Les Paul - Sweet 16 Wiring
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Les Paul - Sweet 16 Wiring
 
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This post was updated on .
04/03/17 Increased volume and removed hiss from videos. Added video part 3, some wiring tips
04/02/17 Added 2 videos, Part 1 is a bit long with details, Part 2 is a little shorter, less details. No sound samples...yet Part 1 - Long, contains more detail https://youtu.be/Lcef2d113UI Part 2 - Shorter, less detail https://youtu.be/6nxoeBNUYFY Part 3 - Shielding, hookup wiring and capacitor value tips https://youtu.be/1r3tTNbqUVM Part 4 - Sound samples coming soon... 03/28/17 Verified Sweet 16+. Updated tone control connections on both layouts, CCW is cut Not exactly sure how to present this wiring scheme, but hopefully it makes sense and is found useful. After using a dual-sound toggle switch for years, I eventually converted my '78 Les Paul to Jimmy Page Push/Pull style wiring, and was never really satisfied with the results. Mainly due to the noisy single coil positions, plus single coils in a Les Paul??? I was also never a fan of the Les Paul's original independent treble-cut tone controls. After trying 50s style wiring and a couple of Jimmy Page variations, there were always unused positions and controls. So I decided to start from scratch. My goal was to use the 4 push/pull pots, to have all hum-bucking combinations, to improve the tone controls and to have a switching system that didn't require a reference chart to remember what does what.  I ended up with 16 unique hum-cancelling options with no dead positions, no single coil buzz, a master treble-cut tone control, a master bass-cut tone control, what I call "ghost" pickup positions where one coil from the neck pickup is combined with one coil from the bridge pickup (my favorite settings). Also, I used the last push/pull as a "lead" switch, which bypasses the treble cut control. My Les Paul tone-switching quest is finally over! As far as I know, this is an original wiring scheme. (I apologize if this is already out there somewhere) For reference, my Les Paul has Dimarzio pickups, with the neck pickup turned 180 degrees. With the Neck pickup turned 180 degrees, from the headstock down the individual coil polarities are South|North for the Neck pickup and North|South for the Bridge pickup. I call the top coil of the neck pickup Coil 1, the bottom coil of the neck pickup Coil 2, the top coil of the Bridge pickup Coil 3 and the bottom coil of the Bridge pickup Coil 4. Using 4 Push/Pull DPDT pots, these are the switch functions: Neck Volume DPDT - Normal/Ghost Pickups Neck Tone DPDT - Neck Pickup > Series/Parallel Bridge Volume DPDT - Treble-Cut Tone Control Bypass Bridge Tone DPDT - Bridge Pickup > Series/Parallel Here are the control functions: Neck Volume - Neck Pickup Volume Neck Tone - Bass Cut Master Tone Control (Reverse log taper preferred) Bridge Volume - Bridge Pickup Volume Bridge Tone - Treble Cut Master Tone Control (can be bypassed) The pickup select toggle switch is wired to the Volume controls as usual 03/28/17 Note: The bass cut control wired as shown comes on quickly, a reverse log pot would be preferred but I haven't seen those in a push/pull. Although you can make one as shown here. Another option would be to reverse the outer lug connections, this gives a better taper for the bass rolloff, similar to the treble cut but the control would work in reverse. CW would = bass cut. The 24 possible switching positions provide 16 unique hum cancelling options, each with a distinct tone which can be further enhanced by the independent volume controls and/or master tone controls. All knobs pushed down: 1. Pickup Select Toggle > Up = Neck pickup only > standard series wiring. 2. Pickup Select Toggle > Center = Bridge and Neck pickups in parallel, each standard series wiring. 