SG Classic wiring?

[devnulljp]

I'm going to replace all the electronics. It's already a mess in there, with too many unknowns.
Replace the pickups and all the wiring, and while I'm at it, a push/pull phase switch, so I'll need at least one pickup with 2 conductor wires + ground.
Main point of this thread was to see how much monkeying had already gone on with this guitar. Now I know it's not stock, it's a mod platform. The bones of the thing are still good.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

BTW @devnulljp, welcome to the forum as I see you have under 100 posts.

I have been around for a decade, but sometimes am on less due to issues like the past couple years and our mom having a stroke and finally passing the day b4 Halloween.

One thing I try to do is my best ( within my limited resources) to post helpful replies and point folks to good sources of info.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Mine also have the unaltered 50’s style wiring from the factory… 2nd tone lug ground to pot, third tone lug capacitor to vol pot ‘output’ 2nd lug.

Interesting, @rabbit

Thanks for posting this. Also, welcome to the forum to you too.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

@devnulljp.
Last week I Googled something like 'images of gibson sg wiring' and one of the diagrams for early set-ups shows, I think from memory, the caps coming from the bottom terminals of the tone pots to the middle ones of the volume pots. I needed to check this as my '62 Standard's back pickup seems very weak (and haven't re-examined its wiring yet- still to check the pots which are Centerlabs- codes on the sides). Both p.us have PAT decals which look good and as a previous owner has had the front pu. cover off I've checked recently; it appears to be correct- the back one I don't. Not sure if they've been re-wired as the braiding is of three-strand weave. I know if the bridge p.u's pots are defective.
Possibly more at a later date.
Roger

@Roger Phillips, let us see a pic or 2 of the side view as the strings pass over your bridge pickup and on up past the neck pup. We will be looking to see pickup heights. Sometimes a simple height adjustment of both pups to even out the signal can make the weak sound of the bridge pickup improve.

 

[cerebral gasket]

I have an ebony 2004 SG Classic that I purchased from Japan that was bone stock when I received it.

Kept the the stock neck P-90 in it and replaced the bridge P-90 with a Kinman Hx Nasty 90 Heavy.

Also have a Heritage Cherry 2006 SG Classic with the same pup configuration.

The OP SG Classic is very cool with the humbucker routes. Never seen one routed like that from the factory and also wonder if someone did that after it left the factory and oversprayed it and then redid the “HC” with a sharpie.

If it were mine, I would install a P-90 at the neck for cleans and a Humbucker at the bridge for hi gain use and have a batwing custom made with cutouts for that pup configuration.

Another pup configuration that I like is a Duncan Phat Cat at the neck and a JB at the bridge. I have that config in my 1999 SG Special which is my favorite guitar to play.

 

[ChubbyFingers]

I'm going to replace all the electronics. It's already a mess in there, with too many unknowns.
Replace the pickups and all the wiring, and while I'm at it, a push/pull phase switch, so I'll need at least one pickup with 2 conductor wires + ground.
Main point of this thread was to see how much monkeying had already gone on with this guitar. Now I know it's not stock, it's a mod platform. The bones of the thing are still good.

If you're sticking with P90s you'll probably have to solder a "tail" to the outer sheathing on one pickup wire, possibly to the hot inner as well, then solder the tail(s) to the push-pull you use for the place flip. If you're going for one or more humbuckers, just buy ones with the four-wire plastic sheathed wires.

Be aware, however, SG bodies are thinner than Les Pauls, for example, and that the control cavity can be barely deep enough to take a push-pull, whether it's a big CTS with the plastic cap on the back or a Bourns / Fleor / Alpha type. At best the back cover will have a slight bulge when screwed down or you'll need to put a spacer or gasket around the rim. BTDT with my 2015 Gibson SG Standard.

Other options worth considering with P90s, therefore, are either to fit a separate DPDT mini switch into the pickguard, or to solder in the thing permanently out of phase. It won't affect the sound in P1 or P3, where you only have one active pickup anyway, but you'll get the out-of-phase sound in P2 with both pickups active.

