1979 SG Exclusive Wiring with Coil Tap

[bmtorres63]

I would like to ask for assistance in obtaing the wiring schematic for the 1979 SG Exclusive.. even some detailed pictures of the control cavity would be great. It originaly came with a 6 position rotary coil tap in the neck tone location. it had a single volume and 2 tone controls. I could call Gibson but not sure if they can be of help right now. I reacquired the same SG that I sold 7 years ago yesterday.. the same one I orginally purchased in 1984. I have the original creme T Top pickups as well. Thanks for any assistance!

 

[Bad Penguin]

The closest I found, and own, is the L6s wiring diagram from Gibson.
http://archive.gibson.com/Files/schematics/L6-S.PDF
IS it a 6 way switch?
And yes, might as well try to contact Gibson. They might be able to help.
http://archive.gibson.com/Service/Tech/Schematics/

 

[cerebral gasket]

i always wanted a 1979 SG Exclusive, but never got one, so I got my fix with something similar to it recently...

That's great you found your SG and reclaimed it. I know that the 1979 SG Exclusive had coil splits as stock wiring. Are you trying to restore it back to original? Why not just wire it as a regular dual humbucker configuration without coil splits and treat yourself to a second SG equipped with P-90's?

 

[PermissionToLand]

I have always loved the Exclusive since I first heard of them. In fact, it inspired me to put a cream pickguard and rings on my SG. I had no clue they came with a coil tap though. I'd love to see some pics!

 

[Relic61]

I sort of got pulled into this by my curiosity, penchant for Gibson innovation & history & maybe if I'm honest a little late night boredom. But now not only am I glad I did but I can't help but comment...
Boy, what a strange way they had of getting the ol coil split job done back in '79 eh?

Here's a pic of what appears to be the '79 (one year only) Exclusive showing the backside of what looks to be some vintage Dirty Fingers pickups.

I almost didn't notice it at first but sum'bitch, that looks like a lead for each coil coming off those bobbin backsides!




Yep, that certainly looks like a lead for each bobbin winding don't it!?



I did seem to get lucky & find one pic of a control cavity that was said to actually be of a '79 SG Exclusive & at a glance, it looks like it very well could be! That's because it seems to fit in with your description & the rest of this guitars puzzle pieces such as a rotatory selector set-up & having 4 pickup lead wires that matches the other pics of these pups that I came across.

I know that may be tough to make out where it matters most so I tried to enhance the pic a bit..



Way cool guitar. I would love to see pics of what you are working with. This was another innovative period during the Norton years. Coils taps & high output ceramic Dirty Fingers pups that sounded oh so delicious! I have a pair (with coil split) that came in my 335-S Professional & the sound so fvk'n awesome it's hard to describe. Beautiful glassy chime cleans that are full & warm with the ability to scream, soar & commune with the gods when ya put a little 'umph behind them. So ya, I'm a fan.

Pics would be greatly appreciated & best of luck restoring this the way she once was.

 

[bmtorres63]

WOW!!! Awesome!! would like to thank you for your detailed pics.. I am so glad you found them. YES!!.. this is the configuration I remember removing as a younger man. (We all regret somethings we do at some point.. especially with vintage instruments) Now that I have something to work with.. the rest should be easy. I ended up calling Gibson and as I figured... they DID NOT have the schematic in their database.. BUT the rep referred me to an inhouse specialist that has some experience and knowledge concerning these off beat wirings.. hopefully I should be hearing from them soon. I will post pics soon of the current setup and its reconfiguration once its fiinished. I am going to double check through my storage to see if I still have the original pots as I havent had time yet since I just recieved the guitar back on Thursday. I currently have the original TTop Pickups unstalled in my 3 Humbucking Fender (middle-neck) I had Gibson PAFs classics installed in the late 90s. Thanks for your assistance... and to all that reponded... I look forward to sharing the restoration with all of you!

 

[Relic61]

Sounds great. Can't wait to see some pics & find out more! I really do hope you find those pots because I have a feeling that the rotary pot / selector is going to be hard, really hard, to replace in stock form. They just don't do things like this anymore ya know!

Good luck

 

[bmtorres63]

I actually considered purchsing one the the new SGs that you have... I still might... just replace the P90s with creme covers!!.. very cool!

That's great you found your SG and reclaimed it. I know that the 1979 SG Exclusive had coil splits as stock wiring. Are you trying to restore it back to original? Why not just wire it as a regular dual humbucker configuration without coil splits and treat yourself to a second SG equipped with P-90's?[/QUOTE]

 

[VetPsychWars]

Sounds great. Can't wait to see some pics & find out more! I really do hope you find those pots because I have a feeling that the rotary pot / selector is going to be hard, really hard, to replace in stock form. They just don't do things like this anymore ya know!

Good luck

Don't do things like what? You tell me how it's supposed to work and I'll tell you if it can still be gotten. Near as I can tell you have a dual-gang pot of some type, which are common as dirt, which implies to me I can get it.

