Jimmy Page (DIY) 50's Style Mod 

For those who asked - the pickup wire codes for this mod are based on the Seymour Duncan colors.

This video is 10 years old and yet still the best one on this topic. Thank you. 🙏

Nice job! I would just like to warn people....if you are only looking at the full wiring diagram to wire it all up intsead of following the video step by step be sure to not ground the black wire from the neck pickup to the bridge volume pot. In the diagram it looks like it's grounded but it's actually just passing over top of a star ground point.

Thank you. This is the third Jimmy Page wiring instructional I have tried and the first to work!

Just finished the circuit! works to perfection, I just wanted to thank you for putting the time and providing this information.

Great video! To think back to Jimmy Pages time so many years ago... he was a genius. This is a very complex concept. Truly a pioneer and grand experimenter!

Hi Don, I just finished wiring up my guitar for JP 21 tones following your video. Everything works as should, first try. Your instructions were clear and easy to follow - I appreciate your time and work! Thank you!

great job!!!!! your wiring works fantastic! grazie 1000!!!

I wouldn't have done it without this video. Many thanks!

Followed everything and works really good, Thank you!

Followed your video step by step and the schematic works like a charm. You broke it down and made it really easy to follow and get it done. Thanks! My Epi LP is now a true tone machine!

I followed the directions exactly and it totally worked!!!! I’ll post a video of what it sounds like 👍 with Filtertrons and my Epiphone Wildkat.

I did it myself. pay attention to one wire at a time it's pretty simple. just identify your wire, find where it goes and solder it up then move on to the next wire. this is the greatest wiring scheme ever I love the phase shift with coil cut on the neck pickup the most. It allows you to choose which coil you want when your use the coil cut on the neck pickup. I used the serial-broadbucker option for the bridge volume switch that makes all four coils of both pickups serialized into one large pickup. The sound is huge and you can absolutely recognize jimi's tones when you do this on a les paul with good pickups. I love this wiring scheme so much I did the neck portion of it on my superstrat and left the bridge side in typical configuration. cherry pick this diagram for your favorite tones.

Thank You! It worked great. This was my first time wiring a guitar. It took Quite a bit of time, but so worth it!

Hi Fantastic video, thanks for all your hard work: I just used it to upgrade my 'Vintage' LP Paradise that I bought second hand. I got the kit from Allparts which was good (apart from the 3 way switch being to short!)- but the wiring diagram was difficult to fathom. So I just spent the best part of the weekend methodically wiring up using your video. And now its all done: tested it out, and (after 5 mins general sadness as no noise was coming out - until I realised I had to turn the volume pots up), it sounds brilliant - literally. So thanks again for your efforts very much appreciated: You are a Dog amongst Nem or something like that.

I just have to say thank you so much for your videos. they really have helped mu understand the inner workings of my guitars and have now been able to fix two guitars which i couldn't afford to take into my music shop. saved me lots of money!!! Thank you

Followed instructions and diagram,, and it works 100% thank you for this brilliant video.. a happy Les Paul owner I am :)

This wiring diagram... it’s really works!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!! 🙏

Thanks for a great scheme and a superb video. I have built it into my SG Special, with Bourns push pull pots.

Perfect walkthrough, thanks a lot, works well!

Hello Don Thanks a lot for your fast answer and advice. I will try the treble bleed. Thanks Mário

Fantastic mod to get the most out of your guitar .Great video too! This mod was done for Jimmy circa 1985( 'The Firm' era) by Steve Hoyland on Jimmy's seldom used #2 Les Paul...It wasn't anything to do with Led Zeppelin . Those chasing that Les Paul sound,I demo those Pickups on my channel . My knowledge came from Clive Coulson( Jimmy's Right Hand Man) Clive was a customer of my Guitar Shop in New Zealand.

Thanks for the mod, i will try something similar on a strat

Worked great! Was a bit daunting for my first real soldering project, but this video really helped me be successful. Only way it would be better is if you showed the actual soldering!

