Pre-Wired Guitar wiring harness | 50s Les Paul 'Long Shaft' kit | Right Handed

Please use the tabs below to read through the information about this Pre-Wired harness kit. From a run down of what the kit does, to important fitting information and full specs.

Order times

I usually make harnesses to order, due to the variety of spec options that could be chosen across the whole range. The current turnaround time for a harness orders is around 5-7 working days depending on quantity of orders in at the time and your order will be updated accordingly when it is dispatched. This turnaround time doesn't include the transit time. Thanks for your patience whilst I get your harness made!

Model Description

For my Les Paul kits I wanted to be respectful of the traditional aspects of the guitar that so many people love, bringing the best out of the iconic Gibson design. After offering a variety of specs over the years, I have found that traditional 50s style wiring has proved to be the most popular and that's the kit/spec you're looking at here. 50's wiring refers to how the volume and tone pots are wired together via the tone capacitor. With traditional 50s style wiring the tone capacitor is soldered between the central output lug of the volume pot, and the 'input' lug of the tone pot, whilst the central lug of the tone pot is soldered to ground. What many players find this does is 'improve' the interaction between all the controls for a more responsive and intuitive playing experience. Ultimately of course, this is subjective and whether this is right for you is only for you to decide. This wiring style was the standard install for Les Pauls made up until around 1962, so if you're hoping to wire your guitar true to the 'golden era' specs, then this is the wiring style for you. I will note that with 50s style wiring, you will have a very minor volume drop when rolling down the tone pots, this is the nature of the circuit. But conversly, you will retain a little more top end when rolling down the volume, think of it as the circuits 'natural' treble bleed mod so to speak. These are often things that make this a very popular wiring style, but they're things to consider as to whether it's right for you. If you want predictability, no volume drop when using the tone etc, then I would perhaps instead recommend modern wiring with treble bleeds, just a note anyway.
This kit is made with high quality components and a few spec choices which I hope to help the install process that little bit easier. 

Product Options

With or without the toggle harness?
This ultimately comes down to your requirements for the work being carried out. If you're happy with the quality or condition of your existing toggle switch and jack, then you can simply order the pots only section of the harness meaning you can use your existing toggle switch and jack. But if you feel the quality or condition of your existing switch or jack isn't up to the job, then I also offer Les Paul harnesses as a complete kit including a new pre wired Switchcraft toggle switch and Pure Tone Multi contact jack socket. This kit uses a Switchcraft short frame 3 way toggle, and I have chosen those because they will fit a broader range of Les Paul models but also they feature a longer mounting thread length removing the need for an additional extended knurled nut. The pre-wired switch as standard is wired with traditional Gavitt braided wire, and they come with each wire colour coded to help with install. 
Red heat shrink wire - To neck volume pot
Yellow heat shrink wire - To bridge volume pot
Green heat shrink wire - To jack socket

.01uF or .022uF neck position tone cap value?
Troubled by a dark sounding neck pickup? Well it's not totally un-common with Gibson type guitars or humbuckers in general so don't worry, you have some ways in which it can be improved. Although the standard spec harness will I'm sure help the pickup breathe and is ultimately the most popular spec choice, I now also with the choice of a .01uF value cap in the neck position instead to help clear up a darker sounding neck pickup. The difference is subtle but sometimes every little helps when fixing a muddy pickup position.
This is very much personal choice and/or how you are finding the balance between the neck and bridge pickup currently.  The main thing to consider is whether you feel your neck pickup is too dark/muddy compared to the bridge pickup. If it is and you want to try and help brighten it up a little, then a .01uF value cap in that position may be useful to you. If you like how your neck pickup sounds, then stick with a .022uF! It's the most popular choice and the 'go-to' cap value for most P90s and Humbuckers generally.

Fitting Information

I have intended for my wiring harnesses to be as simple as possible to install to your Les Paul, as well as writing in depth general fitting guides and simple to follow wiring diagrams for each wiring style. There are also multiple useful how-to guides regarding wiring work found HERE too. But in this section you'll find some important fitting notes that will hopefully help you assess whether the kit is suitable for your exact Les Paul or what is required to allow it to fit correctly.

