DIY Les Paul Wiring - Vintage versus Modern

Another Breja Tone Works DIY video. This video shows how to wire a Les Paul or SG type guitar using the two most comment schemes - Vintage (50's) or Modern. I do explain a bit about the differences but encourage you to read more if you're interested. If you want to jump right to the wiring diagrams, go to 1:39. I hope you find it useful - thanks for watching.

[@mimtirona9622]

The best video, no abracadabra, no crap, no comedy. Brilliant, thank you!

[@jklep523]

10 yrs on and still best on YT. You helped yet one more knuckle-dragger understand the why and the how. Thank you.

[@WalterStoermer]

I have wired guitars for years, and this is the best video I have seen on this subject. I learned a few things.

[@magictonyify]

Best tutorial on the internet period.well thought out easy to understand.you just saved me a lot of money and took the frustration out of understanding something I have allways wanted to do myself.thanks a zillion

[@BrejaToneWorks]

Thanks - I appreciate it. Glad people are finding these videos helpful.

[@jharrington1222]

That's the simplest, clearest explanation I've seen anywhere! Thank you for that.

[@thefilthygringo9228]

I totally agree! Awesome

[@johnmanning6572]

That was the best explanation I've seen on the subject. Thanks.

[@canyonadvisors6449]

THANK YOU! This is by FAR the best, clearest demo of how this is to be one. You've just saved me hours of time and hunting. Appreciate it! -Jeff

[@vincentgrippi9524]

Working on my first kit build and finally made it to the wiring stage , best video out there I have found , very easy to follow , great diagrams

[@100chuckjones]

cant believe im the only person to comment on this video, its outstanding. very helpful. thanks again.

[@BrejaToneWorks]

chuck jones I appreciate it, Chuck. I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@lennyluzitano8920]

Four years has gone by since your coment..... well well time goes on..... THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO EVER...... THANK YOU "SIR"....

[@andymiller1803]

Finally, a guide that explains what's going on, and why. This should be the first result on KZbin for LP wiring. Thanks!

[@jameslatimer774]

Don, I just want to let u know how informative your video's are. And I want to thank U for taking time to put together the audio to the diagram video in the best way possible. It's been immensely helpful. Thanks again!

[@BrejaToneWorks]

+James Latimer I appreciate that. I'm glad the videos are helping or at least proving entertaining for people. Don

[@kennethli260]

Just rewired my les Paul to your diagram, now it sounds brighter and cleaner, just the way I want it to sound. Thank you man!

[@AmpsforBuddha]

I recently (last night, ha!) replaced the guts on my '95 SG with stew mac's premium SG wiring kit and I ended with so many problems. The volumes didn't turn down to zero and the tone knobs were working in reverse. I found your video here and it saved the day. I was so frustrated, so I retraced my steps and then followed your directions. Very poignant and concise. So I say, Thank you! Keep up the good work. …And I subscribed. Thank you again!

[@raymondcurtis6289]

Best and most clearly laid out video here. I fixed a Yamaha SBG500 with a Les Paul wiring rig and used this video to clean up the kinks in the wiring. The guitar sounds like it did when I bought it more years ago than I care to name. Thanks again for the great instructions.

[@pipercub45]

Echoing the comments. By far the best explanation of a wiring diagram. Other tutorials always had something not clear. From a person who is a lousy solderer thank you, thank you!

[@adambowen9120]

This is a clear and simple way to explain a process that could turn into a serious issue

[@mikewilkinson694]

I'm late to the party but I wanted to say that you are a legend sir! Thanks for an amazing explanation. I was sitting her confounded by two different schematics and you gave me the path to complete this project lol. Thanks!

[@lostalumni05]

An outstandingly clear set of instructions, with great summaries. You have a great voice for presentation and fantastic elocution. Professional and up there with those sites that charge for learning. Thanks so much.

[@BrejaToneWorks]

+lostalumni05 Thanks - I appreciate it.

[@flyinsaucerprod]

Wow! Thank you so much! I bought new humbuckers off amazon for 16 bucks and a new wiring kit for 56. Never worked w soldering or anything before. Threw this video on and Boom! This guitar sounds INSANE! Went w the 50s tone and im in love! No hum whatsoever and sounds angelic. Thank you very much for this tutorial!