Great video Don! I did an easier version of this mod to my SG a couple of years ago, but I used Seymour Duncan's Triple Shot rings to ease the pickup selection, leaving only 2 push-pull switches for phase and series/parallel on volumes and standard tone knobs. Cheers, Andre

I'm dizzy, now how again will this get me out of trouble with the wife. I love your videos getting ready to wire up my SG now just reg vintage, I only watch this because I enjoy and had to see everything the J P wiring could do.Thanks

Hi! from UK. I've just found your Video on the Jimmy Page Wiring. Very informative. I was wondering if you could do this with CTS Push/Push Pots with Seymour Duncan Pickups. I realise that this is an old Video, but was hoping that you may have had this question before!

Could you possibly clarify for a number of us. What wiring color convention you are using? Gibson? Dimarzio? EMG? Seymour Duncan? Or any of a number of others. As it is, by stating at the beginning of the tutorial that the wiring is being done for a Les Paul, the assumption would be it's a Gibson wiring schema. Using four conductor Gibson pickups.Alll the different brand pickups seem to use different colors in respects to the termination of the wires on the pickups. For example Gibson Aftermarket pickups use: This wiring convention Red = North Start White = North Finish Green = South Finish Black = South Start Bare wire = Ground Dimarzio pickups use: This wiring convention Red = North Start Black = North Finish White = South Finish Green = South Start Bare wire = Ground Seymour Duncan pickups use: This wiring convention Black = North Start White = North Finish Red = South Finish Green = South Start Bare wire = Ground As you can see, all the big names use different wiring conventions on their pickups. I have a Gibson SG and paid to have the Gibson 1957 humbuckers rewired with four conductor wiring using the Gibson standard color scheme. Also because it's an SG the wiring cavity is pretty shallow, so much so, that I cannot put blobs of solder on the backs of my dpdt push/push switches. So I have to be clever in how my earth wiring is run. Everything that requires an earth has gotten an earth, just a little differnt than your presentation/tutorial. Anyway, so far, using the Gibson wiring color scheme it isn't working. So I am now going to try the Seymour Duncan color scheme. Wish me luck :-)

Sarà una bella avventura saldare tutti questi fili già ne uscirò mezzo esaurito dato e la prima volta che lo faccio uhahahahaha complimenti per la spiegazione molto acurata

Excellent video tutorial

the 'tone master' is Tony Iommi listen to BLACK SABBATHs albums after Master of Reality ! I have never heard those tones done since ! Iommi is the tone master

Thank you so much for your superb tutorial. I am about to put Suhr Thornbuckers into a Epiphone LP Custom Pro. I think the Suhr has the same wiring code as Seymour Duncan's, ... I'll have to measure them anyway to confirm.

Didn't work on my LP. I've played this video and checked and re-checked the wiring 7 times now. I even set it down and walked away for 3 hours and came back to it refreshed. Nothing! Not a sound. Perhaps if I sleep on it and attack it again in the morning? Very frustrated. I had bought a pre-wired Jimmy Page harness online last year. It didn't work out of the box. I looked over their diagram and noticed they missed 2 jumper wires. It sounded great after that, but I didn't like that it would cut out when I had it on the bridge pickup and pulled the tone knob. So I wanted to give this one a shot. Wish it would have worked.

12-11-18 - Between 8:12 and 9:14 in your video (wiring review section), there are some major errors in the narrative and the illustrations you are trying to use under the narrative. The narrative and the illustrations used during the narrative here do not match at all. Starting at 8:03 in the video (reviewing the pickup wirings), the narrative does not match the illustrations. - 8:03 - illustration changes to the bridge pickup wiring page - Narrative at 8:10: "...if we start with the neck pickup..." and starts explaining the neck pickup's wiring >> but uses the bridge pickup wiring illustration - 8:43 - illustration changes to the neck pickup wiring page - Narrative at 8:44 "...Same ting if we look at the neck pickup to ensure we have the right wiring..." - but the narrative starts to discuss the bridge pickup wiring... yet uses the neck pickup illustration in the video under this narrative... continues incorrect narrative/illustration until 9:14 - 9:15, "...and there you have it"... concludes the "review", illustration changes to the completed wiring diagram.

