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Jimmy Page wiring

BaZie

By BaZie
in Epiphone Electrics


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BaZie

BaZie

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Hi all,

I'm going to install some kind of JP wiring in my Epi Les Paul. I have three options:

1. 4 push-pulls

2. 4 lever mini switches (2 on-on-on and 2 DPDT)

3. 2 on-on-on lever mini switches and 2 push-pulls

4. Seymour Duncan Triple Shots and 2 push-pulls

Options 1 and 4 are most elegant and reversible, options 2 and 3 are the cheapest (and I have already all the parts needen dor option 2) and probably easier to use while playing than push-pull pots, but requires drilling guitar body and thus is non-reversible.

Which would you choose?

BTW. I have already changed Epi Alnico Classics (2 wire, non-pro) into Entwistle HV58 (4 wires).

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Bluemans335

Bluemans335

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I've put the Jimmy Page system in a few Epi LP Stds, including one with Duncan A2P's. The second rewiring I ever did was putting the Page system in an Epi LP, with no prior electrical or soldering experience. It's not hard if you follow the diagram. Take your time and do it one pot at a time.

 

I much prefer push-pulls over mini-switches. Mini-switches are so small and hard to solder. They look weird on a guitar if you put them in the pot holes, nor do you want to drill holes for istalling them (you'll regret that eventually).

 

Push-pulls are easy to use while playing; any advantage switches might have there is insignificant. Push-pulls aren't expensive either. I wouldn't screw around with switches or triple shots.

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BaZie

BaZie

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Soldering and electrical skills are not a problem for me, that's why I decided to modify guitar electronics by myself - besides tonal enhancement, it gives some pride and joy :) I think changing mini switch position might be faster than with push-pull (push is fast, but pull requires few fingers), that's why I consider options. I wouldn't put mini switches in pot holes. But drilling guitar body is in fact something I might later regret. Nevertheless, in 11 years old Ibanez I mounted two 4-position rotary switches that act as Triple Shots (and cost 2 USD vs. 50). Plus a cost of drilling 2 holes...

EDIT: I also think of push-push pots instead of push-pull ones.

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Ed Zeplin

Ed Zeplin

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Hi all,

I'm going to install some kind of JP wiring in my Epi Les Paul. I have three options:

1. 4 push-pulls

2. 4 lever mini switches (2 on-on-on and 2 DPDT)

3. 2 on-on-on lever mini switches and 2 push-pulls

4. Seymour Duncan Triple Shots and 2 push-pulls

Options 1 and 4 are most elegant and reversible, options 2 and 3 are the cheapest (and I have already all the parts needen dor option 2) and probably easier to use while playing than push-pull pots, but requires drilling guitar body and thus is non-reversible.

Which would you choose?

BTW. I have already changed Epi Alnico Classics (2 wire, non-pro) into Entwistle HV58 (4 wires).

 

Didn't Jimmy have micro switches underneath the pickguard? No need to drill the body then.

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Bluemans335

Bluemans335

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just to add, my 2cents, has anyone tried the new push/push pots. Just got 2 from guitar parts resource. Not sure if I do a JP wiring or what guitar to put them in yet.

 

The Gibson/Epi push-pulls do coil cut (single coil mode). The Page system does that with the two volume controls, and also has out-of-phase (bridge tone pot) and links the PU's in series (neck tone pot); PU's are normally linked in parallel, which is why there's a volume drop in the middle toggle position.

 

No one's going to use all 21 combinations, but a couple are especially nice that you don't get on other guitars:

1) PU's linked in series with the neck in coil cut mode. Powerful, warm tone.

2) PU's linked in series and out-of-phase. Normally out-of-phase is weak and thin, this gives it a boost.

 

You may find half a dozen of the options on the Page system useful. The appearance of the guitar isn't changed, and you have lots of tones available at your finger tips when you want them.

 

I've taken half the Page system (the tone pot parts) and put it in P-90 guitars, so I can get a volume boost, and have the out-of-phase feature. Every P-90 guitar ought to be wired like this. This works for any guitar with single-lead PU's.

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Ed Zeplin

Ed Zeplin

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I don't know, but even if, how to route wires from the bottom of the body?

