Les Paul - Missing Ground Wire from Pot to Bridge Post

[Toopy14]

I bought a 2010 Les Paul Traditional, Goldtop. I'm in the process of changing the Kluson's to locking Grover's and filling the unused screw holes on the back of the headstock. I'm also swapping out the electronics, ie., caps., 300k pots to 500k,+/- 9%, audio taper pots, etc. No idea why they use 300k volume pots on Humbucker's.

I noticed however, that the ground wire going from one of the pots to the bridge post is missing. Luckily, the hole is there. Problem is, I can't pull the bushing without damaging the finish/paint so I can get the wire under it. I was thinking of getting some mildly rigid wire and coiling it like a spring, then solder the other end to the pot so the coiled end always pushes on the bushing. Any other ideas?

Not impressed with Gibson's finish work, shoddy interior routing, shoddy finish work near the edge of the access holes and a missing ground wire, rough fret board. You would think with what they cost, they would pay a little more attention to detail. Any one else experience anything like this, in particular the missing ground wire? It's in my 87 LPC.

 

[Musikron]

Your coil idea will not work, you need a solid connection. Pull the bushing. If thats above your pay grade (no shame in that) either take it to a tech and have them do it, or buy the right tool for the job and do it yourself. http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tool...bmrpbuVFUv67cL-rzoKtHHe1nXr1XGIUO2hoCnCvw_wcB

 

[Toopy14]

Pulling the bushing out is not a problem. All you need to do is put a small 1" screw in the hole, then use the threaded bridge screw. As the bridge screw goes in, it pushes on the screw inside and pops the bushing out.



The issue, as I mentioned, is that the finish is over the bushing and as it comes out, the finish starts to crack. The finish is like a heat shrunk piece of plastic, so as it comes up it will start to spread like a fault line. Ideally, I need to cut the finish around the bushing without damaging the surrounding finish/paint. I might be able to do it with an Exacto knife.

 

[mwd]

No idea why they use 300k volume pots on Humbucker's.

Lot's of folks wind up reinstalling the 300k pots because the 500k were too bright. It's a personal preference thing. I re-aquired my 77 LP and it had 300k pots and sounded fantastic (especially thru my XL). The wiring was messed up so I ordered a harness from New Zealand that uses 500k. Still sounds fantastic... but not better.

 

[Toopy14]

Lot's of folks wind up reinstalling the 300k pots because the 500k were too bright. It's a personal preference thing.

Very true.

My 87 LPC had 250k pots and it sounded like there was a blanket over my guitar. I replaced them with 550k pots and it sounds great, lots of tone control too.

 

[Musikron]

Heat the bushing first with a soldering iron. Let it cool then pull it. If you've already cracked the finish, it's hooped and you'll need to repair that area anyway

 

[Toopy14]

Heat the bushing first with a soldering iron. Let it cool then pull it. If you've already cracked the finish, it's hooped and you'll need to repair that area anyway

That's an interesting idea, I'll give it a try. The finish should be okay, I stopped before it did any damage.

So is that ground wire just sitting under the bushing? If so, I only need to raise it a bit, slide the wire in and under it, then tap the bushing back in.

 

[Musikron]

Between the bushing and sidewall of the hole.

 

[coldstar]

I've pulled bridge bushings with a folded up towel and a claw hammer before

Have you considered pouring a bit of conductive glue in the hole and then jamming the wire in? Seem like it would probably work, and doesn't require pulling the bushing.

Amazon product ASIN B000Z9H7ZW

 

[Toopy14]

I got the bushing out using the screw technique in the video I posted. I cut the finish around the edge of the bushing using one of these;

 

[Toopy14]

Does anyone know what the coiled wire/metal is for at the bottom of the bushing hole? It doesn't go anywhere and it's not the wire that goes through the hole to the pot cavity. As you can see, that hole is higher up and there's nothing in there.

 

[Toopy14]

Here are some pics of my Kluson to Locking Grover replacement project. I sanded the finish down so I could get rid of the marks left by the Kluson's and to smooth out the plugs. I used Varathane because I didn't think I could buy Nitro in Canada and although it turned out well, I found a local cabinet company than can get me some Nitro, so I'm going to redo the finish on the back of the headstock in the near future.