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Need help with rewiring my USA Adam Jones LP Standard with single coils (modern wiring)

Hiwatts-n-Gibsons

Active member
Joined
May 10, 2024
Messages
204
Hi, I bought this guitar with the intent of rewiring it from the get go. It's not that I didn't like the stock pickups. In fact as HB's go they were great, but my favorite LP tones are by far single coil based, and the majority of my Gibsons have had this treatment. I tend to favor either a Gibson Staple or a Dearmond type pickup in the neck position, and a P90 type in the bridge position.

This guitar in particular I placed a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Dynabucker (single) in the neck slot, and a BG Pickups Pure 90 in the bridge slot.

I have done the same basic mod on a 2013 61ri SG Standard I had, but the thing holding me up is the control mounting plate with its center stud for wiring on this guitar and how the short bridge ground wire should be run. Also the proper order to wire the components in since since the VTreb and center post occupy a good amount of space within the control cavity.

I understand where each pickup's lead wires should go on each pot, and believe that the ground wire should be soldered to the back of the control pots, but it seems kinda short to accomplish this.

I am wiring it using the Gibson Modern wiring layout with a V-Treb adjustable Treble Bleed on the neck pickup since that is the volume knob I tend to ride the most. The bridge pickup has a no-load tone control to help match output with the higher output Dearmond clone.

I should also add I am using reissue SOZO Mustard Caps, both .022 iirc.

Thanks in advance.
 

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poor man's burst

Active member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
456
The bridge ground wire looks to be long enough to be soldered on the neck volume pot back (where it is usually soldered). All the pots are connected together by the plate they are installed on.
 

Hiwatts-n-Gibsons

Active member
Joined
May 10, 2024
Messages
204
I ended up taking this to a pro because of a few reasons.

1st and foremost when I dropped it once a long slug of solder, between 1/2" to 3/4" fell out of the input jack.

2nd because with the VTreb mounted on the rhythm volume pot it doesn't leave much room for soldering and my collection of tips and tools is a bit lacking atm.

And 3rd my soldering skills are moderate, and I have had hit or miss luck soldering onto the back of new pots, even after scoring them.

Finally I already have 4 other projects and numerous personal matters I need to get taken care of.

This tech is a good guy, doesn't charge much, and I have been very happy with his past work on other guitars, so I brought it to him to get it done well. I figured taking it to someone with much more experience, more extensive tools, and better work area was the right call in getting this guitar up and running in quick order without ruining any new components or getting into a long process of trouble shooting.

Thanks to those who gave their input here.
 

Hiwatts-n-Gibsons

Active member
Joined
May 10, 2024
Messages
204
Got it back today, and am quite happy with the work and tones from the pickups, new pots, V-Treb, and Sozo Mustard caps. It's quite a beautifully unique sounding guitar now.

I just need to tweak the setup again, the intonation has wandered a bit, probably thanks to our nice hot and humid Florida 1st Summer (late springtime).
 

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