How To: Les Paul 50s Wiring

Our guide to wiring the main controls of a Les Paul in the popular 50s style.

''50s'' style Les Paul wiring differs from typical modern day setups - simply a change in capacitor location.

In the 50s setup, the pickup is soldered alone to the volume pot whereas in the modern version it is soldered with the capacitor to the volume pot. This changes the output value and also acts somewhat as a treble bleed by maintaining the high end frequencies as the volume is rolled off.

This video shows only the initial Les Paul wiring harness (tone and volume controls, grounding and adding the capacitors) in the main control cavity of a Les Paul.

For toggle switch wiring and connecting the jack, please refer to our other videos in this series.

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[ramencurry]

I love his voice. I could hear him talk all day

[aaronfreedman]

Finally. A clear and straightforward video on wiring a les paul

[nopessssks]

A very helpful Instructional vid on the subject. I liked that you did it all in one take, the whole process, instead of all of the vids that have cuts and angle changes that break concentration.

I feel I can do solder in pots and caps into my LP after watching this. Thanks!

[bobmosher]

I have watched several of the Six Strings soldering videos. They have saved me tons of money having a luthier doing it. Additionally, I can make the wiring super neat to match my OCD! Thanks Six String Supplies!

[ryanfulldark]

I have a complete rewiring coming up of a 1986 Gibson Invader and without these videos I’d be lost! Thank you sir!

[Ronno]

The customer service and aftercare with these guys is phenomenal. Personal contact by mobile phone and free next day delivery when I had a minor issue with this wiring harness on my Epiphone Les Paul Standard. Seymour Duncan pups, a Six String Supplies Gibson '50s harness and I hope to have a vintage sounding Les Paul to crank up through a valve amp of some description :-)*

* '59 PAF neck & Alnico II Pro at the bridge.

[bradkarpa]

Dear Six String Supplies, you are the best, I tell all my guitar mates about you.
Keep up the good work.
Awesome Regards
Cosmo

[TonyMartin-xgrd]

Just re-wired my friends Epiphone Les Paul with your kit and sounds absolutely amazing! He already had a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and Jazz in the neck but the wiring was all to pot, so I just replaced with all new and sounds fantastic. My first wiring job so am beaming with a sense of achievement today 😄 although, I did break one of the pots by trying to fit his old Epi knobs…. I pushed the back right off the pot but it still works. Forgot they’re a different size 🙄You live and learn!!

Seriously though, your videos have really helped me to a) become interested in guitar electronics, and b) have the confidence to have a go myself. So it’s a big thank you from me 👍🏼

[hkshahidi]

Excellent video, exactly what l was looking for. Thank you, Sir!

[jonpaulagustsson]

These guys are wonderful helpful, extremely knowledgeable & kind. They have high quality equipment for sale - Bravo

[jeannickgravelines]

Hello. Your video is so clear, simple and quiet with honest quality. Many thanks from France. J

[gsuderman]

I watched this last night and began to wire up 4 pots. I watched it again and noticed many things now that I had a bit of experience doing this. This is an amazing video! Tape - who would have thought and why did I miss that tip last night?

[cyrus]

Another good tip, make sure you have a good soldering iron before attempting to wire anything.

[patrickmacleod]

I didn't know about you guys before, but your videos are so helpful that I'm going to make a point of ordering all my electronics parts from you when I build my Telecaster later this year.

[djh]

Loved the pots on the whole meal toast

[AndyCinDallas]

Your videos (and pictures on your site) helped me to successfully build my first LP kit - thank you so much!

[DMidNyte]

Your work is immaculate. Thanks for the video

[stratman]

i "adapted" a ES335 style harness from you a while ago to this 50s LP wiring in my new prs 594 changed the pickups to seymour duncan...sounds great and works properly now....cheers....i might "upgrade" to a out of phase tone with a cts pushpull pot....but then im "done"....for a while

[betternamechosen]

If you're experiencing taper problems after doing the 50s wiring, add a 130k resistor between lugs 1 & 2 of the volume pots. It fixes the taper so you get full range again but keeps the sweet highs of the 50s wiring.

[dylanlbdb]

I know the struggle. I clean my tip as regularly as possible ;)