Great vid, but there are a couple of problems. As well as the situation of the black wire from the neck pickup appearing to be ground on the B-vol - (it should just go to the B-vol switch) - from around 8.05 in the commentary you have the pickup names and controls mixed up. Also there seems to be two ground wires from the switch to B-vol (only one required). I hope this helps clarify any confusion.

Awesome. Thanks so much.

Can you do a video on the Jimmy Page No. 2 Les Paul? It has the same wiring plus two more DPDT switches hidden under the pickguard.

thx you for this video, i done it last week, it works and prefer it over the non 50 style jimmy page wiring which i found at SD, and wonder, it seem to be only one master volume ,wonder is it something i can have both 50 style and both volume control for the bridge and the neck ? thx so much

Thanks you answered just below. Thanks man

Pretty awesome diagram, thank you for making this, it really helped me out! I am having a bit of trouble as to my Bridge Tone isn't varying in tone and the Neck Volume just cuts the p/up altogether. Any suggestions Breja ToneWorks?

Following the connections of the diagram illustrated in the video there is one disadvantage: With the series/parallel switch set to series and the 3-way pickup selector in the neck position, the guitar will be silent.

Wiring diagram is top shelf. You went above and beyond and people appreciate that. One question, is it safe for me to assume you used Gibson Pickups for your rewire? Reason I ask is each manufacturer uses a different color code system for their hookup wires (I'm sure that isn't breaking news to you) and I will need to convert the colors to suit my pickups. Thanks for your time and your awesome video.

I am a professional musician Tony Iommi has the same 'tone' It is so much more cumbersome trying to get this 'magic' tone on Gibson style 'double coils' It just makes it unnecessarily difficult don't think I know ? Black Sabbath's first two albums ? done on a Gibson SG with single coil P90s ok I'll tell ya ! 'neck & bridge's OUT OF PHASE you're welcome NIGEL here, rock on

Why? Why Jimmy? WHY!??

Great Job... Thanks so much, I'd be very interested in you new wiring concept... btw I sub'ed

One item that is good to mention is to use linear taper push/pull pots for volume and audio (logrithmic) taper pots for tone. None few times I have used the wrong type (linear) for the tone pots and had little to no sweep in the adjustment of the tone. It was mud at 10 then from about 8 to 1 wide open. I hope this helps!

Hi, very thanks for your video.I used this wiring diagram for my Gibson SG. My guitar included Seymour Duncan SH 2 N and SH 4, 4x CTS push-pull 500K 2x Orange drop 022 caps Beautiful sound, especially out of phase. But I have a little problem with bridge volume and neck tone controls. bridge volume works on 50% and neck tone don't regulated absolutely. Please help me, dear Breja. Thank you!

thanks much for this video. I'm getting close to ripping the pcb wiring out of my 2013 Standard and either doing this or trying to do a 50's style + Peter Green mod. I think this uses regular 50's wiring but replacing the Neck tone with a push/pull to Put the neck and bridge pickups out of phase. I don;t know, however, if this would be series or parallel or how exactly to wire it up.....Have you ever done one of these? The JP is always what I've wanted for all the combos but I really can;t see myself using all these options...... Thanks again.. great info

Holy balls I just did this entire wiring with the dimarzio color code ; ( GG. send condolensces.

So, wait... What happens with the pup selector in the bridge position and only the bridge tone push-pull engaged?

Mother of configurationssss

Thanks for the video, very helpful! Is there a reason for having 2 wires going to the ground lug of the 3 way switch? Unless I'm mistaken, they both go to ground on the bridge volume pot.

Hey awesome video. Like a few others having a few problems getting it to work. Any chance of getting the PDF of the instructions?

So this might be a dumb question, but when you solder the wires to the “top” of the pots, are you talking about the top of the A1,2,3 and b1,2,3 block? If that makes any sense.