[@robertallen3631]

I had a guy rewire a les Paul that was gutted out with some 490 pickups off an SG Special but he used a poor quality 3-way switch and broke the neck pickup tab in the bargain. It didn't fully break until later but since I never liked the way it sounded it sat in the case in need of the repair until I found this truly fantastic explanation that put me to exploring the wiring he did. He had wired it modern style so I figured since I had to do so much rewiring anyway I'd try the classic style out. HUGE, POSITIVE, difference. Thanks for all your hard work making this video.

[@IAmSaintBlue]

Thank you for making this excellent video. You have made it so easy and clear. I was getting confused by all the complicated layouts and videos but yours is easy to understand. Thank you!

[@chasecwood59]

This was so concise and clear...... I've literalliy been watching wiring videos for weeks. This was the best of any video I've seen.

[@jimihendrix1575]

Far and away the BEST wiring guide on KZbin. Thank you VERY much!

[@rpman4787]

Dood, you rock! I did the vintage wiring in my 339, and did the Gilmour switch in my strat build with your help. I can't thank you enough!

[@scottpam]

Thank you for the tutorial. I get guitars and they are usually a disaster and I have wanted to learn how to get them fixed. And you did not go "on and on", you provided an excellent learning experience.

[@ransombaggins9301]

This was AMAZING! I’m trying to put new humbuckers in a single cut PRS body (nothing in it currently) with two volumes and two tones. I think this will finally get me there. Thank you so much!

[@sweetmercy6987]

Wiring up my Les paul and this is the number one video that explains it. Thank you sir! Def. Going with vintage wiring. Just waiting on my pots switch and jack now!

[@genestasi59]

Gibson Les Paul Signature T......Took your advise and did the 50's tone wiring mod. (using orange drops) The difference is night and day.Gibson had the caps soldered directly to ground lug #2 on the tone Pots. I was really bummed out how lifeless the guitar was whenever I started to turn down, even a little. Now the Paul is amazing. holds 90/95% of the treble. Overall the mod improved the tone and punch at all volume levels....Actually improved the clean sound as well..Much more use-able on low volume chords and stuff. I guess it sounds like,how I remember a Less Paul should sound using classic 57 and 57+ pups.. Thanks Guy's. .

[@monovladd4392]

Hello Gene. So, did you have a modern style wiring and changed it to 50s style? 🤔

[@rolocordova5318]

Friend that means that gave better results to the tone of wiring (50) or modern (60). I installed the slash alinic 2 pads in my gibson les paul standard of 1980 days ago, but I notice that the guitar sounds without treble, its tone is not so bright and it produces me earth. Use the wiring diagram (50)

[@timmygeem398]

Thank you. I just wiored an Epiphone Les Paul with 50s/Vintage style and I love it love it love it... no more muddy Les paul... I'm also using push/pulls for coil split on the volumes, and I have a bah-zillion percent better tone options... Your video inspired me to try the 50s wiring... never going back to "Modern" wiring...

[@ppgwhereeverett4412]

THIS VIDEO goes to and STAYS in my files !! THIS is the BEST video on how to do this operation . EXCELLENT !!

[@FuzzyJohn]

On both wiring types when you have the selector switch in the middle each volume pot will affect both pickups. In my guitars I swap the lug 2 and 3 wires on each volume pot and then connect the capacitor to either lug 2 for "standard" or to lug 3 for "modern". Now each volume pot will only affect the pickup connected to it.

[@StealthParrot]

Video is 9 years old but still brilliant and easy to understand!

[@washit1st]

Agree with others ...visual and audio explanations are the BEST I have found. Thank you kind sir !!

[@forceofchaos1]

Awesome instructional video!! No waste of time with jokes or advertisements, just straight to the point!!!

[@fencedmusic113]

Seriously helped me out with my first rewiring project on my sons les Paul custom. Thanks for the easy to understand walk through.

