Gibson Les Paul Wiring Information

[CPH5000]

Hello.

Long time lurker; first time poster.

I bought a secondhand Gibson Les Paul 2013 from a seller on eBay. About 6 months after having it I decided to try it out and discovered somebody had replaced the original pickups with active pickups. I don't like active pickups and I'd like to return the bass to its original state. I obviously left it too long to contact the seller and as there was no mention of the change in the eBay description the seller may not have been aware that the bass was not meant to be configured that way.

Does anyone have information such as schematics or a wire diagram of how it should be? Also, which Gibson part numbers do I need to put it right?

Many thanks!

 

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

Posting pictures of the bass in question and electronics cavity as it stands right now would help.

Other than that, if it's really a standard 2013 LP model, the wiring scheme is the same as for a conventional Les Paul guitar. I, for one, would like to see what pickups are in there right now in order to possibly offer a suggestion on replacing them.

Good luck.

 

[CPH5000]

Many thanks for the prompt response.

I thought I should have posted photos as soon as I clicked "post new thread". The bass is buried away at the minute but I'll dust it off and get some photos.

I already think I've described it completely wrong so I think some photos will help! Thanks again.

 

[Tbone76]

I can’t help with the wiring, unfortunately, but some Les Paul Basses did come with active electronics stock from Gibson. Are you sure they aren’t the originals? Also, some Les Paul Basses have 2 pups with the traditional selector switch, while others do not, so pics will definitely help the TB’ers here get your bass diagnosed. Perhaps @godofthunder59 will be able to assist you. He’s definitely knowledgeable on Gibby’s.

 

[ajkula66]

some Les Paul Basses did come with active electronics stock from Gibson.

This is exactly why I asked for the pictures. An entire generation of '90s Les Paul basses came with active Barts.

 

[Tbone76]

This is exactly why I asked for the pictures. An entire generation of '90s Les Paul basses came with active Barts.

Yup. I had a used one (ordered from GC’s website) for about a day, and the electronics were horribly botched up. Sounded thunderous, but crazy noisy. That was the least of it’s problems (prior owner didn’t disclose they had routed the slab body to look like it was contoured, and they repainted it with copper spraypaint, but I don’t want to derail the OP’s thread!).

 

[CPH5000]

Thanks everyone.

Here are some photos of the insides. Between my friend and I we have owned (and sold some) about 35 Epiphone, Gibson, and Rickerbacker bass and guitars and we've never had anything which requires a 9v volt battery which is why I'm confused. And there isn't a lot of information out there on this particular model that I can see, so I thought I'd come to the experts.

This bass was listed as a 2013 model but I've checked the serial number since my first post on here and it's actually a 1998 model, so that may help in working this out. The serial number is 90698802. This is the most time I've spent with this bass since having it. I do love the model - I bought it because I had an Epiphone LP bass in the early 2000s and I loved that, I just want to make sure it's right.

Here in the UK, there were a few new ones on sale a few years ago. I contacted the retailers and played dumb and asked: "I'm just checking that this bass does not require a 9v battery in the elcetronics?" And they all replied that it didn't, which is why I was sure my bass was wrong.

Thanks.

 

[ajkula66]

That's a Bartolini pre-amp in there, hence the need for the 9V battery.

I can't really see the pickups in that first picture all that well, they may or may not be the original ones. My hunch is that they are.

It shouldn't be all that difficult to reverse the mod by taking the pre-amp out.

 

[CPH5000]

Yes, I believe the pickups are original - I was incorrect with my terminology.

But am I correct that the pre-amp is not a part of the original model? I'm not going mad am I?

 

[ajkula66]

But am I correct that the pre-amp is not a part of the original model?

You are indeed.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

There's a 1990 one on reverb which refers to the "factory fitted Bartolini preamp" - I'd say that's what you've got, and I'd leave it as is if it were mine...

Gibson Les Paul Bass, Cherry, USA 1990, Active, Hard Case | String Switch Noise | Reverb

 

[ajkula66]

There's a 1990 one on reverb which refers to the "factory fitted Bartolini preamp" - I'd say that's what you've got, and I'd leave it as is if it were mine...

Gibson Les Paul Bass, Cherry, USA 1990, Active, Hard Case | String Switch Noise | Reverb

That's an entirely different instrument altogether.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

That's an entirely different instrument altogether.

The key information is "factory-fitted Bartolini preamp".

 

[Gemtone]

Hello.

Long time lurker; first time poster.

I bought a secondhand Gibson Les Paul 2013 from a seller on eBay. About 6 months after having it I decided to try it out and discovered somebody had replaced the original pickups with active pickups. I don't like active pickups and I'd like to return the bass to its original state. I obviously left it too long to contact the seller and as there was no mention of the change in the eBay description the seller may not have been aware that the bass was not meant to be configured that way.

Does anyone have information such as schematics or a wire diagram of how it should be? Also, which Gibson part numbers do I need to put it right?

Many thanks!

I have a LP bass that looks just like yours. Mine has the humbuckers that are made for the Thunderbird bass, and it is wired up just like a LP guitar. It has the best definition of tone. The bridge pickup is jazzier than most fenders.... just sayin... Some of the earlier production models came with active electronics/pickups, but not the last run, which this is one of. (you can send pictures to Bob.Burns at gibson and he can confirm what it left the factory with).

 

[ajkula66]

The key information is "factory-fitted Bartolini preamp".

That was the standard on that generation of basses - along with Bartolini pickups on many of them - but is not applicable to OP's bass.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

That was the standard on that generation of basses - along with Bartolini pickups on many of them - but is not applicable to OP's bass.

Oh I'm sorry, I had no idea I was talking to Gibson themselves.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Here's a "standard" Les Paul wiring diagram from Seymour Duncan's site: The bass should wire up the same way.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

This appears to be an example of factory fitted Bartolini preamp wiring from the late 90s... it does actually look a lot neater than that in the OP's instrument.

 

[ajkula66]

Oh I'm sorry, I had no idea I was talking to Gibson themselves.

You're not. But you are talking to someone who has owned and worked on hundreds - possibly more - of Gibbies of all kinds over the past 40 years.

 

[CPH5000]

Thanks for all the responses.

Based on my limited experience of Gibson and Epiphone solid body basses and guitars, I'd be very surprised if this addition was original.

I can't find any reference in any literature to these basses having a factory-installed preamp.

I've emailed Gibson for some assistance so will let you know what I hear.

But I really appreciate all the help so far.