Jimmy Page Les Paul Wiring
Getting Ready
Parts and Tools
A couple of things before we begin:
1. This will focus on wiring and some installation of the parts. It assumes you have some experience with soldering and installing guitar parts.
2. A few helpful hints
- Always pre-tin lugs on pots and switches
- Always pre-tin ends of wires or use pre-tinned wire
- Use Loctite on threads
- Use Ultra Fine Point Sharpie pen to label push/pull switch lugs
3. I use a workboard to do initial wiring of the pots. This lets me work on the benchtop and not inside the guitar where it is cramped.
4. I shield the guitar. It is a good practice. Many pros have their guitars shielded.
5. This assumes Seymour Duncan pickups. If you have other pickups, the color leads may be the same color but are not connected to the same places. Check out this chart at Seymour Duncan.
6. I label the lugs on the pot in the following way. Hold the pot, shaft facing down with the lugs facing you. The lugs are numbered left to right 1, 2 and 3.
7. I label the lugs on a push/pull pot in the following way. (By the way, this is how they are labeled on the Gibson schematics for the Jimmy Page Les Paul) Hold the pot, shaft facing down with the lugs facing you. The lugs are numbered starting on the right side, bottom to top, A, B and C. The lugs are numbered on the left side, bottom to top, D, E and F.
Materials Needed
- ¼” plywood to make workboard
- Approx 6” x 7”
- May use stiff cardboard instead
- Hook up wire
- 22 AWG black stranded (approx. 10 ft)
- 22 AWG white stranded (approx. 10 ft)
- Pickup wire
- 22 AWG four (4) conductor insulated stranded (approx. 2 ft) (www.allparts.com GW 0836-000)
- Solder
- Two (2) .047 caps (www.allparts.com EP 0058-000)
- 4 audio taper 500K push/pull pots long (www.allparts.com EP 4286-000)
- Long shaft are better (3/4” shaft) no modification needed to body
- 4 dress washers
- 8 nuts (www.allparts.com EP 0068-010)
- 4 star washers
- 1 Switchcraft mono ¼” output jack (www.allparts.com EP 0055-000)
- 1 3-way switch (www.allparts.com EP 0066-000)
- Copper tape (aluminum tape will work) (www.stewmac.com 0028)
- Two Humbucker pickups with 3 or 4 wire leads (directions are for 4 wire. However, two leads are soldered together so there are only 3 leads)
- 1/16” heat shrink (6” piece)
- 1/8” heat shrink (6” piece)
- Optional
- Small grounding lug
- Three (3) Small sheet metal screw
- Small wire ties
Tools Needed
- Ultra Fine Point Sharpie pen
- 25 watt soldering iron
- Small sponge for cleaning tip
- wiring strippers for 22 gauge wire
- alligator clips or small medical hemostats
- 6 inch diagonal cutting pliers
- small needle nose pliers
- Drill and 3/8” drill bit
- ½” nut driver (a ½” box wrench or ½” ratchet socket will work)
- medium strength Loctite
- scissors
- Phillips screw driver to install pickups and remove access plate
- optional
- solder sucker
- Xacto knife
- Continuity tester (Nothing fancy. Could use battery, wire and bulb and make your own)
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Bob Pittman
Brookline, MA
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article
01.01.2009
- Introduction to Jimmy Page Les Paul Wiring
Preventing Ground Loops
Getting Ready, Tools, Parts
Pre-Wiring: The Workboard
Pre-Wiring: Prep the Pots
Pre-Wiring: Pots and Output Jack & Signal Wiring
Pre-Wiring: Signal Ground Wiring Wiring
Pre-Wiring: Three-Way Switch
Shielding the Guitar Control Cavities
Install Switch, Pickups and Pot Assembly
Wire the Switch & Chassis/Mechanical Grounds
Wire the Output Jack & Pickups
Testing Your Work
- Introduction to Jimmy Page Les Paul Wiring
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