[@supersugg22]

Don could make a video of how to preform brain surgery and everyone could do it! You have opened my mind. Best on youtube

[@markymark560]

Brain surgery is hardly going to be more difficult than this.

[@leeforrester466]

Thanks for posting really helped out 9 years later Cheers!!

[@anthonydavis9662]

I hope you win a million dollars in the lottery!! This is an EXCELLENT video, and EXACTLY what I needed!! All these books and diagrams are so confusing--this is perfect. THANK YOU!!!!

[@fredzep01]

Thank you, clear and precise instructions, is just what the doctor ordered....

[@natrick]

Thanks to this video, I did a wiring swap by myself after playing guitar for 25 years 😂. No more taking an LP to my tech to do these jobs!

[@csharpminorseven]

Fantastic! Clear, precise, really informative and very useful - thank you very much!

[@brghtwht]

Great and helpful video. Re built my epi les paul today with duncans and new gibson electronics. Wired it all up with good quality heavy gauge wire. 500k Gibson pots, 22f ceramic caps, and the vintage mod. Sounds incredible! Thanks so much.

[@BrejaToneWorks]

Great Jeff... I'm glad it helped you out.

[@tidy20groo]

You just made les Paul electronics look so simple, great video with clear examples to follow.

[@jcoo71]

I have been looking at diagrams of wiring for weeks now off and on and I believe I have turned the project into a NASA space mission. Not to dumb down this process in anyway, but my gosh its so clear now. I don't know if its cuz i slept at a holiday inn express last night or watched this video, as i can wire this Gibson flying V with confidence now. Thank you so much!!

[@BrejaToneWorks]

+jcoo71 Happy Modding!

[@clubderunzensiertendichter]

THANK YOU ! In solidarity with the fighters for peace, love, freedom, justice and truth, we express our feelings with music on our channel. Greetings from Germany, CLUB OF THE UNCENSORED POETS

[@waynedeadder664]

Hands down the best video on this wiring I've seen. I've watched hundreds

[@yarellopez]

Thanks to you now I got a new fresh guitar sound, I bought a Les Paul Modern Graphite Top 2021, as a beginner I was ok with the sound but then so many different ways and pulls, and pushes just to get a simple tone was driving me crazy, so base on this tutorial a was able to swap all the electronics from a modern to a vintage sound with bumblebee capacitor, I got this awesome harness kit from creamtone, really amazing harness, but I had to do some modification because I really like the Modern capacitor wiring, also I got the Slash Alnico 2 Pro and I'm speechless, beyond satisfied with this combination, and this video, Thank You, bro!! 🤟🤟🤘🤘

[@gerardcousineau3200]

It strange how a different wiring can give you a vintage sound ! Thank you Breja !

[@BrejaToneWorks]

Yep - sometimes the most effective things are also the simplest things. Thanks for watching.

[@gerardcousineau3200]

You're tutorial is very good Breja ! :) I'm waiting for humbuckers with 4 wires I would wire it with you're jimmy page lespaul tutorial ! :D

[@Rickholly74]

Excellent. No BS or over explaining, just right to the how to. Thanks.

[@mpaz48mo]

Great instruction. I have an old gold top ( 70's), plugged it in for the first time in 30 years and zowie, major noise. After watching your video I'm very sure I can rewire the old girl and get her screaming ang moaning like in the past. Thank you, Michael.

[@BrejaToneWorks]

+Michael P If not - just get rid of her by giving her to me. :) The 70s were odd years for wiring so you might have something interesting in there. It's up to you if you want to keep it stock as it is (just fixed) or if you want to rewire. If you want to fix it with the wiring as is and need help, take some good pics and email me at [e-mail] and I'll see if I can notice what might be wrong. Don

[@mpaz48mo]

Don, thanks so much for replying. I figured out what was wrong, the bridge ground wire was not hooked up properly. It works pretty darn good now. Being so familiar with the lighter weight Strat, this baby took a little while to get used to, and what I love is how one can actually Feel the string vibrations from the body, unlike the Strat. Sustain is way better too. Thanks again buddy.