Can I fit this kit myself?
This ultimately comes down to whether you own the equipment needed to correctly and safely install the kit, or how comfortable you feel working on your own guitar. I do feel that installing a pre-wired guitar harness is do-able for many guitarists but only if the correct tools are used and care is taken to ensure you do not damage the kit, your guitar or yourself! There are detailed installation guides here on my website, as well as simple to follow wiring diagrams all to help make the process as easy as possible and in my experience, these have helped thousands of my customers carry out their own install. But if for any reason you have concerns about fitting the kit yourself which is entirely understandable, then I'm sure you'll agree that it is likely best to have a professional fit the kit and help ensure your purchased kit, and your beloved guitar are both looked after and worked on correctly. 
If you are local to me (Stourbridge, West Midlands) I take on guitar work no problem at all so will certainly be able to help install your Signature Series harness. 

Will the pots/jack/switch fit my LP body and jack plate?
The components I use in my Signature Series wiring kits are for the most part, USA imperial specification. If you're fitting this harness to a far east built guitar such as a Epiphone or similar brand, then you may have to widen the holes in the body to accommodate for these imperial measurement pots. The CTS pots have a mounting thread shaft diameter of 0.369" / 9.38mm so I recommend for ease of install a body mouting hole with 0.394" / 10mm diameter. You can widen the holes in the body and I recommend doing this safely with a step cutter drill bit. I also offer this as a service so if you would like me to widen your Les Paul body for you, do please get in touch and we can organise this additionally if you are local of course.
The jack socket I use in the full kit again is imperial specification, the outer thread diameter measures 0.367" / 9.32mm and ideally requires a 0.394" / 10mm hole to comfortably mount to the jack plate on Les Pauls. The Switchcraft toggle switch has a mounting thread diameter of 0.462" / 11.75mm so ideally needs a 0.472" / 12mm hole to comfortably mount.

If you’re buying this kit for a USA made Les Paul, then should be a direct, no modifications install process for you. 

Centre of neck volume pot and neck tone pot - 62mm
Centre of neck tone pot and bridge tone pot - 48mm
Centre of bridge volume pot and bridge tone pot - 61mm
These measurements were taken from a Genuine USA Gibson Les Paul, but as you may well know, Gibson are well known for their transitional changes, let alone the potential differences between USA and far east built Les Pauls. So! With my Les Paul pre-wired kits I do allow for as much 'give' in the wire lengths between components as comfortably possible to allow for small differences so there is some wiggle room for installation, it's not a 'fixed' measurement by any means. If these measurements are massively different to your guitar though, just let me know the precise centre to centre measurements on yours and I will make it to suit that no problem at all.

Long shaft pots
This kit features long shaft pots which ultimately will fit all variants of Les Paul. They're made to suit thicker carved tops which were on Gibson Les Paul Standard, Faded, Classic, Studio, Traditional, 50s & 60s Tributes, Historic '68 Custom RI, 1977 to current Customs, 1977 to Deluxe & 1977 to 1982 Pro..for example! If you're not sure which model, or spec you have, feel free to send me an e-mail with a clear and detailed photo of the guitars control cavity and I should be able to identify whether you need long or short shaft pots. 
If you're at all unsure of which pot spec you need, a simple way to look at it is that long shaft pots will fit all variants, short shaft will only fit specific models.

What control knobs will fit?
The kit uses CTS Split shaft pots which have a adjustable split shaft diameter of 5.95mm w/ 24 splines. You will need control knobs that suit these measurements.
Do not attempt to force fit smaller, metric/import spec control knobs onto the imperial USA spec pots, doing this can damage the pot.

If you do require a US spec control knobs, I do carry a selection of popular options in stock and they can be viewed in the Control Knob category on the store.

Which switch tip will fit?
Much like with the control knobs, the Switchcraft switch used in this kit is USA spec, with imperial thread sizes. Therefore you need a switch tip which will fit a Switchcraft switch, with an imperial thread pattern.

If you do require a US spec switch tip, I do carry a selection of popular options in stock and they can be viewed in the Switch Tips category on the store.

Grounding/shielding
As standard I pre-solder a ground wire between the pots for guaranteed ground continuity on your pre-wired kit. If by chance you already have effective copper shielding across the cavity, or a aluminium shielding plate for example that will provide you with sufficient ground continuity, then let me know prior to ordering and I will leave these standard ground wires off as to not introduce a ground loop upon installation.

Specs/Parts included

Pots only kit
- 4x CTS '450' Series +/-10% Tolerance long shaft pots - 500k split shaft
- 2x .022uF 'Yellow Mustard' type tone capacitor, or
- if the .01uF value cap option chosen, you will receive x1 .01uF 'Yellow Mustard' type tone cap and x1022uF 'Yellow Mustard' type tone capacitor
- 20AWG Tinned copper ground
- Soldered using R-Tech Premium Lead-Free (Sn95.5Ag3.9Cu0.6) 22swg Solder wire 
RoHS Compliant
- For optional treble bleed - It will be a ceramic .001uF cap with a carbon film 120kOhm resistor parallel wired.