 

[rabbit]

I have an ebony 2004 SG Classic that I purchased from Japan that was bone stock when I received it.

Kept the the stock neck P-90 in it and replaced the bridge P-90 with a Kinman Hx Nasty 90 Heavy.

Also have a Heritage Cherry 2006 SG Classic with the same pup configuration.

The OP SG Classic is very cool with the humbucker routes. Never seen one routed like that from the factory and also wonder if someone did that after it left the factory and oversprayed it and then redid the “HC” with a sharpie.

If it were mine, I would install a P-90 at the neck for cleans and a Humbucker at the bridge for hi gain use and have a batwing custom made with cutouts for that pup configuration.

Another pup configuration that I like is a Duncan Phat Cat at the neck and a JB at the bridge. I have that config in my 1999 SG Special which is my favorite guitar to play.

I too enjoy a P90 neck and HB bridge combo.

Here’s a heavily modded JR…

 

[ChubbyFingers]

^ Good option.

 

[devnulljp]

BTW @devnulljp, welcome to the forum as I see you have under 100 posts.

I've been around for a while too, just don't post much. Thanks for all your advice (and sorry to hear about your mom)

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Thanks @devnulljp

I owe all I am and all I aspire to be, to her. As I closed the lid on her casket, I told her how she did her best and that I was so proud of her. Then of course my dam broke and I got her face all wet from tears.

God bless all of our members here. Mom still comes out in me as I extend kindness everywhere I go.

 

[RGX_Custom]

I think 50's wiring is better because the volumes work more sufficient on their own...especially with 550k pots. The 330k pots that Gibson uses is designed to choke out your sound so you don't get a record deal. With the volumes being independent you don't have to worry about them arguing over a prenuptial agreement which can be a hassle.

 

[cerebral gasket]

I think 50's wiring is better because the volumes work more sufficient on their own…

That’s not how the volume controls work.
If both pups are selected (middle position) and either of the volume controls is set to zero, then neither pup will have any output.

50’s vs modern wiring has nothing to do with that.

 

[lcw]

50s wiring - maintain tone as volume is rolled down, but tradeoff is some volume drop when the tone is rolled down.

Ideally a treble bleed circuit is the best of both worlds.

 

[ChubbyFingers]

That’s not how the volume controls work.
If both pups are selected (middle position) and either of the volume controls is set to zero, then neither pup will have any output.

50’s vs modern wiring has nothing to do with that.

You can wire them for independent volumes if you like.

Some say having to mess with just one volume in the middle position is better, because, obviously, you can turn the combined volume up or down by turning just one knob. That might be better for live performances, I suppose.

Others say two independent volumes gives you more control over the mix.

Gretsch, of course, solved this by having independent volumes  plus a master volume 5th knob.

If you want independent volumes, all you have to do is swap the "in" wires from the pickups with their respective "out" wires to the selector switch at each volume pot.

The choice of where you connect the tone pots to the volume pots, and whether you put the tone caps "upstream" or "downstream" of the tone pots is a different matter.

I don't need to go into all that because it's explained very well in the web page below:

www.premierguitar.com/amp/tone-pot-wiring-2651042669

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

I too enjoy a P90 neck and HB bridge combo.

Here’s a heavily modded JR…

View attachment 50293

The P90/Humbucker pairing is what my buddy's BFG came with.

 

[lcw]

The P90/Humbucker pairing is what my buddy's BFG came with.

Ah the BFG! I wish Gibson would have made (or make) a BFG SG!

 

[Decadent Dan]

Ah the BFG! I wish Gibson would have made (or make) a BFG SG!

SG Futura

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Ah the BFG! I wish Gibson would have made (or make) a BFG SG!

Like my buddy's

 

[RGX_Custom]

Like my buddy's

Did you say 'buddy' my little buddy?

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Did you say 'buddy' my little buddy?

I see what you did there, my slick Canadian stranger.