[@BrejaToneWorks]

+Michael P Now you just need to go out and get a Tele, SG, ES-335, Rickenbacker 330, and others. DON'T STOP AT JUST 2!!!!!!

[@mpaz48mo]

Haha, I do have the tendency to do exactly that, though on a cheaper scale. I have 5 guitars total, and a uke. Can't forget the uke.

[@eddiebaby22]

If its accurate and I have no reason to believe its not (but I know nothing), this is an outstanding video. Extremely easy to follow and very clear. You cant ask for more than this. Superb instruction video thanks for sharing, it's even easy for a layman to understand and that's when you know its good.

[@lukespread]

Hey Don, I don't know where you are or what happened to you but I want to thank you for this channel and leaving it up. Way too handy.

[@jasoncartwright586]

Thanks for taking the time to post this tutorial. Very clear and helpful explanation - just what I was looking for (and not easily finding!!). Most appreciated :)

[@liquidlinoleum69420]

Thank you for this...building my own guitar in woodshop, completely clueless when it comes to electronics, this will help

[@JL-sn1ee]

Thank you so much for this, it's been so hard to find simple compiled information that goes through it thorougly but straight to the point, have had to wade through so much crap to find this awesome video.

[@jeremiahwilson1781]

I hardly used my les pauls tone controls for years. So recently I decided to bypass the wiring to them all together. Huge difference in sound. The pickups arw much more clear and punchy. Less muddy.

[@ChrisDeJuanMusic]

Thank you so much!!! I need to go through the wiring on my Less Paul Studio as it started making like a disorted sound... so was thinking of unsoldering everything, giving it a good clean and putting it all back together again... and this video is gonna really help me to get on with it! Thanks again! :)

[@TMoody]

This just might be the best video on KZbin concerning this subject, thank you!!

[@cyanada]

Thank you SO much for this video! Got my LP re-wired and working on the first try. Watched a handful of other videos and they all left a few questions unanswered. This was complete and succinct.

[@Enverhowedrjones]

wow... most concise explanation of the "vintage" vs "modern" wiring schemes I've been reading so many forums and tutorials and this still cleared things up. I have a dumb question and I don't think it would make much of a difference in the guitar circuit but isn't joining the string ground to the closest volume pot creating a ground loop, it should go to the further one so the ground signal only has one path to ground. I think that your instructions kept to the typical wiring as to not confuse anyone, so my question is purely for advancing my knowledge by double checking newly learnt principals.

[@sbrave]

My Epiphone was also wired with the cap to the tone pot only, but also had a wire jumped from the volume to tone. Your video makes a lot more sense and easier to put together. The less soldering, the better : )

[@BrejaToneWorks]

Depending on the year of your Epi, some of the original wiring is different.

[@sbrave]

Breja ToneWorks Thanks. I'm going to try your wiring tomorrow and see how it goes. Wonder why Epi didn't just copy Gibson's wiring style?

[@sbrave]

sbrave 100% success!! Sounds great and wasn't so hard to follow, especially with new parts. THANK YOU!! I did the modern wiring.

[@nohandleforme....]

Great video. Everything is clearly shown, clearly explained, and easy to understand. Thanks for the help.

[@thetruthinhim8862]

This is perfect in explaining 50s vs modern wiring on LPs. I added this to my favorites so I can come back to it. This video also clarified the dilemma of which wiring to go with on my LPs. I'm gonna go with 50's wiring. Thanks again! = )

[@cristianrubi6924]

Thank you for this, I'm currently designing a solder less pcb harness for my LP and this was immensely useful never having done this before.

[@DragonGuitar171]

Definitely trying This at one point of This week on My les paul. Definitely always want a Classic Tone rather than modern!

[@BrejaToneWorks]

Brian... Sorry for the delay. Grounding the capacitors is actually another normal way of wiring Humbucker type guitars. The effect is that treble frequencies are truly grounded rather than 'passed' through when the other end of the capacitor is wired to another pot. It's a minor/subtle difference in tone. Since I prefer the Vintage style of wiring, I yank all wiring immediately with any LP type guitar I get and redo it with the caps connected to the corresponding lugs.

