Thanks for visiting Mojo Shout! Today I am upgrading a newer 2012 Epiphone Dot Pro with a prewired Mojotone ES-335 wiring kit. The guitar is stripped of it’s old electronics and ready to go. This customer wanted to do away with the push-pull potentiometers and go with something more traditional using the highest quality components. The Mojo wiring kit definitely fits the bill. There are just few things I need to do before I get started so lets take a look and see.
First I need to enlarge the holes to fit the beefier CTS potentiometers and Switchcraft switch. I like to use a stepped drill bit for this job. It cleanly drills the holes to the exact size in just a matter of seconds without any chipping or tearing. 3/8” for the CTS pots and 1/2” for the Switchcraft toggle switch.
Next I am installing some new humbucker pickups into the guitar. I make sure to feed the lead wires out of the F-hole of the guitar. It’s very important to remove the pickguard from the guitar so you have complete access through the F-hole. Tip: Label the neck and bridge pickup lead wires with a piece of masking tape so you won’t wire them backwards to the assembly.
Now I have my ground wire, pickup leads, and my homemade input jack puller through the f-hole and ready to connect to the assembly. My input jack puller is a modified guitar cable with only the 1/4” plug attached to the cable. This will allow me to plug into the jack, pull it through, and slide a nut and washer over to secure it in place.
I tied some cotton string around the split shaft of both tone pots so I can pull them through without too much trouble. I don’t tie strings on the switch or volume pots since they are close enough to the f-hole for me to use my fingers to guide them into place.
Now the fun begins… First I need to solder the bridge ground wire to the outside of the neck pickup volume pot. Then I solder the neck pickup and bridge pickup leads to the assembly. I use a micro fiber polishing cloth to protect the finish while I work outside of the f-holes on the face of the guitar.
After making all of the necessary solder connections, I need to install the assembly through the f-hole. I plug the jack puller into the jack, and pull it through the f-hole first. Then I follow with the switch, volumes, and tones. You have to work the pots in at an angle through the widest part of the f-hole. Be careful not to damage the finish around the f-hole. Tip: Plug the assembly in and make sure everything works before installing it!
Once I have everything through the f-hole and into the guitar, I can start lining everything up to the correct hole. I use a wooden dowel to poke and prod the assembly to the right spot. I pull the jack through first and secure it with a nut and washer. Then I use my fingers to push the switch and volume pots through the holes and secure them with a nut and washer.
Finally I need to pull the tone pots through using the attached strings. To get the strings through the holes, I use a paper clip bent open with a hook on one end to fish the strings out. Once the strings are through, I pull the pots to the holes, and grab them with needle nose pliers to pull them through. Tip: Cut the excess string at the knot flush so it won’t get pinched in the hole while pulling the string through.
Now that all of the electronics are installed and working, I can install some new Mojo US spec guitar knobs and our switch tip. Mojo knobs fit 24 knurl CTS pots perfectly. I line up the numbers to the pointer washers so 0 and 10 land on the point. I push them on carefully and make sure they are seated straight. Tip: Always support the pot with your finger from the inside of the f-hole on the bridge pickup volume control when pushing the knob on. This part of the f-hole is very weak because it has very little support.
And we’re done! It sounds amazing and what huge improvement from the stock electronics. Another really happy customer. Please visit www.mojotone.com and check back again soon for more great tech tips and information!
David Shepherd (Guitar Parts Manager)
