Single P-90 wiring question

[Mjh36]

Hey question about single P-90 wiring... I get the whole 50's and Modern wiring thing and how they interact and sound. But I can't visualize what the bottom two diagrams are in my head. I see the capacitor is connected differently. So what technically are they? Modern or...?

Here's the 50's vs. Modern that I reference:​



Anything functionally different to what's going on with these two?

 

[zionstrat]

Okay I'm the wrong one to be answering because I don't truly understand electronics..

​​​​​​But I wire a lot of guitars and, if I understand correctly, it doesn't matter where the capacitor goes.. The signal is going to ground out one way or the other.

It is confusing to me because I was taught to follow the current like plumbing and when I see something like this it confuses the water flowing scenario..

So someone else may come along and expand my thinking... but I'm pretty sure that the bottom diagrams electronically represent the same thing as the top diagrams..

Hope this makes sense, and anyone can feel free to clarify.

 

[strat dude]

Found this, it's not super descriptive but shows some variations

STANDARD TONE POT WIRING:


Standard or modern wiring comes equipped on most guitars. It’s the most common wiring you’ll see installed on most modern production guitars and basses. See below for a few variations on the standard wiring:

Standard Wiring

Standard Telecaster Wiring – The Tone Cap goes from Lug 1 to the Middle Lug of the Tone Pot

Another Variation of Standard Wiring: The Tone cap can connects to ground where Lug 3 of the Volume Pot connects

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’50S TONE POT WIRING:


As mentioned in our ’50s Wiring Article, wiring your tone cap in the ’50s style can keep your high frequencies consistent on your pickups while turning down your volume. However, turning down your Tone can affect your guitar’s volume. See below for a few variations on ’50s Wiring:

’50s Wiring involves the Tone Cap coming from the Output Lug on the Volume Pot

A variation of ’50s wiring uses a wire to connect Lug 2 from the Volume Pot to Lug 3 of the Tone Pot. The Tone Cap solders to its own Pot.

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’60S TONE POT WIRING:


’60s wiring is almost identical to Modern Wiring, except one can expect a lesser signal to noise ratio. Here’s how to wire it up:

The First Variation of ’60s Wiring – the middle Tone Lug connects to ground​

 

[Mjh36]

Okay I'm the wrong one to be answering because I don't truly understand electronics..

​​​​​​But I wire a lot of guitars and, if I understand correctly, it doesn't matter where the capacitor goes.. The signal is going to ground out one way or the other.

It is confusing to me because I was taught to follow the current like plumbing and when I see something like this it confuses the water flowing scenario..

So someone else may come along and expand my thinking... but I'm pretty sure that the bottom diagrams electronically represent the same thing as the top diagrams..

Hope this makes sense, and anyone can feel free to clarify.

Hey thanks, I was just discussing this on MyLesPaul forum about what you are saying. And that was my hangup. Apparently you're right it doesn't matter the capacitor placement in those examples. Two means to an end kind of thing I guess. It confused me to look at though, I couldn't connect the dots but I get it now.

 

[Mjh36]

Found this, it's not super descriptive but shows some variations

STANDARD TONE POT WIRING:


I missed these on Fralin's site thanks. That makes sense, they're just variations of the same method. I can build a pedal, bias my amp, but leave it up to a single dogear P-90 to confuse me!

 

[zionstrat]

Hey thanks, I was just discussing this on MyLesPaul forum about what you are saying. And that was my hangup. Apparently you're right it doesn't matter the capacitor placement in those examples. Two means to an end kind of thing I guess. It confused me to look at though, I couldn't connect the dots but I get it now.

Glad it helped and hope you will post some great p90 sounds!

 

[GuitarDoc]

How the cap is connected to the tone pot is irrelevent. The important consideration to distinguish modern from vintage (50's) wiring is how the tone pot is connected to the vol pot. If the tone pot is connected to the input of the vol pot (where the pup hot wire is connected) it is modern wiring. If the tone pot is connected to the output of the vol pot it is vintage or 50's wiring.

 

[hamerfan]

What Doc said.