paul144 Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 I just wired both my 140's to '50s wiring. Totally cleared up the loss of highs when rolling off the vol controls. Makes the tone controls more usable, they do act a bit different than before. With everything on 10 I can't hear anything different from the original wiring. With the vol rolled down a bit, the tone acts like a midrange control...very cool. I just found some NOS Schaller Nashville bridges on ebay (they weren't even notched yet!), bought 2 to swap out the roller bridges. I'm not liking the Schaller stop tail either, the windings at the ball end of the strings kinda dig into my hand sometimes. Gonna swap them also. Some quick & easy fixes... Jury is still out on the Schaller pickups though, I can't see any reason to change them, they sound pretty good. They are just a tad bright, maybe because its a thinner mahogany slab with the same size maple cap as a 150?
fxdx99 Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 Have thought about trying that, but haven't gotten around to it. Throbak recommended I try when he sent his pickups, but I wanted to hear a head to head with the pickups I replaced so didn't on a semi-hollow. I'd more likely do it on a solid like you with the easier access. Good to hear that you like it - thanks for the report. But, you didn't mention... what happens when you crank it to 11?
cook Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 I did the 50's wiring a while ago, like it a lot. I actually use the knobs now!
Thundersteel Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 I did that modification to my H150 LW last year. I like it better than the "modern" version. It seems I have more control over my sound.
Spectrum13 Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 I did that modification to my H150 in 2007 liked it so much I did it on the 137 and 155 within one week after getting them. As the Prospect was custom ordered, I sent all the controls to the factory.
GuitArtMan Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 Yeah, I never cared for the Shaller roller bridge o the bulky Shcaller tail piece either. Put on a good Nashville style bridge and traditional stop tail piece. The guitar will look and sound better imho. I'm glad to see that the Nashville bridge and stop tail piece are becoming the norm for Heritage. Now if we could only get them to go back to the ABR1...
smurph1 Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 I did the 50's wiring a while ago, like it a lot. I actually use the knobs now!Sounds like it might be something I would want to do to my 140..I am not electronically inclined though..Is it a difficult thing to do?
paul144 Posted September 2, 2009 Author Posted September 2, 2009 the way it is now...copy & paste link into browser. http://www.dominocs.com/Gibson/WiringLibra...iringModern.jpg the way it should be... http://www.dominocs.com/Gibson/WiringLibrary/wiring50s.jpg I read some reviews that said the change of the cap on the tone pot is not necessary, so just move it from the left lug of the volume pot to the center lug and that should do the trick. If not, then move it on the tone pot (unsolder the lug from the pot casing and solder the cap there, then push the middle lug back to the casing and solder).
paul144 Posted September 2, 2009 Author Posted September 2, 2009 a helpful protective tip...take some paper and mask off the back of the guitar all around the cavity (like a surgeon would do, lol) then tape it all in place. This will protect the finish from any accidental solder droppings (I unfortunately learned this the hard way Tape around the edges of the cavity (and into the cavity about 1/2 inch) with masking tape to prevent the soldering iron from accidentally touching the wood and leaving a burn mark. Also tape any wires in the cavity to the guitar body to keep them out of your way when working so they don't get burned. Its pretty easy to do, the pre-op takes the most time but its worth it.
yoslate Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 By the way, Paul, I think your new avatar shot is really sweet! Nicely done!
golferwave Posted September 3, 2009 Posted September 3, 2009 All of mine have the 50's wiring. Makes the knobs more precise and usable. Don't know why they ever got away from it and started using the "modern" wiring scheme. Like everything else it must be cheaper to do.
proxmax Posted September 26, 2009 Posted September 26, 2009 i wired like this - sounds and works great!
tulk1 Posted September 28, 2009 Posted September 28, 2009 i wired like this - sounds and works great! I don't have the patience to solder something that professional looking. That is very neat and tidy.
shook494 Posted September 28, 2009 Posted September 28, 2009 So if I were to try this, would I have to buy new electronics or just switch the schematics around? It looks easy enough.
Thundersteel Posted September 28, 2009 Posted September 28, 2009 would I have to buy new electronics or just switch the schematics around? It looks easy enough. Nothing else to buy. Just switch a few wires around, and you're all set.
big bob Posted September 29, 2009 Posted September 29, 2009 i wired like this - sounds and works great! what are those caps like ?, what do they do to the tone. I was thinking of putting a bumble bee style cap on the stat dlx. are you happy with them?
proxmax Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 what are those caps like ?, what do they do to the tone. I was thinking of putting a bumble bee style cap on the stat dlx. are you happy with them? sorry for late reply. those caps are russian NOS paper in oil caps. they are pretty warm sounding and affect a perfect range of really useable sounds, even turned down. the neck pup, for example, sounds from clicking to singing. one more suggestion: try to turn the cap and listen, you'll be surprised cheers klaus
Rude Dog Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 Interstingly, this also belongs in the "do you change your pots and caps" thread... Over there I made a post that I'd change caps before swapping anything else.... actually, I'd make sure to go "50s wiring" before I did anything else. Volume and Tone controls become interactive. When I first got my H150 I could not get the response and use of the volume and tone pots like I did on my strat, and I emailed Jay Wolfe, whom I got the git from, complaining that they were not doing what I wanted. His response was that he liked my problem! He also said that some don't, and to try 50s wiring and see if I liked that better. That did it! When I'm doing a gig or rehersal, or whatever, I eq my amp w/ volume pots on 4 or 5 to get a percussive clean tone. When I dial that in, I know that I have more volume w/clean tones & different dynamics available, and if I open up the volume all the way or close, some hair/distortion.
yngwie308 Posted October 22, 2009 Posted October 22, 2009 Yeah, I never cared for the Shaller roller bridge o the bulky Shcaller tail piece either. Put on a good Nashville style bridge and traditional stop tail piece. The guitar will look and sound better imho. I'm glad to see that the Nashville bridge and stop tail piece are becoming the norm for Heritage. Now if we could only get them to go back to the ABR1... +1K on that amen... the guitar will sound better 100%. the technical construction of the roller bridge did not connect with me, having the saddles movable loses the tone/vibration transfer big time, plus why would I need to alter my string spacing which seems to be a feature of these bridges? I traded all my Schaller/Heritage hardware to John Kinnemeyer of J.K. Luthrie, the excellent music bookseller for a Peter Green Bio, best deal ever. The stoptails, don't get me started!! This is an absolutely essential part of the tone transfer and to have that shape and all that mass and just to have a quick load string design, excuse me, how ridiculous. See my GM for sale post... Plus the GM's are too heavy for an ABR-1 I feel and I preferred the Nashville back when I bought my GM's, they suit the guitar very well.. So that's why I rave on about my GM's, they are to me..technically perfect and I love them. I went as far as to have both boards re-leveled and re fretted, plus the nut improved slightly,...huge difference , allowing the guitar to breathe and get the tonnus maximus out of them.. Good work, now get some Rick Norman pickups and you will be set! As far as '50's wiring...is there any other way!! I have '50's wiring with a Dr. Vintage early soec controls set on my '52/'56 Les Paul Goldtop conversion and the difference is night and day, not that the guitar of course didn't already have the '50's wiring being a '50's guitar of course but the pots/taper and wiring caps make a huge difference, check out Dr.Vintage's site, besides being a friend of mine, he makes some killer stuff!! yngwie308
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