I am dying to figure out how to do this wiring but with a master volume control and a true balance control, rather than 2 volume controls. And, note that this must be a true balance control (both inputs at max at "5" detent position, one at 0% & the other at 100% at positions 1 vs 10. I want to do this on a Stratocaster, HSS treating the middle & neck & middle single coil pickups as the two coils of a humbucker...and the middle pickup need not have the capability to reverse its phase, so the wiring would actually being easier, if that's as far as it went, especially since, also, the 5 way switch could be replaces with a 3 way...BUT, again, I insist upon that master volume & balance, NOT 2 volume controls, which I think was stupid from the day it was "invented". I'm not sure if there is such a thing as a push-pull (no load???) balance control, but an added slide switch could be used to substitute for the middle/neck push-pull switching if necessary. Then again, the Strat has 5-way switch rather than 3 position...plus there's the 5-way Super Switch, & even the Freeway 10-position switch, that can be used if necessary. Yes, I know about the 9-way Strat mod (see diagram at 6 String Supplies), that uses 2 P-P pots for the tone controls. But, with there being 20 possible combinations of push, pull & switch positions, it appears there are only those "9 ways", with multiple bridge, middle or neck output combinations. (Or, is the "standard" 9-way mod simply not taking advantage of other possible tone combinations?) Can you tell me if this is possible? If yes, can you help me diagram the wiring?

For anyone who’s really following his instructions word by word. In the end when he’s discussing where the wires from the pickups have to go. He mixed up his instructions for the neck wiring. While showing the bridge wiring diagram, and then he mixed up the instructions for the bridge pickups while showing us the neck pickup diagram. Otherwise the video is 100% correct and his instructions are correct. Just really really confusing when you’re trying to figure out why what he’s talking about doesn’t match up with the diagram on the video. Really confusing especially when you’re up at 5 am. Just wanted to through that out there.

What a great video. I have a question, im using Bourns pots, are the A1 and B1 lugs at the base of the pot or the shaft end of the pot?

awesome! Thanx !

It is better to follow Breja’s words or simply the images? I read in some comments that at a certain point it becomes quite confusing..🥲

Very Cool! You guys have the best DIY vids! I am considering this for a LP 12 string build, but using push push pots and adding a mini humbucker in the center, and would want in phase out of phase, bridge, neck, center....neck, center....bridge, center....and center/mini only options. Is this doable minus adding another switch or pot? TY

I've done these on a few guitars. I always thought it was a nothing-to-lose mod since the guitar isself isn't altered at all. All you are doing is replacing 4 pots and rewiring things a bit. You can always return the guitar to stock....but why bother? With all the pots "down" it's a standard Les Paul. What do you gain? Maybe some lower gain clean tones by splitting the pots. Also you get a lot of interesting "half cocked wah" sounds from the phase inversions. I think all Les Pauls should,be,wired this way from the factory. It only costs Gibson a few extra pennies for different pots. Instead they offer stupid clown color guitars.

Thank You!!!

Another Great video. Could you please do video on a les Paul bypass to bridge mod please? It's the only Gibson one U haven't done. It's the 4 th pull on new les Paul standards u pull it and it bypasses all tones and volumes and goes straight from bridge to output Jack. Thanks

In the full wiring diagram there are two ground wires leaving the switch, one towards the bridge volume and the other to the bridge tone pot. However, it is not needed later in the steps towards the tone pot. What is the right one? Assuming it's not needed, only once to the bridge volume pot, also after checking the two pics, that wire doesn't go to bridge tone, but bridge volume, basically twice, as the bridge volume grounds the bridge tone with the same curve. Please confirm.

Do you have a wiring diagram for this but 3 volume and 1 tone for a 1958 Les Paul black beauty. Or if anyone has something on one. Thanks.

I installed some Donlis alnico 2 with this wiring and it worked amazingly. It was a lot of work though. Here is a post with the wiring info: www.mylespaul.com/threads/jimmy-page-like-wiring-a-tribute-plus-blow-by-blow-wiring-demo-with-photos.265231/

Seeing as manufacturers make their pickups all differently. Which brand of pickups is this specific to? Gibson, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio? I'm just unsure about the north start/finish and south start/finish and if that would affect the wiring. Cheers in advance if you get a chance to answer 👍🏼😁

How do you do this with a Bare Knuckles Black Dog Pick Up? Bare Knuckles says on their website that it goes: Black: Start of Screw coil White: End of Screw coil Red: Start of Slug coil Green: End of Slug coil 920D Says Neck pickup is North Screw South Slug Bridge Pickup is North Slug South Screw

8:20 diagram is mixed up you say to check for wiring the neck pickup and show bridge diagram and vice versa, but anyway it's been of great help thanks for the tutorial.