3. Pickup Select Toggle > Down = Bridge pickup only > standard series wiring. Neck Volume pulled up, all others down 4. Pickup Select Toggle > Up = Neck Ghost Pickup > coils 1&3 wired in series 5. Pickup Select Toggle > Center = Bridge and Neck Ghost Pickups in parallel, coils 2&4 and coils 1&3 each combo wired in series. 6. Pickup Select Toggle > Down = Bridge Ghost Pickup > coils 2&4 wired in series Neck Tone pulled up, all others down 7. Pickup Select Toggle > Up = Neck pickup only > standard parallel wiring. 8. Pickup Select Toggle > Center = Bridge and Neck pickups in parallel, Neck pickup wired in parallel, Bridge pickup wired in series. 9. Pickup Select Toggle > Down = Bridge pickup only > standard series wiring. (Same as #3) Bridge Tone pulled up, all others down 10. Pickup Select Toggle > Up = Neck pickup only > standard series wiring. (Same as #1) 11. Pickup Select Toggle > Center = Bridge and Neck pickups in parallel, Neck pickup wired in series, Bridge pickup wired in parallel. 12. Pickup Select Toggle > Down = Bridge pickup only > standard parallel wiring. Bridge and Neck Tones pulled up, all others down 13. Pickup Select Toggle > Up = Neck pickup only > standard parallel wiring. (Same as #7) 14. Pickup Select Toggle > Center = Bridge and Neck pickups in parallel, Neck pickup wired in parallel, Bridge pickup wired in parallel. 15. Pickup Select Toggle > Down = Bridge pickup only > standard parallel wiring. (Same as #12) Neck Volume and Neck Tone pulled up, all others down 16. Pickup Select Toggle > Up = Ghost Neck pickup > coils 1&3 wired in parallel. 17. Pickup Select Toggle > Center = Bridge and Neck pickups in parallel, Neck Ghost pickup (coils 1&3) wired in parallel, Bridge Ghost pickup (coils 2&4) wired in series. 18. Pickup Select Toggle > Down = Bridge Ghost pickup > coils 2&4 wired in series. (Same as #6) Neck Volume and Bridge Tone pulled up, all others down 19. Pickup Select Toggle > Up = Ghost Neck pickup > coils 1&3 wired in series. (Same as #4) 20. Pickup Select Toggle > Center = Bridge and Neck pickups in parallel, Neck Ghost pickup (coils 1&3) wired in series, Bridge Ghost pickup (coils 2&4) wired in parallel. 21. Pickup Select Toggle > Down = Bridge Ghost pickup > coils 2&4 wired in parallel wiring. Neck Volume, Neck Tone and Bridge Tone pulled up, Bridge Volume down 22. Pickup Select Toggle > Up = Ghost Neck pickup > coils 1&3 wired in parallel. (Same as #16) 23. Pickup Select Toggle > Center = Bridge and Neck pickups in parallel, Neck Ghost pickup (coils 1&3) wired in parallel, Bridge Ghost pickup (coils 2&4) wired in parallel. 24. Pickup Select Toggle > Down = Bridge Ghost pickup > coils 2&4 wired in parallel. (Same as #21) Bridge Volume pulled up, others in any position Bypasses the Treble cut control, gives a little volume boost and bite for leads Verified  Adding a 4PDT toggle switch will give 12 additional out-of-phase tones, all should remain hum cancelling. With the Phase switch on, the "Ghost" pickup positions will connect the inside coils (2&3) and the outside coils (1&4). verified 03/28 
1978 Gibson Les Paul Standard, Cherry Sunburst
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Re: Les Paul - Sweet 16 Wiring
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Re: Les Paul - Sweet 16 Wiring
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Wow - very nice MAO. Thanks for sharing!
 I have a Fender Pawn Shop 51 (Squire) guitar that has a push-pull pot to get single and humbucker modes on the bridge pickup. It works very well, and definitely adds some versatility to the sound. As a guitarist, I try to use my guitar controls as much as possible to get different sounds as I'm playing, even within a single song or solo. I loved the way SRV used to flip effortlessly between neck, middle, and bridge pickups in a single solo (or even a single phrase!), as it really added color and emphasis to his music. |
Re: Les Paul - Sweet 16 Wiring
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