50's vs. Modern Wiring

WavMixer

WavMixer

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I'm just about ready to wire up a set of Seymour Duncan P-Rails into my LeSG. They already have the Triple Shot rings for coil splitting/phase and I am trying to decide on 50's wiring or Modern wiring. Any suggestions? Why do you prefer either way? Treble bleed?

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I had '50s wiring in my Explorer but then I deleted the tone pot so it ended up being neither!

I have '50s wiring on my SG Special with the BKP Warpigs in it, modern in the SG Junior with the hot P-90 in it. Both work well in their respective guitars. I don't tend to use the controls much when I play though
 
I, personally, am not a big fan of the 50s wiring. I've tried it with humbuckers and P90s. I gave it ample time but just couldn't bond with it. I'm just a sucker for the thick, meaty sound I get when I roll off the volume to about 8.5 and still have a little extra cut and bite in reserve. I could never find that sweet spot with 50s. To me, it just sounds too thin unless dimed.
 
See with the Warpigs you never have to worry about not having enough juice, it's more the opposite, so I think that's why I don't notice any issues.

I didn't really like it in my SG Standard, that harness sounded a bit shrill so I put it in the Special knowing that the pickups are pretty bassy. I took the stock harness out of the Special and put it in the Standard (its original wiring was PCB).
 
I like 50's wiring. I use the full range of my volume controls with them often down around two so that I can crank my amp way up to get the tubes working.
 
WavMixer said:
I'm just about ready to wire up a set of Seymour Duncan P-Rails into my LeSG. They already have the Triple Shot rings for coil splitting/phase and I am trying to decide on 50's wiring or Modern wiring. Any suggestions? Why do you prefer either way? Treble bleed?

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I have experimented with 50's style wiring. I like it because the pickup doesn't get "muddy" when you roll off the tone. I just ordered a premium vintage SG harness, 50's style, cloth wire. K40Y PIO's .033/,015uf from Tone Man for my 2016 Gibson SG....
 
Because I'm using dual concentric pots, there is no ready made harness available. This will need to be a one off custom made by yours truly.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I have experimented with 50's style wiring. I like it because the pickup doesn't get "muddy" when you roll off the tone. I just ordered a premium vintage SG harness, 50's style, cloth wire. K40Y PIO's .033/,015uf from Tone Man for my 2016 Gibson SG....
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This is what I experienced as well. It seems to make my sound more full and don't get the muddy sound in my tonze...
I have 50's wiring in 2 Les Paul's and one SG...you can play them anytime...well not this week, they're up North.
 
WavMixer said:
Because I'm using dual concentric pots, there is no ready made harness available. This will need to be a one off custom made by yours truly.
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You can do that easily...

By the way, Tone Man has templates for almost every guitar made...so does Getfiddle Custom Shop in Grayson, Kentucky....
 
I was soldering and modifying radio equipment since the ripe young age of 10 years old. I wired Burla up with 4 push/pull pots to make the Jimmy Page mod as well as the custom wiring job I did on Dirty Girl with a Super Strat 5 way switch below. For me paying for someone to melt some metal on wires would be the same as paying someone to change the oil in my car, tune it up or replace the brakes. I'm a DIY kinda guy, especially for stuff that I use to get paid professionally to do for a living. As far as the template, this is a one off design for the placement of the pots and switches. I'll trace the holes on to a piece of cardboard, cut the holes, stuff the pots and switches into it for the soldering. Hell, that's the fun for me is doing the modding. I enjoy the guitars that I've worked on much more than the stock off the shelf guitars. come to think of it, I only own one acoustic guitar and one electric guitar that I have not modded. :wink:

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WavMixer said:
Did you add a treble bleed?
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No. Just 50's wiring. Depending on the guitar and amp I sometimes use an EQ pedal to accent the treble but rarely find I need to do that. Usually I use the EQ pedal as a clean boost. I crank all the sliders to the top then when I step on it it gives a boost for leads.
 
WavMixer said:
I was soldering and modifying radio equipment since the ripe young age of 10 years old...
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Wavy,

Question....would a ferrite core (3mm clamshell design) be of any benefit inside the guitar for EMI resistance????

Please have a look at my "Stratocaster Noise Issues" post in Repair Shop....Thanks!!!!
 
Kerry Brown said:
No. Just 50's wiring. Depending on the guitar and amp I sometimes use an EQ pedal to accent the treble but rarely find I need to do that. Usually I use the EQ pedal as a clean boost. I crank all the sliders to the top then when I step on it it gives a boost for leads.
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I have used a Boss GE-7 since the 1990's, but I never boost the signal...even modded they generate a lot of floor noise. I roll up the volume for leads....
 
Robert Herndon said:
I have used a Boss GE-7 since the 1990's, but I never boost the signal...even modded they generate a lot of floor noise. I roll up the volume for leads....
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I only do this playing live so the noise isn't really noticeable. You get crazy bad bar AC power, fluorescent lights, and P90 pickups, a little more noise just adds to the tone :) I don't like fiddling with the volume while playing. I'm not a good enough player. My playing takes all of my attention.
 
Kerry Brown said:
I only do this playing live so the noise isn't really noticeable. You get crazy bad bar AC power, fluorescent lights, and P90 pickups, a little more noise just adds to the tone :) I don't like fiddling with the volume while playing. I'm not a good enough player. My playing takes all of my attention.
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You underestimate yourself!!!!
 
Hi Wav, I like the 50s style wiring as I use the controls & it doesn't get muddy when rolling back the volume. They are interactive though (volume & tone controls). I never found the need for a treble bleed with this configuration. The only way to know if you like it is to try it. There is another wiring scheme, a variation on the modern scheme that is an attempt to fix the treble loss when turning the volume down, known as "modified modern" or "black rose". C__Data_Users_DefApps_AppData_INTERNETEXPLORER_Temp_Saved Images_wiringBlackRose(1).jpg
This is the scheme used in many guitar, like Ibanez.
Hope this helps. Cheers
 
So if I recall correctly from what I've read, 50's style draw back is that the tone control lowers the volume a bit when you roll it down.

Modern style tone does not effect affect the volume, but you loose some treble at lower volume? Does this sound correct? A treble bleed will prevent the loss of higher frequencies at low volume on the modern if needed/desired?
 
WavMixer said:
So if I recall correctly from what I've read, 50's style draw back is that the tone control lowers the volume a bit when you roll it down.

Modern style tone does not effect affect the volume, but you loose some treble at lower volume? Does this sound correct? A treble bleed will prevent the loss of higher frequencies at low volume on the modern if needed/desired?
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I believe that is reversed....
 
That's what I've found, & that is what I meant when I said with 50s wiring the controls interact, lowering tone will have a slight affect on volume (though there's a bit more to it, they both affect each other). The modified modern works pretty well, hence its use on many types of guitars. My Jackson has this scheme wiring. Cheers
 
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