So what's correct? The diagram or what you're saying? A lot of times they don't match.

Not the neck pickup, it's the bridge pickup an error in the narrative

Great tutorial! Thank you!! Would you recommend adding treble bleeds to these as well? If so would they still go from the L1 to L2 positions? Where is your modern Jimmy Page wiring video, I can't find it. I'll be taking on this project within the next few weeks.

Hi, love your video. Just bought 4 Push/pull pots SPST. Is it possible to achieve this wiring with them or should I get DPDT instead? Thank you. Such a useful video.

I think this is the best guide for the J.P. 21 tone wiring on the internet. I bought some 21 gauge vintage cloth wire for the job but that stuff did not work. What works well is that thin black wire that connects to AC chargers and voltage adapters. I lined the control cavity with self stick copper foil bought on Ebay. This wiring job took 3 days and I only made a couple small mistakes, easily corrected. I did not need to follow the grounding instructions exactly as shown, my guitar has a slightly different grounding scheme that I used. I put paint on the 4 different push pull pots and put scotch tape with marks on the guitars body indicating where each push pull pot was located. I needed a flashlight for close inspection inside the control cavity after soldering. Good quality solder should be used for the job. It might be difficult to ground the pots with cheap solder. I heard Jimmy Page did not use this particular 21 tone setup in Led Zeppelin. This wiring schematic first came out in 1985 from what I heard. While in Zeppelin I heard Page had a hidden switch underneath the pick guard of his Les Paul, so the guitar he used in concert did not have a stock pick up arrangement. This wiring job takes some skill, I would not say it's easy at all since it took me 3 partial days to complete. If you are up to the challenge then I recommend doing it.

I completely understand everything it is going on in the wiring but in a playing situation how the hell can you remember all those different combos don't think I would use it is very interesting though

I am about to attempt this. I've ordered everything i need except, i don't know which capacitors i need.... Help! What are the right capacitors. Iv got SD humbuckers 2 A500k push pulls, 2B500k push pull. A 3 wat toggle, output...... Just need to know the right capacitor.

What if I just want to use my volumes to split the neck each way, and the tones to split the bridge each way? I

I don’t know why anyone would wire a guitar any other way. It’s like buying four more guitars!

There are 2 wires from the selector switch to the bridge ground, @2:07 and @3:37, are both needed?

Old as hell video but on Bridge Volume and Neck Tone engaged, would you not have the south coil (screws) of the bridge? Also, on all four engaged, would you not have the north coil (studs) of the bridge engaged?

G'day there mate. I am about to start building a DIY Guitars SG Kit guitar, and am thinking of using the Vintage tone wiring for one pickup (most likely the brighter neck pup), whilst wiring the other Modern. I play Thrashing, Grinding, Doomy, Blackened Death Metal and want deep, dark & ominous tone for the Death Metal sound, and grating, harsh highs for the black Metal sound. Possibly use the Russian paper & oil caps for the Modern Bridge pickup, and the little round ones for the Vintage Neck pickup. Is this a feeseable option? Will it work? And would it work well, with this Jimmy Page 50's wiring. I love the sound of 21 different pickup tone settings to choose from. And here I was initially thinking I would have only the Volume pots as push/pull switchables, but after viewing this vid, I've fast changed my mind on that! I may possibly add a small two-way toggle switch for each pickup also, a volume bypass switch, for "Strobe Effect" type cutting in & out by just flicking the switch on & off, like on my Yamaha RGX1212S. Thanks HEAPS for your wiring info, you're a huge help. Cheers!

Hi. I don't know if you'll see this, but can someone clarify a point for me?? If the pot is in it's "normal" position (pushed in, knob closest to the body), are A1/A2 and B1/B2 engaged or A2/A3 and B2/B3 engaged according to this wiring scheme? Thank You!