 

I'm not sure. Maybe pull wires thru the sides of the pickup rings by drilling them out. That system was on his number 2 LP as far as I can remember, not his number one. The Page sig from the nineties was not historically accurate anyway but the concept has always been tempting to me. I just don't have the time to do the work as life gets in the way of fun sometimes. Good luck with it.

 

Here is the link for the historic reissue from a few years ago:

 

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Jimmy-Page-Number-Two-Les-Paul/Electronics.aspx

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BaZie

BaZie

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Maybe pull wires thru the sides of the pickup rings by drilling them out.

 

Thanks for the link, I also thought it could be done through the pickup ring, and it is reversible (ring are cheaper than body, aren't they). I'm not sure if I'll go this way with Les Paul, but it certainly is possible with Explorer, which has large pickguard with some space underneath (for wires going to the pickup switch). Thus, in Explorer I could install "Triple Shits" as I used to name 4-pos rotary switches that give all the funcionality of Seymour Duncan Triple Shots ;)

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A couple of points.

 

First there are two "Jimmy Page" Les Paul guitars with special wiring options known as the number one and the number two. The number two is by far the more complicated and the Page version uses four push / pull pots and two micro switches which are fixed to the underneath of the pickguard.

 

Most standard "Page" wiring kits (the "Jonesey" kits for instances) are either for the Page number one version or a "reduced" 4 push/pull pot kit for the number two. However, the full Page number two wiring diagram can by found on the Les Paul Forum and an interesting email from Jonesey describing what all four pots and the micro switches do.

 

One last thing, in my opinion push / push pots (as Yamaha use) are far easier to use than push / pulls.

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Bluemans335

Bluemans335

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in my opinion push / push pots (as Yamaha use) are far easier to use than push / pulls.

 

Push-push pots seem like a good idea, except:

 

- you can't see if a push-push is in up or down mode.

- harder to find vendors who carry them.

- more expensive.

- many are low quality and wear out fast.

 

Other than that, they're great.

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Push-push pots seem like a good idea, except:

 

- you can't see if a push-push is in up or down mode.

- harder to find vendors who carry them.

- more expensive.

- many are low quality and wear out fast.

 

Other than that, they're great.

 

I don't agree with any of that. It is really easy to see (or feel) if they are up or down. They are easy to find (at least in the UK); just as cheap or expensive depending on how you look at it; and I have heard that rubbish about wearing out fast before - they don't. But they much easier to use in practice - I'd never go back to push pulls.

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Bluemans335

Bluemans335

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I don't agree with any of that. It is really easy to see (or feel) if they are up or down. They are easy to find (at least in the UK); just as cheap or expensive depending on how you look at it; and I have heard that rubbish about wearing out fast before - they don't. But they much easier to use in practice - I'd never go back to push pulls.

 

It may different in the UK. They have not gone over well here in the USA for the reasons I mentioned.

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mcgruff

mcgruff

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I'm going to install some kind of JP wiring in my Epi Les Paul.

 

This is the one I've used in my dot.

 

I'm struggling a bit to understand the circuit but AFAIK this is what you get:

 

TREBLE

 

bridge bucker

bridge screw

bridge slug

slugs SIP

bridge screw + neck slug SOP

bridge bucker + neck slug SOP

bridge bucker + neck slug SIP

 

MIDDLE

 

buckers PIP

buckers POP

megabucker SIP

megabucker SOP

slugs SIP

screws PIP

bridge screw neck bucker PIP

bridge screw neck bucker SOP

bridge screw neck slug SOP

bridge slug neck bucker POP

bridge slug neck bucker SIP

bridge slug neck screw POP

bridge bucker neck screw PIP

bridge bucker neck screw POP

bridge bucker neck slug SOP

bridge bucker neck slug SIP

 

RYTHMN

 

neck bucker

neck screw

 

"S" or "P" means series or parallel. "OP" and "IP" are in phase and out of phase. Eg "SIP" would be series in phase.

 

Exactly what you get out of this depends on the way the given pickups interact in the various settings but you should find a few useful extra sounds. If a setting doesn't sound good at first try fine-tuning with vol and tone controls before you give up on it.

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