No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

[vzpilot]

I searched the forums quite a bit before posting this. Just joined the Forums today, 'cuz I'm a proud owner of a set of Seymour Duncan pickups.

I'm Upgrading my 2013 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Pro with 920D Custom Shop electronics and SD SH-4/SH-2N pickups. The pre-wired 920D LP50-Split (Custom) pots have the push-pulls on the Volumes. I have a lot of experience as an electronic technician, lots of soldering work. This should have been a no-brainer. But the 920D diagrams and the SD diagrams do not exactly match the way these pots are wired.

I have Modified an SD diagram, and after checking this several times, ringing out the circuit and such, I'm confident this is how the guitar is currently wired. When I attach test leads to the Plug Tip and the Red/White wires, I do get signal straight from the pickups. I've never worked on guitars, but it's gotta be something simple ... right?

Thanks for any advice as to what may be the problem.

 

[vzpilot]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

So the local Guitar Center where I originally bought this Les Paul will probably be able to quickly fix whatever mistake I have made with. I've done some further checks and changes to be sure that the wiring is correct, and to try to get it to work, but nothing changes the result. I'll take it to the store this week sometime.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

Everything on that wiring diagram looks correct. Double check all of your solder joints. Are the 3rd lugs of your vol pots grounded?

 

[AlexR]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

Yep, all looks ok for the 50's wiring version you have. Look at the switch lugs too......some switches have different orientations for the wafers which might cause confusion. Also look for possible grounding out. It can happen as you know with the smallest of touches.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

It very well could be a wire grounding out somewhere.

 

[Mincer]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

You can always post some pics of your wiring- we might see something obvious.

 

[vzpilot]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

Thanks All for replies and suggestions. I have the Les Paul back from Guitar Center Arvada (Denver) now; it was not expensive to have Matt their Repair Tech fix it. I had soldered one of the leads from the Pickup Switch to ground, even though I thought I was thorough in the wiring and the troubleshooting. I asked Matt what he thought of the Seymour Duncan pickups versus the original Epiphone units. He smiled big and said, "These get Really Loud!" I had him redo the Setup on this Les Paul, because I had the bridge off of it and it is a few years old. I had previously installed a Pure-Tone cord jack, Grover Rotomatic Locking tuners and Ernie Ball Cobalt strings.

I also asked him about my Paul Reed Smith Baritone SE 277. I want to take this one to him as well for a Setup. I have tuned this Baritone like my Cello. ( ! ) ... in other words, a six-string guitar tuned with strings Fifths apart starting from F1. The 22nd fret on the highest string is a D6. NEARLY SIX OCTAVES. So it has open tuning F C G D A E with the high E string the same as a regular 6-string.

The F is not just a .068 like the B of a Baritone. It is a .100 ... and the next one (a C ) is an .085. It needs the Nut and the Saddles adjusted, to say the least. But I have been playing it this way for a month, so I have proven that it works and it's worth it to now have it set up properly.

 

[Mincer]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

Wow, if you record that baritone, I'd love to hear it. Happy you got the LP sorted out!

 

[vzpilot]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

I'm under the impression that forums will accept text and graphic file uploads ... but MP3s? I don't have a Spotify channel nor Bandcamp or anything. I do have my own FTP site.

I did a quick (2 minute) recording as soon as I could when I got my PRS Cello-Tuned "Fifths Guitar" where I could play it. Combined with my piano (synth voice) and Cello, the "Ambient Swells" recording is ... well it was "beginner's luck" and I haven't been able to get as good a recording since then. What would you suggest? Just put it up on my own FTP and publish the link here?

 

[Mincer]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

Soundcloud works, so does Youtube. You can put a file on an FTP and use a link here, too.

 

[Norseman]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

Wow I want to hear this too! Congrats on getting the LP setup right. I’ll be heading down a similar path next week.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[vzpilot]

Re: No Sound from Upgraded Epi Les Paul

ok, now I'm hesitant to upload 'cuz the recording is not like from Hans Zimmer or Brian Eno. And there are plenty of shredders in the world ... I saw RUSH before they were ever headliners, warm up for KISS in the Michigan Palace. That was a few years ago. My lack of skill is more appropriate for ambient.

Paul Reed Smith SE 277 Baritone tuned by Fifths like a cello (F C G D A E), Alesis Coda Pro 88 key and Francois Costa/Andrew Fein Brandenburg Cello (2015 Markneukirchen, Germany/St. Paul, MN) with Warchal Amber strings. For the guitar: Compressor/Sustain, Overdrive, Morley, Digital Delay and Reverb. Also used an Afuaim Looper and a Hotone Wally. Recorded with a Sony IC stereo pocket recorder. I have moved up to TC Electronics Flashback Delay and Arena Reverb, stacked up with BOSS and Behringer Delays and Reverbs. I'm also setting up GarageBand. So maybe I'll use that next time.

http://vigilanceaero.com/PiFrippinCello.mp3