[@curtolmscheid163]

this is exactly what I was looking for. Too bad I only found AFTER I spent 4 hours trying to figure this out last night. Thank for a very straight forward video.

[@nashvilledaveb]

Thanks for taking the time to do this, which I'm sure is substantial..... you job well done!

[@CRUNCHCOLE]

Great video and great info on tone control wiring. You would get less 60 cycle hum with shielded wires to the switch and output jack and shielding on the control cavity

[@danaharris503]

Thanks for posting this video, your explanation and diagrams make perfect sense.

[@dwarfyh32]

Best explanation I have found. Thanks

[@windward2818]

Thank you for the video. I really can't bring myself to solder to the back case of a pot in an effort to form a ground circuit. I would rather use a central single point ground with a terminal lug soldering strip and use bus wire and Teflon sleeving to form my grounds. My Les Paul (1976) has a two terminal lug soldering strip riveted to the pot plate as came from the factory, with the riveted position as the single point ground.

[@jeremygardner3193]

This is exactly the explanation and diagram that I needed. Thank you!

[@FPHLM]

Thanks so much ! I did the 50'S style to my 335 it is "Nickel" Very easy to understand great video !

[@BrejaToneWorks]

Glad you liked the video. I've tried both and for me the Vintage works best but I don't think you can go wrong either way. Best of luck.

[@vettster89]

Thanks for the instruction! It truly made my headache go away. With not wanting to keep soldering joints to achieve what I'm looking for I was able to with only minimal soldering get it right fairly painlessly. Nice job on 50's - Modern wiring. Vettster.

[@MichaelScottGuitar]

Thanks, just what we all need in under 7 mins. Awesome!

[@rhderfler]

I purchased a partial assembled unit with 2 v, 2 t, while the box toggle 3 way switch and output jack came loose. On one end is a green ground shield wire (single) is on back of Pot w/ cap on lug 2, bare wire to back of Pot(assuming this is Tone), one open outside lug (assuming # 3) and blue shielded wire, bare to back of Pot and white to opposite lug (assuming # 1) then connects with another Pot (assuming Vol) bare to back and white to outside Lug, another white to center lug, other outside lug bent grounded. This blue wire terminates at a splice and merge with a black shielded (bare and white) and a yellow shield wire to the other 2 Pots (same connections) except it dead ends at the 2 nd.POT. At merge point there is a short white shielded wire emerging from each of the blue, yellow and black wires. Based on your video I can connect the 2 hot wires from the neck and bridge pickups to the Vol Pots and ground on back but I have no idea what the three white shielded merge wires go or where the green wire ground wire goes. I assume the black bare wire coming off the merge joint goes to the bridge. Pretty confused on this as to the switch and output jack connections. Any ideas how to make this work?

[@mickaelbarbeau1117]

Thank you for that video. I've re-wired my SG with 50's method. It works f***ing well!

[@RobertMurphy-wm3ge]

Thanks for this. I always wondered what the difference was.

[@rokdog97]

Great video Thanks for taking the time to show us all!

[@DaveViner]

Another excellent video, as usual. Never thought of using a bit of a guitar string as a ground wire for the lug! Much more cost effective than using a bit of cloth wire everytime!

[@BrejaToneWorks]

+Dave Viner My wife calls me cheap but I tend to think of myself as practical. :) The other nice thing about using something like the guitar string is that you can bend other grounding wires into a hook and easily hook them to it and solder them with no super huge pile of solder on the pot.

[@DaveViner]

+Breja ToneWorks Very practical indeed! That is a great idea, I'll try that next time I'm wiring up a guitar!

[@OneScenePodcast]

Thank you for the simple and clear instructions and explanation !

[@bernieheveron1929]

This video is so incredibly helpful! Thank you!

[@TempleOfFive]

Great video, thanks. I think I just figured out how I messed up the wiring on a guitar i'm building thanks to it.

[@iblesbosuok]

Great crystal clear explanation! Hats off, hands down.

