Guitar Wiring - Google-fu failing me.

[false_aesthetic]

So I have this Peavey EVH Wolfgang that I liked but I think the original wiring was kind've stupid:

3-way switch
2 humbuckers
1 volume
1 tone

I want to have 2 volumes and 2 tones (i.e. Les Paul) but the cavity isn't big enough for 4 pots. Some push-pull pots should do the trick (or in my case push-push).

Here's the thing: my experience with wiring is minimal.

I can find a schematic for modern (or 50s) Les Paul wiring. I can find a schematic for a few variations for push-pull pots. But when I'm combining the two it's just not coming out right.

Can anyone help with linking the two together? Think of this as Guitar Wiring for Complete Idiots.

Thanks

[Diablo de Acero]

Send me an email. I'll try help you. Explain to me exactly what you are looking to do. I'll do a image search of the Wolfgang to see what we have work with.
jcpguitars.com

[Diablo de Acero]

Okay...just did a image search. If you have a model that has V/T lower body and the 3way on the upper horn you can fit four pots in that cavity. They will be closer the outer edge and effectively be spaced same width apart as the two current pots, but the new volume will be farther forward the current volume and the tone will be located between the volume and the tone. It should look like a normal Les Paul setup.

[MarkC]

Tom,

The Lindy Fralin site has a good tech blog and a bunch of different wiring ideas for volume and tone

If you don't use the tone knobs a lot, how about two volume pots and use push/pull switching to split the humbuckers? Or if you don't want to split 'em, could add a tone capacitor choice to each pickup for some additional variety. Very simple wiring and not cramming in an extra two pots.

Mark

[defspace]

I don't think you're going to get an LP setup out of a 2xpush/pull setup - you'd need four independent pots. Pushed or pulled, that pot only has one sweeper. However, you could do it with two concentric pots.

If I were in this situation, I'd be looking for a concentric setup.

[j44ke]

Send me an email. I'll try help you. Explain to me exactly what you are looking to do. I'll do a image search of the Wolfgang to see what we have work with.
jcpguitars.com

Nice looking guitars on your Instagram there Jay.

[Diablo de Acero]

Nice looking guitars on your Instagram there Jay.

Thank you very much Jorn for the kind words. It is mostly for fun these days and also trying to keep the chops up.

[false_aesthetic]

I don't think you're going to get an LP setup out of a 2xpush/pull setup - you'd need four independent pots. Pushed or pulled, that pot only has one sweeper. However, you could do it with two concentric pots.

If I were in this situation, I'd be looking for a concentric setup.

Hmm.

Stew-Mac says I should be able to do it with this image:
ts0112volumetone.jpg
"One push-pull pot for both volume and tone In the normal position this is a volume pot. Pull it up, and it’s a tone control. Good for when space is tight, it also adds flexibility: each pickup can have its own dedicated volume/tone control."

Not that I doubt you I'm more just . . . uh . . . outta my element, Donny!

[Diablo de Acero]

Hmm.

Stew-Mac says I should be able to do it with this image:
ts0112volumetone.jpg
"One push-pull pot for both volume and tone In the normal position this is a volume pot. Pull it up, and it’s a tone control. Good for when space is tight, it also adds flexibility: each pickup can have its own dedicated volume/tone control."

Not that I doubt you I'm more just . . . uh . . . outta my element, Donny!

If you are going this route, try the CTS version that StewMac has. Believe me after 35+ year of using the Alpha or similar version, the CTS version is sturdier.

[false_aesthetic]

^ Will do.

Also, this guitar makes my knees tremble! Instagram

My first guitar was an Epi LP Special. Same flat top, dual cut-away + soapbars. During a show I whirled around and hit the back of the headstock on a mic stand cracking the neck -- I wasn't even trying to be cool. It's still sitting in my mom's house waiting for me to pick it up and have a tech fix it.

I have a soft spot for JRs + Specials.

[Diablo de Acero]

^ Will do.

