Les Paul wiring issues

[David Garner]

I posted this at mylespaul.com as well, but I thought I'd post here to see if I can get any thoughts. I re-wired my 1993 Standard with 500K CTS pots, PIO caps and 50s wiring, and I can't seem to sort out some sort of ground short in the circuit. The problem is this -- the pickup output is VERY low in either the bridge or neck position, and there is no sound from the middle position. I did not re-wire the switch, but I have moved the jack wiring around a couple of different ways to try and sort it out. When I pull the switch out of the guitar, I can touch the tabs on the switch (the ones that flare out at the top) and get a normal output, but with some buzzing. This leads me to believe it's a grounding problem, because at that point, I am the ground. However, I still can't get anything at all from the middle position.

 

Below are 3 photos each of the pot wiring and the jack. Any advice is appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cjsinla]

In that last pic, it almost looks like you've lost the connection in the middle position on one pup, the one on the white wire side. That would explain no sound in middle position, both must be on to work. Everything else looks pretty good. The wiring to the jack looks messy, where the big black thing is connected to the switch wiring, that might be a problem. Also, the tiny ground wire on the tone pots looks funny. Why not bend the poles down and solder them to the body of the pots?

[David Garner]

Thanks! It turns out it was simpler than that -- I wired the switch backwards. I looked at some wiring diagrams that said top lug to ground, so I wired it that way. Switched the wires, grounded the circuit, took the plate out, and it sounds AMAZING now. So much clarity and warmth.