wireing a les paul?

[FRANK]

my customer bought a LP why dose 1 tone pot for the neck work but in bridge other pick up nothing when rolling on off the tone pot ?i see this in all pauls is the 4th knob for looks?

[Tom Krebs]

You should have an independent volume and tone for each pickup. All controls should be effective in the middle switch position. If not, something needs fixed.

[FRANK]

OK i am with that but are they using the same value caps ? because from one to the other huge difference in what there jobs do i hear nothing on one and a whole big difference with the other this is all stock never been harassed before as a matter of fact this is the first time its ever been opened i see this is quite common with LPs

[Tom Krebs]

If a player is looking for more tone variations; I like those 'orange drop' caps at Allparts 47mf. Huge improvement in range over what they use as basic stock. They're an easy cheap upgrade IMHO.

[FRANK]

ok i believe you are referring to .047 value cap correct

[Russell Vance]

It isn't the caps (cap are caps, given a standard 300/500k potentiometer set in a LP) any difference in frequency response and characteristics from different caps is only evident in high voltage/current applications such as amps, where caps do matter.
The tone controls for the neck and the bridge should work pretty much the same, otherwize you have a problem. We look after all manners of Gibsons here and set up Gibson custom shop instruments as well - this is not a common problem and is not normal. I use the Sprague orange drops in my own customs - mainly because they are rugged and look good - Les Pauls have been getting by quite nicely with all manner of caps since 1950 or so. To test the problem change the pickup leads around from the neck and bridge volume pots and see if the problem moves from the bridge pickup to the neck pickup - this will direct you where the problem lies. Rusty.

[FRANK]

thanks Russell

[Tom Krebs]

Some Les Paul models have different value caps on each pickup. One is 22 the other 47. I prefer both at 47 microfarad. Yes, switching the leads would reveal the difference.

[FRANK]

yes thank you Tom this is the info here Ive been after my customer is the one who brought this subject up i have heard the same results through out my time with a Les Paul new and old, its usually happens when playing through a practice amp .i notice no real change with that one pot i roll it and compared to another the one I can hear well so when two guitar heads dont know i felt obligated to ask why when confronted with a question i felt i should be able to come up with an answer and currently dont have capabilities here to test caps here is there a cap tester that i should find ?anyone

[Rob Mercure]

The cheapest and most practicle manner to "test" a capacitor is to replace it with a known good high quality one of the same value/working voltage and see if that gives the same result as the one under test. But with the advent of digital multi meters many test capabilities that used to be quite expensive and/or require a bit of calculation are readily, if approzimately, at hand so you could always buy one of the DMMs with the capacitor test socket and range. Be aware that these only work when the cap is out of circuit with short parallel leads connecting the cap to the meter - testing caps in circuit still takes lab equipment and the ability to use it (that is, the ability to understand conflicting results or other circuit factors that may confound readings).

Buy a variety of good quality caps to play with and see what you or your customer(s) like - 50WV is more than adequate for use within a guitar - try differing materials. Most folks like polypropylene and detest tantalum but this may be your cup of mate'

Rob

[Len Biglin]

Hi Paul , the smaller value cap (.022) will roll off the hi sounds only while .047 will remove some mids as well.You can check the cap by shorting the cap lead at the tone pot to ground , if the tone drops off the cap is working and the pot may be open cct.or not grounded properly.Len