50's Wiring -A New Guitar for Free - doctor Guitar #280

In this episode I show you a super simple mod that will transform your Les Paul into a super different guitar in a much better way!!!!

It saved me a lot of money, because I was going to change the pickups on the guitar and this made it unnecessary!!!

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[christopherguzzi]

Dude, you're totally the ambassador for 50's wiring. Nice demonstration.☺☺☺

[silcoxone]

I have a 2022 Les Paul Standard '50's Tabacco burst. I just opened the back and holy crap. How can you call it a '50 standard and not do '50 wiring?
Dang!
Guitar is in the bench now!!!!
Thanks friend!
Subscribed!!!

[edva]

Great video and very informative. 50s wiring doesn't always make it bright it enough. If the pups have the woolyness and lack the chimy highs, then the wiring doesn't take it away. It's worth trying if you like brighter tones but bear in mind that you might also need a set of brighter pickups or just a brighter neck pickup. Pickup height also has to do with brightness and string definition and clarity. Pups set to 2.5-4mm measured with the strings free usually should work for a PAF style pickup but always hear and adjust to your preference.

[adylp]

Just done this to my Les Paul Studio and it’s completely transformed the tone. Totally agree it’s like having a new guitar!

[betternamechosen]

Tip to fix the volume pot taper is to add a 130k resistor between lugs 1 & 2 on the volume pots. Changes them from an audio taper to an almost reverse audio taper and gives you full range again from 0-10.

[giulioluzzardi]

Fantastic tone, good thing did'nt replace the pickups.

[CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks man. Great idea, and an excellent demo of the results. I'm going to do this today. I've got an epiphone LP, and I have bought CTS log pots and the proper capacitors, and I am about to replace those, and rewire it in the 50s style. I can't wait to try it. Thanks again.

[glennpace]

Now I just have to play with your touch. Well done!

[Pugsley_addams]

Now my paul is an angry telecaster and a les paul on fire. Love the 50s wiring

[shannondeanne]

My name is Wayne.

The 1950's tone circuit is my favorite setup.
However try this and I believe you will be thrilled.
I highly recommend the use of Orange Drop capacitors.
There are polyester and polypropylene orange drop capacitors.
In my guitar I have a polyester orange drop capacitor and it sounds awesome, but it is claimed that the polypropylene is even a higher grade of orange drop capacitor so that would be nothing wrong with using that.
Put a .015 mfd capacitor, for the Neck pickup's tone circuit.
It will make the neck pickup less muddy and you will find a range of new tones, that we caii sweet spots.
Use a .022 mfd capacitor for the Bridge pickup.

[hearpalhere]

Hi Budda! I hope you are doing well man. You are sounding great as always. I've been wanting to try the 50's wiring for a long time now but haven't done it yet. This is a good reminder to give it a go :-) Rock on!

[ILTXGunslinger]

Just finished this on my 56 Les Paul standard with P-90’s. I swapped tone caps to .015 uF on neck .022 uF bridge. Caps were oil filled Emerson’s. Used 550K on tone and 520-530k ohm pots on volume (Vi pots). So amazing - all that you say.

[esej]

Nice. First Les Paul that I could play.

[SergioAureo]

Awesome, Isn’t it? Did that to my SG a couple of years back and it was a game changer. Other thing that is amazing about 50s wiring is the interaction between the volume and tone pots. Did you watch Jeff McErlain’s video “Dialing in your Les Paul”? There’s a good explanation about that interaction. You should also consider replacing the pots with Vintage Inspired Pickups VIPots. They are replicas of the Centralab pots Gibson used back in the day. The taper is awesome and they feel really good. they will make your guitar sound and feel even better... trust me. I still have the stock 57 Classic Pickups in my SG because, after this mod, the guitar sounds spectacular, although I still have curiosity about how a good set of PAF replicas would sound in it. Cheers!I

[GretschenMunch]

Thanks for the very clear demonstration. I can't help but wonder why Gibson changed to the "modern" wiring scheme? what are the supposed benefits of the modern approach?

[Tonebreakfast]

Just tried 50 wiring on my strat, saves me a lot $$$, Thanks so much, subbed!! 😉

[Cryanoutloud]

Very helpful I was just looking into the same exact thing and wondering what I had to do to retain some high end when rolling down the volume a bit. I have several LP style guitars that need it and I figured I would have to just put trouble bleeds on all of them but maybe I can just do this? thanks for the heads up!

[tiagolopesaraujo]

Always learning! I´ve a PRS SE245 and I´m thinking of doing the same. Thank u for the advise like I said before always learning!

[deeem-tee]

Hello Budda, do you know the DC resistance of pups in gold top you re using?

[fedayeentaqx]

I'm so impressed by this! I'm gonna do my ESP viper and my Ibanez LP today! Thanks!