash p'ups, and DR 0.10 Pure Blues strings, and all I can say is wow...

 

It wasn't all too hard, and was well worth it. I can roll down the tone and volue knobs without ending up in muddy tones.

 

null_zps7afad51c.jpg

 

good job Kevin!

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  • 1 year later...

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