Are the combinations @11:42 and beyond correct ? Why would both pickups be on if the selector switch is set to the Neck position ?

Wondering if I could have a little further clarification regarding the diagram- I am using Bourne's pots and I am wondering as far as the numbering, are the 6 vertical terminals numbered as if I am holding the pot with shaft facing down, or are they numbered as if the shaft is facing up? Same with the 3 horizontal lugs too I suppose, as which way the shaft is facing would affect that as well.

Great presentation, What is Mr.page's favorite tuning

Cut it off completely, just trying to make use of the stock switch provided specifically for split cool, don't want the split option any longer. Thanks

I wired everything exactly how you showed it. Wiring the switch to those spots doesn't do anything but make the pickups sound the same as well as stopping the volume knobs from working. Do you know where I could have gone wrong in this

Hi Breja Toneworks. I have a guitar been build to me last year - a tribute guitar made after single cut specs. I have 3 humbuckers, a 5 way switch and a kill switch ( actually it is a 3 way being used as kill switch) I´d love to really make a "tonemashine" out of this guitar. It is my boyhood dream. Would the Jimmy Page wiring be applicable to 3 pups? I still only have 2 vol and 2 tone pots? the way the 5 way is connected now is: Bridge; bridge- middle; middle; middle - neck; neck.I hope you and maybe others might find my question interesting enough to grab the challange sort of speak.Regards

An awesome tutorial, thank you Breja for that. For a newbie, though, it is still unclear at times. For instance - you are grounding the same toggle switch to the same pot (N-vol) twice. Why?!!!! What am I getting wrong?

Hi! Thank you for this video! Could i ask you why at 4:30 you connect permanently the black and the green wire of the bridge pickup? The Black is the North coil start and the green is the south coil start, of you connect them the whole pickup will be shorted and silent. am I correct? Thank you! Mike

Can i series/parallel/coil split with 2 push pull and 3 way switch ?

I just finished this on my 2007 Epiphone Standard, and all the unique tones work. The problem is, the bridge pickup is only giving about half the output of the neck pickup. I'm pretty new to guitar electronics. Where should I start looking to find the issue? The pickups are the Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers, and they tested at appropriate resistances out of the box.

I love you simplified breakdowns man. This is ymdefinitely your calling. Well done. I have an sg I am rebuilding, with 2 coil splitting volume pots, and two tone pots. Do you have a wiring diagram for this project you could post a link for me on? I'd appreciate it.

I don't get it. According to the explaation in 11:32, with the 3-way switch in the Neck, and the neck volume pulled, I should get only 1 coil of the neck PUP. For that to happen, the black and green wires should be both grounded. There is none of the terminals in the Neck Vol switch going to ground. Either I'm bling after one hour drawing the electrical shcematics or the wiring diagram is messed up.

Please, give as this wiring with Gibson - Epiphone pickups !

Hi I am going to be doing this mod next week when the rest of the parts arrive but I have a quick question. I will be using some NOS Vintage Jensen Caps but I noticed these caps have one end painted red (+)?and one black (-)?. So which ends would go to which lugs? Will I be able to use these caps? Thanks. Love your videos. I have learned so much from them.

Great think , seriously ditto to response as well. Not to Be anal, your " presentation " was a lesson!!

I'm just wondering. When the pot is pushed down (normal), is A2/B2 connected to A1/B1 or A3/B3.

Nice tutorial...thanks, i've done this wiring and i have an issue, maybe? when i pull the neck tone up(all other pots down) with the bridge p.u. or the middle position selected, i get a kind of boost? the neck volume control controls both pickups, the bridge volume does not work at all. bridge tone does work, what is happening? i don't see a tone diagram for this from your 21 tone walk section of your video thanks for your time i am digging the tones i'm getting c

anyone know how to do this without having to choose which coil to split? It all seems a bit of a Pfaff otherwise! I've just got a Les Paul style guitar (aria) which already has push pull coil taps (which sound surprisingly great!) And I just want a Series switch for in between position and phase for the middle too🤞 Cheers!