Also, this guitar makes my knees tremble! Instagram

My first guitar was an Epi LP Special. Same flat top, dual cut-away + soapbars. During a show I whirled around and hit the back of the headstock on a mic stand cracking the neck -- I wasn't even trying to be cool. It's still sitting in my mom's house waiting for me to pick it up and have a tech fix it.

I have a soft spot for JRs + Specials.

Thanks Tom. There is something really nice about the simplicity of Specials and Jr.s Good luck with your Epi! Hopefully it will be back in your hands soon.

[defspace]

Hmm.

Stew-Mac says I should be able to do it with this image:
ts0112volumetone.jpg
"One push-pull pot for both volume and tone In the normal position this is a volume pot. Pull it up, and it’s a tone control. Good for when space is tight, it also adds flexibility: each pickup can have its own dedicated volume/tone control."

Not that I doubt you I'm more just . . . uh . . . outta my element, Donny!

Woah, learn something new every day. I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around this one. In this case, lets say you've got the pot at 50% volume and then you pull it up and then roll the (now) tone knob to 100%, does the volume stay at 50%? Does it hold the setting when you switch to the other setting?

And, Jay, your guitars are beautiful!

[Diablo de Acero]

Woah, learn something new every day. I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around this one. In this case, lets say you've got the pot at 50% volume and then you pull it up and then roll the (now) tone knob to 100%, does the volume stay at 50%? Does it hold the setting when you switch to the other setting?

And, Jay, your guitars are beautiful!

Thank you kindly defspace. I am baffled by this also. I can't see how the volume would not go to full on when pull the switch up into tone mode. In false_aesthetic case(two pickups), I would put the pickup lead on the middle wiper lug like they show. The output hot however would have to go to the switch then out to the jack in order to work right.

[devlin]

Would it not just disengage from the volume pot when pulled so it doesn't turn and same with it pushed back in for the tone pot? I know very little about this stuff.

[MarkC]

Hmmmm..... don't see how that is very useful. Must be missing the purpose.

Since there is only one wiper in that pot and only one knob, do not see any way to adjust both volume and tone levels at the same time.

Looks like in the "down (pushed) position you have volume potentiation but no tone as the capacitor is out of the circuit. Uppermost lug is PU output from the wiper down to B3 which the switch bridges to B2 in the down position. That is output to the jack ring tip. So in this case the input signal goes through the wiper and can be potentiated. The tone cap is out of the circuit in this position (Lower lug to A2 which is bridged to A3 which is ground).

Pull up on the switch and you bypass volume (upper side of the DPDT) straight to the jack so whatever your PU output is is what you would get in that position. Pulling up brings the pot (potentiator) into play and the tone capacitor into the circuit. Middle lug over to B1 and the switch connects to B2 which is hot out to the jack tip.

So looks like either Full PU output with a tone cap in the circuit or control of the volume level but no tone.

Typically a "tone" pot is just a "volume" pot with a capacitor across it.


FWIW, my main electric guitar is a tele style with single HB bridge pickup (Duncan '59) set up for series / parallel.

Cool thing about guitars is you can fiddle forever and have a blast doing it.

Jay - Really like that yellow Jr style with the single dog ear P90. Vacillate between N+1 being either something like an LP or SG junior or a full blown super strat.

--Mark

[false_aesthetic]

^ hmm. maybe i just order myself some concentric pots or . . . fuck it and just to 2 volume pots - I only really use the tone pot when I'm using the sustainer

[Diablo de Acero]

^ hmm. maybe i just order myself some concentric pots or . . . fuck it and just to 2 volume pots - I only really use the tone pot when I'm using the sustainer

Thank you Mark, I agree with your assessment.

false_aesthetic you may balk this idea, but what about two stacked pots(early 60's jazz bass)? You would get the things you are looking without drilling new holes. Maybe put volume on the lower outer knob and the tone on the upper one. This way you can still do a volume swell if that is something you do playing out.