Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

[dystrust]

I've wanted to install a Jimmy Page harness in my LP for years, and I really wanted the tone controls wired 50s style. I wasn't able to find a diagram like that, so I found something workable and modified it:

I finished installing it in my LP Tuesday and everything works as intended. Pulling either volume splits that pickup to the slug coil, while pulling the neck tone connects both pickups in series, and pulling the bridge tone reverses the phase of the bridge pickup. As an added bonus with both bridge volume and tone pulled, the bridge pickup is split to the screw coil. That works nice with the '59/C Hybrid I have as the two coils sound pretty different.

Compared to most JP diagrams I see, the biggest difference with this one is how the series switch works. I don't notice a difference in output with the pickup selector in the neck or middle positions (not sure there is one), while selecting the bridge pickup results in no output.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

Compared to most JP diagrams I see, the biggest difference with this one is how the series switch works. I don't notice a difference in output with the pickup selector in the neck or middle positions (not sure there is one), while selecting the bridge pickup results in no output.

Most typical JP diagrams have this quirk. The ways around it I know of often require the switches to work more like a triple shot, where you end up pulling two at a time for common settings.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

Most typical JP diagrams have this quirk. The ways around it I know of often require the switches to work more like a triple shot, where you end up pulling two at a time for common settings.

I suppose I should clarify. On most of the diagrams I found, the pickup selector needed to be in the middle position for full output with the pickups in series. With this one, I didn't notice any difference in sound between neck selected or middle, though I suppose there may be slightly more load in the middle position. The other diagrams also tended to mute with the neck pickup selected instead of the bridge.

 

[Artie]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

Somewhere around here, I have my own variation that solves that last problem, but for the life of me, I can't find it. (I've had a couple 'puter crashes since then.) Forum bro RavensNest is patiently waiting for it so he can rewire his guitar. And, I can't remember what I did, to redraw it. :banghead:

P.S. Nice diagram dystrust.

 

[beaubrummels]

Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

I did mine with 50’s wiring but I just realized yours also added independent volumes. That might account for the switch not becoming a kill switch. I also notice that diagram puts one of the red+whites to green rather than ground, which is interesting as that would affect split when in series. I need to look closer however. Previously I’ve drawn 17 different versions of a Page layout but this is notably different.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

Somewhere around here, I have my own variation that solves that last problem, but for the life of me, I can't find it. (I've had a couple 'puter crashes since then.) Forum bro RavensNest is patiently waiting for it so he can rewire his guitar. And, I can't remember what I did, to redraw it. :banghead:

P.S. Nice diagram dystrust.

Are you referring to the series switch & pickup selector interaction? That really doesn't bother me as much as the other issue...

If I could change one thing, I'd split the neck pickup to the screw coil so that I could have both pickups split, in phase, and hum-cancelling. I couldn't figure out a way to do that, and I don't know if I'd change the wiring now if I thought of it. Overall it's a pretty minor nit-pick, and that harness wasn't exactly fun to build.

 

[Artie]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

I was referring to the one "dead" spot. Somehow, I overcame that. But . . . :dunno:

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

If I remember correctly, this wiring keeps all possible noiseless positions as well as avoids dead spots.



It's not perfect though, pulling up on the series/parallel knob bypasses the switch. I would prefer if that switch only affected the middle position, but I don't think that's quite possible.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

If I remember correctly, this wiring keeps all possible noiseless positions as well as avoids dead spots.

View attachment 98932

It's not perfect though, pulling up on the series/parallel knob bypasses the switch. I would prefer if that switch only affected the middle position, but I don't think that's quite possible.

But bypassing the switch makes perfect sense because you can only have series with both pickups on.

 

[SAguitar]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

I'm glad you guys are still using, and even improving this incredible schematic. I wired this one on my Lester, my favorite LP, during one weekend many years ago and I really like all the options it gives me. At the same time, it's a totally stealth install since you don't have to add any extra switches or gimmicks and no one knows what you have in there. The 50s wiring mod does sound interesting, but I am not inclined to dive back into that project.

 

[Artie]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

But bypassing the switch makes perfect sense because you can only have series with both pickups on.

Exactly. You beat me to it.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

I'm not sure how to solve the 'dead' spot, but I think I've come up with a version that splits the neck pickup to the screw coil instead of the slug:

AFAIK the only way to avoid a dead spot is to use one of the switches to bypass the pickup selector when in series mode. The dead spot occurs in this diagram because the output of the neck volume pot (only active volume pot in series mode) has to go through the selector switch to reach the output jack.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

But bypassing the switch makes perfect sense because you can only have series with both pickups on.

It does, but I'd prefer to be able to get from the series middle position to neck or bridge in a single flick of a switch. Going from the middle position to the neck or bridge position or visa versa by changing the position on a pot instead of the switch is too much to think about in the middle of a song.

 

[beaubrummels]

Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

It does, but I'd prefer to be able to get from the series middle position to neck or bridge in a single flick of a switch. Going from the middle position to the neck or bridge position or visa versa by changing the position on a pot instead of the switch is too much to think about in the middle of a song.

Then flip the selector to neck and when you push the series in you get neck, or throw the selector to bridge and you can toggle series to bridge with the push pull.

I believe to have the pickups in series and randomly jump to neck or bridge you’d have to either use individual pickup on-off switches or a 4P3T switch, or some other wacky scheme that isn’t worth the solder (at least I can’t think of a way with a single switch.) But that’s just my sarcastic cynical opinion, having suffered with enough push pulls doing JP wirings. ;-)

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Jimmy Page wiring - 50s tyle w/ independent volumes

Yeah I see what you're saying about it being a simple movement, but that's one extra thing I don't want to think about during a show.

One wiring I've been thinking about working on, but haven't quite felt the spirit move me to do so is a variation on JP wiring, but instead of a push/pull for phase and series/parallel, you just put all those on a 4 way rotary switch. So you have individual coil splits, anything you want for the middle position without it interfering with your other positions, and a master tone control (which in my case would end up being a modded TBX)