Wiring Diagram

[Fret Shop]

Hi all. I'm looking for a Gibson wiring diagram for a 1979 Gibson ES-335 TD with the factory coil tap.

The bridge pickup only works with the coil tap "on". I'm pretty sure at this point it's a bad pickup (although kind of rare) but I'd like to see a wiring diagram in case I'm missing something. I'm really trying to avoid pulling it all out of the guitar to see how it's wired. If you're thinking it's the coil tap switch, I've already pulled it out and it's working properly, depending on what's wired to it.

Anybody know what pickups these are supposed to be? Nickel covers, the underside is epoxy filled. Two braded wires, one I assume is the two windings, the other the tap.

 Thanks for any help.

[Sgt. Pepper]

4 hours ago, Fret Shop said:

Hi all. I'm looking for a Gibson wiring diagram for a 1979 Gibson ES-335 TD with the factory coil tap.

The bridge pickup only works with the coil tap "on". I'm pretty sure at this point it's a bad pickup (although kind of rare) but I'd like to see a wiring diagram in case I'm missing something. I'm really trying to avoid pulling it all out of the guitar to see how it's wired. If you're thinking it's the coil tap switch, I've already pulled it out and it's working properly, depending on what's wired to it.

Anybody know what pickups these are supposed to be? Nickel covers, the underside is epoxy filled. Two braded wires, one I assume is the two windings, the other the tap.

 Thanks for any help.

Epoxy or wax? Being as it’s a ES there is no control cavity and a joy to work on through the F holes.

[Fret Shop]

On 9/30/2022 at 10:31 PM, Sgt. Pepper said:

Epoxy or wax? Being as it’s a ES there is no control cavity and a joy to work on through the F holes.

Epoxy. Turns out the pickup does have a bad winding. Contacted Lindy Fralin and Tom Brantly. Neither can/will rewind it. Told my customer to find another one on ebay or reverb. Yeah, working through an f-hole is fun. Had the tap switch out and the bridge volume out. I've done it many times. I even have a plywood template made up to wire most of it outside the body. What fun it is.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Fret Shop

[Cannondragger]

On 10/5/2022 at 11:39 AM, Fret Shop said:

Epoxy. Turns out the pickup does have a bad winding. Contacted Lindy Fralin and Tom Brantly. Neither can/will rewind it. Told my customer to find another one on ebay or reverb. Yeah, working through an f-hole is fun. Had the tap switch out and the bridge volume out. I've done it many times. I even have a plywood template made up to wire most of it outside the body. What fun it is.

I have an es120t that has no output. I have done any troubleshooting on it. You wouldn't have any suggestions, per chance? I grew up on electronics and am a bio-equipment technician, just don't want to screw up my 1963 model.  Thanks!

[ksdaddy]

9 hours ago, Cannondragger said:

I have an es120t that has no output. I have done any troubleshooting on it. You wouldn't have any suggestions, per chance? I grew up on electronics and am a bio-equipment technician, just don't want to screw up my 1963 model.  Thanks!

I believe the ES120's electronics are completely contained in that big molded pickguard. Remove it (a few screws), plug it into an amp, and touch both of the leads at the volume control (one at a time). if you get noise through the amp, it's likely the pickup itself. If you are getting a horrific loud hum through the amp while you're touching the volume pot's wires, use that opportunity to roll the volume and tone up and down, to see how the tone reacts. I'me way oversimplifying this cursory assessment and I don't mean to sound condescending, just looking to very simply narrow down the source of 'no signal'. If you're getting the hum and it responds to your knob tweaking, then it's likely the pickup itself. Unsolder the pickup's wires and hook an ohmmeter across them. A single coil could give you anywhere from 4000 ohms to 8000 ohms (typically). If there's a problem with the pickup, you will get a reading of either infinity or zero. I know a person who has rewound many pickups in the past and I can't speak for him as to whether he'd be willing to rewind yours, but if that's the case, I can ask.