[@ghostwolff1]

Thank you for video I just rewired my legs Paul first time ever but with your video she now sounds great

[@EltoV]

Thanks for this video man! I wish I had seen it earlier after spending hours of analyzing different schematics… But this explanation is christal clear! I know that there are a few other options but I'll start with the ones you suggested. After that I'll let my ears do the work. Hold my beer while I warm up my soldering iron… Cheers!

[@sodiumix]

really useful video, exactly what I was looking for after weeks. Thanks!

[@paaung1]

thank you for your video, I install exactly as modern to my LP Robot 07 sound is fanstastic and amazing.

[@BrejaToneWorks]

Final thoughts. It all depends on what type of music you play and what tone you're looking for. If you're into high gain, pots and capacitors probably won't matter but the pickups will. Standard Rock, Jazz, and such - swap everything out. Do it right and you'll be happy. It's worth it. My two Epi LPs play and sound every bit as great as any $1500+ guitar I've played. Doesn't matter if I play through a Fender Tweed or Marshall - they have balls and ooze tone. Best of luck.

[@Edwarbr]

I will add to that. P90s sound great with 50s wiring. It’s comparable to using a treble bleed with Tele/Strat wiring. 60s wiring can make them sound muddy. Pickup resistance can definitely be a factor in your decision. I usually use 7.2K neck and 8+K bridge P90s and love the 50s wiring. On the neck pickup, roll the Volume to 8 and the Tone to 7 and you will get a Strat style sound. Use 500K audio taper pots for both volume and tone. Just like Gibson did in the 50s. ES guitars used a 250K for tone.

[@BrejaToneWorks]

That's a good point about the assembly line method of guitar building - I hadn't thought of that. Fender does the same thing with it's caps so everyone might be doing it for efficiency. BTW - remember: new pots in an Epi LP are going to require you to ream out the holes as Stock Epi Pots are 1/4" versus 3/8" for CTS pots. Toggle Switch will require reaming too if you replace with a Switchcraft brand. Use Cloth or solid core wire- adds a little more "oompf" IMO. Best of Luck Best of luck.

[@claudiaruiz7817]

Breja ToneWorks d

[@JohnShalamskas]

Cloth wire looks cool, but I much prefer shielded cable between the pickups and the control cavity. Unshielded wire will pick up all sorts of interference, starting with 60 cycle hum. You can also use several layers of carbon impregnated paint, or copper foil tape with conductive adhesive to shield the cavities. If you are using humbuckers with shielded leads, this is not as important, but if those humbuckers have the ability to split the coils, then it's a good practice to shield the 3-way switch cavity, control cavity, and output cavity.

[@TheMadHatter513]

Thanks for the video helped me wire 3 les Paul’s now

[@goodboyringo9716]

All your wiring videos are great , thanks!

[@DSTheEngineer86]

You don't have to change the connections on the tone pot to change from one wiring to the other. Consider this: 10 on the knob means the wiper (lug 2) is at lug 3 (ie. lugs 2 & 3 are shorted so the entire pot resistance is from lug 2/3 to lug 1); 0 on the knob means the wiper is at lug 1(ie. lugs 2 & 1 are shorted so the entire pot resistance is from lug 2/1 to lug 3). So because the resistance we care for on the tone pot is between lugs 2 & 1and this doesn't change for both wirings, you don't have to change its connections. This will simplify the schematics and the shift between the 2 wirings

[@Owenjamesp84]

Awesome video. I'm definitely going to avoid soldering the lugs straight off to the pot ground. Your tip on using a bit of guitar string or wire is great. I will be trying vintage and then modern to see which i prefer. Good one!

[@robertevans2143]

Excellent video. Clear and to the point.

[@MrBritrider]

Very good video showing very clear instructions on how to wire. Can you please post or somehow send me instructions on how to wire two one lead (hot and braided jacket) humbuckers, one volume, one tone and one three way selector switch and output jack? There is not one drawing on the internet that shows this wiring diagram without leaving out one thing or another to guess at. With yours, no guesses. Would highly appreciate this and I bet others as well. Cheers!

[@martinsavage6838]

Brilliant. Best video I’ve seen on this subject. Now I understand.

[@JoseLuis-ex8ov]

Fantastic !!, the best explained and in a simple way. Thanks