S-500 wiring question

I have a S-500 purchased new in 1994. I was taking the pick guard off to clean the volume control and off course a wire came off. Right under the volume knob is the brass plate and there is a red wire that is attached to the plate, and now the other end is free. I have a couple guesses where it might go, but there are just guesses. Can anyone tell me exactly where it goes.

I did do a search here first and looked at the pdf's at the G&L site, but didn't find my answer. There are a couple of pdf's labeled S-500, but they didn't have my answer.

Thanks in advance for any insite.

I think you will find that the brass plate is a shield and a common ground. The wire could possibly or should be be connected to the volume casing. Or it could possibly go to the common on the input.

Last edited by pacrat1340 on Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

I checked the schematics for the S-500, and the drawing for the old style S-500 shows the brass plate with 2 wires connected to it. One wire connected to the common terminal on the input, and the other connected to the bridge. However, both wires are shown as being black. Some of the components on the drawing are hard to read because it is not a very clear drawing.

The new drawing does not show colors except for the PU's. And it does not show a brass plate. Just make sure that the vol. pot casing is grounded at some point.

Thanks for the reply. I too looked at the S-500 schematic and it didn't make sense to me either. I can tell you the wire is definitely red and there is definitely only one attached to the brass plate. I did not mention in my initial post that on the back of the volume pot is a piece of solder with nothing attached to it. My first guess is that is where this mystery wire goes. Even makes me think more so with your comment above about "making sure the volume pot casting is grounded" At this point I don't think it is...and it seems to me that loose wire would be the ground?

pacrat1340....thanks for taking the time to not only write back, but even look at the schematic.

Thanks for the reply. I too looked at the S-500 schematic and it didn't make sense to me either. I can tell you the wire is definitely red and there is definitely only one attached to the brass plate. I did not mention in my initial post that on the back of the volume pot is a piece of solder with nothing attached to it. My first guess is that is where this mystery wire goes. Even makes me think more so with your comment above about "making sure the volume pot casting is grounded" At this point I don't think it is...and it seems to me that loose wire would be the ground?

pacrat1340....thanks for taking the time to not only write back, but even look at the schematic.

I think that is a good guess that the loose red wire should be attached to the volume pot where there is solder but no wire.
There is not way to tell whether the previous owner did a wire color substitute or it left the factory that way.

Let us know how it works out.