• From: East Midlands, UK
  • Registered: 2008-06-30
  • Posts: 164

Topic: Changing Wiring, advice needed

hey all, i'm going to re wire my vintage icon les paul to trying at get some more control out of it.

i've come across one of these acme kits, anyone think this is a worth it?
http://guitar-xperience.com/onlinestore … ;Itemid=38

guess i'll also have to try not to solder myself to something smile

Fender 60's Strat>Fulltone OCD V4>>TC Electronics Polytune>Orange Dual Terror>Torres 2x10 Cab(with a vintage 30 and a greenback)
  • DAN
  • Gold Member
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  • From: Lima, Ohio
  • Registered: 2010-01-14
  • Posts: 94

Re: Changing Wiring, advice needed

What more control are you looking for?? A treble bleed type change?  >> DAN

79' Epiphone Genesis Custom, 89' pre-reissue Les Paul Standard, 90'Strat Plus,
02' Tele (ash), 91' Martin HD-28, Epi A-12 acoustic, Fender Hot Rod Deville 2x12
  • From: East Midlands, UK
  • Registered: 2008-06-30
  • Posts: 164

Re: Changing Wiring, advice needed

Just want to make them more interactive, so I can clean up using my guitars controls. At the moment it tends to be all or nothing. Plus it's noisy when turned down. There's a buzz When fully off.

Fender 60's Strat>Fulltone OCD V4>>TC Electronics Polytune>Orange Dual Terror>Torres 2x10 Cab(with a vintage 30 and a greenback)
  • DAN
  • Gold Member
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  • From: Lima, Ohio
  • Registered: 2010-01-14
  • Posts: 94

Re: Changing Wiring, advice needed

Take it one step at a time. Try to eliminate the noise first with your new part by ''dry fitting'' the new part in and check for an improvement before a perminent soldering.
I changed out Lace Sensors in my Strat Plus for Samarium Cobalt Nickle pickups, along with a treble bleed capacitor........ I spent a great deal of time just thinking the process out........and before I soldered, I always dry fitted & checked it out by plugging in.....That meant taping wires down on pots and stuff before soldering.

Tape down a thick rag on you guitar body to avoid burning and splatters of molton solder.

Use a soldering iron no hotter than 40 -45 watts, and use ''heat sink'' clips ......dont know if you know this stuff or not....Just research web sites & get more/better adice from this forum before starting.

Please explain you problem some more....this ''all or nothing,''....could this problem be fixed by turning amp volume up more, and working your vol knob? And I dont understand why humbucker pick ups would make noise?.... Try plugging into a different amp to see if you get the noise.....? Thanks DAN

79' Epiphone Genesis Custom, 89' pre-reissue Les Paul Standard, 90'Strat Plus,
02' Tele (ash), 91' Martin HD-28, Epi A-12 acoustic, Fender Hot Rod Deville 2x12
  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Changing Wiring, advice needed

I know what you mean, I had the same problem my volume kicked in at round 6-7 there was no play for cleaning it up by riding the controls... I fixed it by swapping the pots to some 500k CTS dunno what measurements the vintage is but you might be best getting some alpha pots if its measure in metric..

My epi dot was the first thing I ever tried rewiring (lol) what a nightmare. Since that experience (of which it really was) I plan out what I'm gonna do and make sure its all going to work before hand!
Halesie if you have a maplins near by you can get a cheap variable wattage soldering iron (mine cost £20) depending on your method it really shouldnt matter as long as it isnt too low a watt, just dont burn anything out smile

Try here http://www.axesrus.com/axeknobs.htm#Kits they have a few kits

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Jonesyblues-Custom-Shop?_rdc=1

That guy is off the mylespaul forums he seems relatively cheap for good quality bits....

As I said though the pots made the difference for me, I eventually rewired the whole lot switch caps socket etc

  • From: East Midlands, UK
  • Registered: 2008-06-30
  • Posts: 164

Re: Changing Wiring, advice needed

Thanks for your replies.
John, you've hit it on the head. That's the problem I have. Sometimes I struggle to explain what I mean. Also I'm dislexic, so grammar and spelling dont't help me sometimes. smile 
Basically dan, when I trying to use my volume pot on my guitar to clean up my amp(which is set dirty), it doesn't clean up till I get to about 6-5 by which time it's quite muddy. The buzz seems to happen when my volume controls are set to 0, might be dodgy wiring as my bridge pick is still active when I select the middle poistion and have my neck volume at 0.

I'll pop into maplins and pick up a soldering iron. It's my birthday soon, so might get my better half to get me some pots and stuff as a pressie.

Fender 60's Strat>Fulltone OCD V4>>TC Electronics Polytune>Orange Dual Terror>Torres 2x10 Cab(with a vintage 30 and a greenback)
  • DAN
  • Gold Member
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  • From: Lima, Ohio
  • Registered: 2010-01-14
  • Posts: 94

Re: Changing Wiring, advice needed

Perhaps your muddy problem comes from the messed up wiring.....???
If the amp is set on the dirty channel, and the gain or intensity of the distortion is up high and gritty, you may not be able to roll volume down to get a clean tone at the (high) volume you may want......???
Perhaps I'm wrong again..... perhaps the muddy tone comes from bad TONE pots alone....try changing out the treble tone pot first to see if you get rid of this muffled or muddy tone.....I dont mean to beat this to death....But I'm too am interested in this problem and what could be the solution. Maybe I'll fly over this weekend with my L. Paul, and we can compare.Dan

79' Epiphone Genesis Custom, 89' pre-reissue Les Paul Standard, 90'Strat Plus,
02' Tele (ash), 91' Martin HD-28, Epi A-12 acoustic, Fender Hot Rod Deville 2x12