Les Paul Wiring Diagram

The standard wiring for two humbuckers, a 3-way switch, two volumes and two tones, with both modern and 50s wiring. Our double-humbucker kits with four knobs, including the single cut, FB, Solid-G and semi-hollow styles, use the same circuit.
  • 2 humbuckers
  • 3-way switch
  • 2 volumes, 500K
  • 2 tones, 500K

Modern wiring diagram

Swipe sideways to see the whole diagram.

Modern wiring diagramNeck pickupBridge pickupNeckBridgeCommon3-wayswitch123VolumeNeck500K B123ToneNeck500K A123VolumeBridge500K B123ToneBridge500K ACapCapOutputjackTipSleeveBridge ground: bridge studShared ground: one connection, usually the back of the volume pot
  • Hot (signal)
  • Ground
  • Tone capacitor, typically 0.022–0.047 µF

Pots are shown from the back, with the lugs on top and numbered 1 to 3. All four pots are 500K, B for the volumes and A for the tones. With the switch in the middle, turning one volume to zero silences the whole guitar. That is normal for this circuit. Wires in your guitar may not match the red and black used here, so follow what each wire does. The order of the lugs varies between switch makers, so check yours with a multimeter before soldering.

Left-handed guitar? The circuit is the same: only the positions of the parts change.

Les Paul wiring diagram: two humbuckers, 3-way switch, two 500K volumes and two 500K tonesOpen the diagram as an image

What each switch position does

PositionPickups onTone control connected
1: BridgeBridgeBridge tone
2: Bridge + neckBridge and neckNeck tone and Bridge tone
3: NeckNeckNeck tone

50s wiring diagram

Swipe sideways to see the whole diagram.

50s wiring diagramNeck pickupBridge pickupNeckBridgeCommon3-wayswitch123VolumeNeck500K B123ToneNeck500K A123VolumeBridge500K B123ToneBridge500K ACapCapOutputjackTipSleeveBridge ground: bridge studShared ground: one connection, usually the back of the volume pot
  • Hot (signal)
  • Ground
  • Tone capacitor, typically 0.022–0.047 µF

Pots are shown from the back, with the lugs on top and numbered 1 to 3. All four pots are 500K, B for the volumes and A for the tones. Only the tone section changes: each capacitor goes from the volume’s output (lug 2) to the middle lug of its tone pot, and lug 1 of the tone pot goes to its back. This keeps more treble as you turn the volume down, but the volume and tone controls affect each other more. Wires in your guitar may not match the red and black used here, so follow what each wire does. The order of the lugs varies between switch makers, so check yours with a multimeter before soldering.

Left-handed guitar? The circuit is the same: only the positions of the parts change.

Les Paul wiring diagram: two humbuckers, 3-way switch, two 500K volumes and two 500K tonesOpen the diagram as an image

What each switch position does

PositionPickups onTone control connected
1: BridgeBridgeBridge tone
2: Bridge + neckBridge and neckNeck tone and Bridge tone
3: NeckNeckNeck tone

How a two-humbucker kit plugs together

Our two-humbucker kits with four knobs are solderless. The pots and switch come pre-wired in groups, with plugs between them. Wires can look different from batch to batch, so follow what each lead connects to.
How a two-humbucker kit plugs together: pickups to volume pots, volume pots to switch, switch to output jack, and a ground wire under a bridge screw or studNeck pickupNeck volumelead1Bridge pickupBridge volumelead2Neck volumeleadSwitch3Bridge volumeleadSwitch4SwitchOutput jack5Ground wire: under a bridgescrew or stud, no solder6How a two-humbucker kit plugs together: pickups to volume pots, volume pots to switch, switch to output jack, and a ground wire under a bridge screw or studNeck pickupNeck volumelead1Bridge pickupBridge volumelead2Neck volumeleadSwitch3Bridge volumeleadSwitch4SwitchOutput jack5Ground wire: under a bridgescrew or stud, no solder6
  1. Connect the pickups. Push each pickup plug into the plug on the lead from its volume pot.
  2. Connect the switch. Push the two leads from the volume pots into the two matching leads from the switch.
  3. Connect the jack. Push the jack lead into the third lead from the switch.
  4. Attach the ground wire. Fix the remaining ground wire under a bridge screw or stud. No soldering needed.
  5. Test before closing. Plug into an amp and gently tap each pickup with a screwdriver in each switch position.
Electronics of a two-humbucker kit: two pickups, four pots, 3-way switch, output jack and red plugs
The electronics of a two-humbucker kit, with the red plugs. The wires in your kit may look different.

Parts for this wiring

Need help?

No sound or a loud hum? See our wiring and electronics answers, or read how to wire a guitar. Spotted a mistake in this diagram? Please tell us. See all wiring diagrams.

Les Paul is a trademark of its owner. The Guitar Fabrik is not affiliated with or endorsed by the trademark owner. The name is used only to describe the wiring layout.