2013 Les Paul Wiring

[Sdahe]

Hello,

 

I have a 2013 Les Paul standard that came with the circuit board (PCB) that Gibson is putting into their guitars and I was thinking on changing it to the 50's wiring Emerson offers. I just want to know.. after going through all this trouble.. would a hear a noticeable differance?

 

This is what I have now

 

This is the Emerson Wiring

[Guest Farnsbarns]

You will notice that the volume affects the tone with 50a wiring. That said, if you decide you dont like the 50s wiring you can desolder the cap from the volume put, move it to the other ungrounded pin and hey presto, point to point modern wiring.

 

They seem to be eluding to that with those labors arrows.

[capmaster]

To be honest, I wouldn't sacrifice the 2013's switching options. They are the same as of my 2012 Standard.

 

There are three Gibsons in my arsenal with two or three volume controls but one tone control only, so they are bound to use the 50's wiring principle. If it was possible to change that, I would.

[stein]

You will notice that the volume affects the tone with 50a wiring. That said, if you decide you dont like the 50s wiring you can desolder the cap from the volume put, move it to the other ungrounded pin and hey presto, point to point modern wiring.

 

They seem to be eluding to that with those labors arrows.

I think it's the other way around, but yea, there IS a difference with volume/tone interaction between "50's" and "60's".

[capmaster]

I think it's the other way around, but yea, there IS a difference with volume/tone interaction between "50's" and "60's".

It's both ways. With the volume control fully open there will be no difference. With 50's wiring and the volume pot nearly closed tone control loses next to all its effect, and within a wide range of volume pot settings the tone control rather acts as a second volume control than as a tone control.

[stein]

I think there might be a little confusion regarding changing wiring.

 

You CAN get "better sound" by re-wiring to vintage specs, and many do it. By "vintage spec", that may mean a different position for the wires, as in, different schematic, but usually, it means using vintage type wire, caps, and pots, with the associated "vintage spec" values for all.

 

If what you like, and what you are after is the VINTAGE Gibson sound, and you have vintage type/wind pickups, than going all the way with vintage type wiring and spec will make it sound better.

 

But as far as a magic bullet, or just better? No. What one hears, or wants to hear, and what a particular guitar sounds like due to the electronics is as much where it has strengths and weaknesses, and what an individual prefers.

[stein]

It's both ways. With the volume control fully open there will be no difference. With 50's wiring and the volume pot nearly closed tone control loses next to all its effect, and within a wide range of volume pot settings the tone control rather acts as a second volume control than as a tone control.

Couple things: there is no "fully open" setting, ever, unless the max setting on a volume pot exceeds the max of the electronics. Rarely in a guitar is this the case.

 

In other words, you turn down a 500k pot to 250k, it's the same thing. You "open" the volume, you are only giving it 500k or whatever the max is for that pot. It's just an arbitrary stopping point- no more, no less.

 

In others words, to make clear, tone controls, tone caps, and volume controls are ALWAYS in the circuit and part of the sound, regardless of what position they are set at or "fully open".

[stein]

It's both ways. With the volume control fully open there will be no difference. With 50's wiring and the volume pot nearly closed tone control loses next to all its effect, and within a wide range of volume pot settings the tone control rather acts as a second volume control than as a tone control.

But, I think we are on the same page.

 

I think, if I remember correctly, "60's" or standard wiring has the tone pot/tone cap having it's effect of the output at the pickup, where as "50's" has the tone pot/cap having it's effect on the output of the volume control.

 

So in other words, turn down the volume to half, makes the tone pot have half an effect.

 

Also, either way (50's or 60's), the tone pot on passive circuits such as a guitar, is literally a volume control for the treble frequencies.