Tom

 

[PermissionToLand]

I actually considered purchsing one the the new SGs that you have... I still might... just replace the P90s with creme covers!!.. very cool!

That's great you found your SG and reclaimed it. I know that the 1979 SG Exclusive had coil splits as stock wiring. Are you trying to restore it back to original? Why not just wire it as a regular dual humbucker configuration without coil splits and treat yourself to a second SG equipped with P-90's?

I hope you'll come back and show us that beautiful SG!

 

[Relic61]

Don't do things like what? You tell me how it's supposed to work and I'll tell you if it can still be gotten.

I really do hope you find those pots because I have a feeling that the rotary pot / selector is going to be hard, really hard, to replace in stock form

Emphasis on the "

hard, really hard, to replace in stock form

" part.

 

[VetPsychWars]

Well, tell me what it does!

Tom

 

[Relic61]

Well, tell me what it does!

Tom

Gonna have to ask the owner for that Tom. This was an exceptionally obscure Gibson wiring/pot setup that used a tap off each coil.

Here's the schematic given above by Bad Penguin.


The schematic actually does not show each pickup's individual bobbin coil leads which raises the possibility of this not being the right schematic or Gibson went through the individual P.U. coil wiring hassle to not use them in the end,.. which I kind of doubt, right? I mean shizzle, if you have each coil tapped & running full length leads your going to use them to at least do something like switch the polarity/phasing of each pups coil or coil(s) or use one bobbin coil at a time for single coil variations or cancel one side to get a single coil sound.

If this was the SG Exclusive's schematic it looks like Gibson went through the hassle of needlessly tapping each coil simply to be able to run each coil in Series & out of phase using each pups coils as they could have done without tapping individual coils! This schematic shows no use or need for individual coil tapping. Probably not the right schematic.

I've never seen a Gibson with 2 full length coil leads on each pup & I can't find a real deal Gibson SG Exclusive schematic so, I can't reliably say what the rotary switch does. However, according to the OP, it does achieve single coil sounds. What configuration (are there others beside single coil variations? Is there bridge pup front coils or rear coil option etc?) & in what rotating order I have no friggin idea.

 

[VetPsychWars]

I can tell you the guitar above and the schematic do not match, but you knew that.

That dual pot arrangement sort of looks like the balance control in your stereo, by way of analogy. All one direction would be the north coil of that pickup, all the other direction would be south coil of that pickup, and in the middle would be equal parts north coil and south coil.

You could do that with any four-wire pickup today if you wanted to, nothing arcane or complex about it, assuming I'm right. I'd need to see bigger, better pictures of that control cavity, though. Dual-gang pot with a dual shaft, audio taper, opposite direction? Dime a dozen. Like I said, balance control.

Here's the pot you'd be needing:

https://www.philadelphialuthiertool...ance-blend-center-detent-audio-potentiometer/

OK, after writing the above... I had made a huge assumption that was basically wrong. :-) For some weird reason, Gibson chose to use that two-lead pickup and use a two-gang pot as a volume control for it. The net effect is to get a perfectly-normal-behaving SG out of it at a higher expense for them and no benefit to you. Why? Who knows? I'd (again) have to see better pictures of the control cavity to try to trace the circuit better to see what the heck is going on. Maybe some weird phase reversal? I don't know!

It's a mystery. But one could rewire one''s SG as I describe above, I suppose, so that analysis isn't a complete loss, though I would likely use dual concentric shaft pots instead, both volume AND tone... because who wouldn't want separate tone controls for each coil, right? :-) (Yes, I'll draw you a schematic if you like.)

Tom

 

[VetPsychWars]

Oh, by the way, that schematic above? Similar to the "Jimmy Page" circuit, with an additional tone-control that has an RLC circuit in addition to an RC circuit. You have "treble" control and a "bass" control, aq volume control, a phase/series/parallel switch, and that schematic is for single-coil pickups, not humbuckers, because they show (tada!) single coils.

The switch is a three-gang six position rotary switch.

Tom

 

[PermissionToLand]

Well, it does say "Schematic L6-S" and is dated 1973, so it's definitely not for a 1979 SG Exclusive. I think maybe the poster assumed they had the same rotary setup, but apparently not.

 

[Relic61]

Right-O on all that stuff, but anywhoziers, the intent of my original comment that sorta kicked this off was intended as comment on the rarity of this pickup wiring (each bobbin has its own lead) & the rarity of the 'original' rotary switch & its wiring as well as.. how difficult it would be to replace it in original/stock form.
As it turns out, even finding the right schematic & or accurate description of exactly what the rotary switch does & in what order of the rotation seems to be a challenge none of us has cracked. yet

On a strange but true note, I honestly can say that I have never seen a Gibson pickup before with each bobbin having its own full length braided lead.

 

[Crustoffer]

Reviving zombie thread, but yeah. I got one of these as well. Just put it back to stock wiring yesterday!