How to Wire a Les Paul Guitar

The Classic Sunburst Les Paul

Wiring your guitar isn't something you need to be a pro guitar tech to do, but you must be willing to put some work in. After you know how, you'll be able to swap out pickups and do your own repairs without paying $40 each time.

Things You'll Need

• Soldering iron
• Screwdriver
• Wire, pots or pickups

Instructions

1. Use your screwdriver to open up the back panel of your axe. Be careful not to strip the screws.

2. Depending on your goal, you may want to remove your pickups as well, which is a simple matter of unscrewing the cover plate that surrounds the pickup.

3. It's wise to throw a cloth down over the back of your guitar before pulling out the sharp-edged pots and wires. Also, be careful with the hot soldering iron near the Gibson's finish.

4. 

   Carefully unsolder the piece that you want to remove. Be careful not to apply too much heat, or you risk burning out your pots. See the wiring diagram of a modern Les Paul for guidelines.

5. It's probably best to screw in whatever pots you're installing before soldering them on. This will keep them secure while you work. Bend down the tabs on the new pots so they rest flush, and put in the necessary washers.

6. Reattach the back panel, and once more be careful of the screws. If something is not working right, be sure exposed wiring/solder isn't touching anything conductive.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're hoping to do something more complicated with the wiring, look at the Gibson wiring library for more options.

References

• My Les Paul forums

Resources

• Gibson wiring diagrams
• Gibson forums