Les Paul wiring help

[telestratosonic]

I have a Japanese Les Paul copy. I've owned two Gibson Les Pauls over the years. I've never cared for playing in the middle toggle position. Is there a wiring diagram for just the bridge and neck pickups?
One Volume knob and one Tone knob for the bridge pickup and the other Volume knob and Tone knob for the neck pickup. When going from the neck to the bridge pickup and vice versa, I could just skip the middle toggle position.

 

[Gaylord Amsterdam]

I have a Japanese Les Paul copy. I've owned two Gibson Les Pauls over the years. I've never cared for playing in the middle toggle position. Is there a wiring diagram for just the bridge and neck pickups?
One Volume knob and one Tone knob for the bridge pickup and the other Volume knob and Tone knob for the neck pickup. When going from the neck to the bridge pickup and vice versa, I could just skip the middle toggle position.

That can be a tone killer because the neck and bridge are connected all the time, even with the knob all the way off there will be some leakage to ground through the other pot.

 

[telestratosonic]

That can be a tone killer because the neck and bridge are connected all the time, even with the knob all the way off there will be some leakage to ground through the other pot.

Interesting and thanks.

 

[telestratosonic]

That can be a tone killer because the neck and bridge are connected all the time, even with the knob all the way off there will be some leakage to ground through the other pot.

I've always disliked the middle position because I have to twaddle both volumes to get it right.
I had a 2015 100 Year Anniversary Les Paul Special: a lightweight double cutaway with 1 Volume and 1 Tone and a 3-way switch. P90s. Regret selling it. Sighs.

 

[Gaylord Amsterdam]

I've always disliked the middle position because I have to twaddle both volumes to get it right.
I had a 2015 100 Year Anniversary Les Paul Special: a lightweight double cutaway with 1 Volume and 1 Tone and a 3-way switch. P90s. Regret selling it. Sighs.

I hear ya on that, the knob twiddling can be a pain especially live, but its nice to have those extra tonal options but in reality no one in the audience cares. P90s are so sweet sounding! It sure sucks getting rid of gear.

 

[KokoTele]

I have a Japanese Les Paul copy. I've owned two Gibson Les Pauls over the years. I've never cared for playing in the middle toggle position. Is there a wiring diagram for just the bridge and neck pickups?
One Volume knob and one Tone knob for the bridge pickup and the other Volume knob and Tone knob for the neck pickup. When going from the neck to the bridge pickup and vice versa, I could just skip the middle toggle position.

This is the standard LP wiring arrangement and is probably what you have now. What is it that's lacking in your current setup?

 

[dogmeat]

think you would need a different selector switch. DPDT with two throws only... on - on, and no center switch position

heres a quick search I did on evilbay just to give an idea. it includes on-on-on switches, which you don't want. it also has some "mini" switches which I tried to exclude. mini's are OK if the thread size is big and not the 1/4" ones.

dpdt toggle switch on-on bat -mini for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for dpdt toggle switch on-on bat -mini at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

 

[telestratosonic]

This is the standard LP wiring arrangement and is probably what you have now. What is it that's lacking in your current setup?

I was wondering whether or not there's a way to skip the wiring going to the middle position altogether.

 

[telestratosonic]

think you would need a different selector switch. DPDT with two throws only... on - on, and no center switch position

Thanks. Never heard of 'DPDT' two-throw switch. I googled it and see there's lots of info. I'll start educating myself.

 

[KokoTele]

I was wondering whether or not there's a way to skip the wiring going to the middle position altogether.

Aha. Not without a different switch, no. The bat-style switches like dogmeat posted require a lot more force to click into position. They work fine, but the feel is totally different. They're the kind of switches you'll find on an amplifier.

You need a SPDT On-On switch to do what you want (not a DPDT switch). The common lug (usually the center) goes to the jack. The outer lugs go to the output from each volume pot.

 

[Freeman Keller]

^^^ What Koko said. However I wire all my two humbucker guitars with the "modern" wiring which allows each volume to control just its pup. With the classic wiring if you turn one all the way down it kills both, with the modern method they blend. I actually play on the middle position most of the time (which is the complete opposite from the original poster) mostly on the neck but with just a tiny bit of bridge to brighten things

 

[dogmeat]

another thought.... modify a guitar switch.

see the insulator on the toggle... that actuates the contact points. if that were a little bigger diameter, both sets of contacts would be open in the center position. this switch is held together with screws (some are riveted) so an easy mod. all you would need to do is make a tube that would slip over the existing actuator and glue it in place. it would need to be non conductive

you would have 3 positions... neck, off, bridge

 

[telestratosonic]

Aha. Not without a different switch, no. The bat-style switches like dogmeat posted require a lot more force to click into position. They work fine, but the feel is totally different. They're the kind of switches you'll find on an amplifier.

You need a SPDT On-On switch to do what you want (not a DPDT switch). The common lug (usually the center) goes to the jack. The outer lugs go to the output from each volume pot.

Thanks, Koko.

 

[telestratosonic]

^^^ What Koko said. However I wire all my two humbucker guitars with the "modern" wiring which allows each volume to control just its pup. With the classic wiring if you turn one all the way down it kills both, with the modern method they blend. I actually play on the middle position most of the time (which is the complete opposite from the original poster) mostly on the neck but with just a tiny bit of bridge to brighten things

Thanks, Freeman.

 

[dogmeat]

another way to mod the switch would be to add insulating wafers to move the 2 contacts out from the center plate. its a balance to get the contacts to not touch in the center position and still make when selected

 

[wabashslim]

So you dislike the middle position with such vehement hatred & bitterness that you want to wipe it completely off the face of the earth, and all memories of it's very existance? Man, that's harsh...when all you have to do is whack the switch hard enough to carry it through the offending spot to safety at the other end. Done right you'll never even know it was there, like driving a Panzer through a petting zoo...

 

[wildschwein]

Yeah I think it's easy enough to just never switch to the middle postion -- choose bridge or neck. Set the volume and tone for each and select at will.