Please note - wiring kit does not include new control knobs/switch tip but does include the pot/jack mounting nuts and washers and switch mounting nut.

Full kit including pre-wired toggle and jack
- As above
- Switchcraft Short Frame 3 way toggle switch (Nickel)
- Pure Tone multi contact jack socket (Nickel)
- Gavitt Braided 22AWG wire
- 20AWG Tinned copper ground
- Soldered using R-Tech Premium Lead-Free (Sn95.5Ag3.9Cu0.6) 22swg Solder wire 
RoHS Compliant

Need a gold toggle and jack socket? I make those too! Simply choose the pots only section on this listing, and then add THIS gold pre-wired toggle to your cart

Why these spec parts over others available?
Simply put, component choice has been one of the most important parts of my product development. I have worked on guitars for many years, and built these kits professionally since 2015, and as a result have been able to see and experience working on the majority of components available on the market. In my findings, A/B testing and more, I have found the components I decided on for my Signature Series to be the most reliable, best tolerance and great functioning parts to use to help customers get the most out of their instruments. I use CTS '450' series premium spec pots as they have a tight tolerance, and will consistently provide me with accurate value, as well as very solid build quality. I use trusty 'Mustard' style polyester film 'tone' capacitors as in my opinion they simply can't be beat for great value, solid construction, solid lead-outs, super tight tolerances and reliable tone/function. I would personally much rather use a trusty Mustard for example over something like a paper in oil, as from experience that are so much more reliable to use. This is from carrying out a lot of A/B testing, both tonally, as well as armed with the multi-meter for testing values and actual tolerances, as well as handling them to test construction quality for long lasting reliability in use. I use the brilliant 'Pure Tone' Multi Contact Jack sockets as they are incredibly reliable, due to their additional contact points for both tip and sleeve. I use CRL, Oak and Switchcraft brand switches across the range as these are built very well, with care will last for many years to come and have long since provided me with reliable use professionally. All kits are wired up with quality USA made Gavitt wire, it's great to work with, super consistent gauge and provides me with a very reliable quality item for my kits. I totally understand that with anything guitar, it is subjective, but I have, with an open mind, thoroughly tested a broad variety of components over the years and these have all become the items I trust to use every day. 

Harness FAQ's

I've been proudly making, developing and installing my pre-wired guitar harnesses since the beginning of the Home of Tone back in 2015 (time flies when you're having fun right!). Although I feel I do my best in covering as much information as possible across the various product listings, fitting guides, wiring diagrams and more, I thought it might be helpful to put together an FAQ's page that covers some of the general additional questions I get asked. You can view these Harness FAQ's HERE

'Ground Bug' deal!

Looking forward to installing your new wiring, but a little worried about making the ground connections to the pot casings? First time soldering and hear the horror stories of frying pots, or just simply want to neaten up your installs? Then the awesome 'Ground Bug' will help with any of these concerns, beginner or pro modders alike. The Ground Bug is a pot washer that fits between the pot casing and the pickguard/body and has a number of lugs (much like with the main signal connections on the pot for example) to which you can very easily solder your ground wire connections too. Completely removing the worry and risk of soldering a pot casing, something I know many guitarists complain about having to learn to do. 
I have been stocking Ground Bugs for a while, and they really are the perfect match for a pre-wired harness as they further help you with your installs. So I have set up a 10% off Ground Bug deals when purchased with a Home of Tone Signature Series pre-wired harness. This is an automatic discount code, so all you need to have is a Signature Series kit, and a Ground bug in your cart, and the discount will automatically be applied to the bug for you! On a typical Les Paul wiring install, I would recommend x2 Ground bugs, one for each volume pot so you can make all of the relevant ground solder connections to each volume. None should be required to make on your tone pots. Hope this helps! Click HERE to view the Ground Bug listing

Do you make custom harnesses?

I'm afraid I do not offer a custom harness service. Only kits developed, tested and listed on my website are the available kits. So no custom schematics etc. If you happen to be local to my office, then I do carry out custom work in house, but in regards to shipped out pre-wired harnesses I do not offer custom kits. I am however happy to use different pot values or cap values within reason if you have a specific requirement that differs to the specs listed above. If this is relevant to yourself then please get in touch to discuss further to ensure the request is possible.