You might try identifying the model of the guitar to be able to find out
more about it.
The serial number only reveals the production date, factory location and
production number.. not the model number.

There are numerous sources of original wiring diagrams online.. then there
are modified wiring arrangements (splitting coils, phase reverse etc) also
methods to replicate the 1950s type wiring methods.

The genuine Gibson brand Les Paul models generally have 2 pickups, fewer
have 3, but there numerous Les Paul models.

The Vol and Tone pots would've originally been 500k.. although some prefer
to replace them with 250k.
Many users believe they'll sound much better if they modify the wiring and
replace components with parts of different values.

There are a lot of amateur repairs and attemts to upgrade parts floating
around, and sometimes attempted by hobbiests who don't understand wiring
diagrams or proper techniques.
The computer cable you discovered is an example of the *any wire will work*
attitude of the inexperienced.

The 7k+ ohm readings you mentioned seem normal (aftermarket humbuckers can
read as high as around 15k ohm), but the 3.80k isn't a typical humbucker
reading unless the separate internal coils are connected in parallel, which
is fairly easy to do if the pickup has a 4-wire lead (whether that would be
the original wiring for that pickup is unclear).

Some paralleled coil or other special/modified features are attained by
using a push-pull switch integrated into one of the control pots.

--
Cheers,
WB
..............


"N_Cook" wrote in message
...
Output from guitar noticeably dropped in level , owner had a spare one to
complete the set. When I received it , setting both vol pots to minimum
then
ohmage across output was 30 ohm. Now I'm inside, it is 3 to 5 ohms
according
to switch setting. Pickup ohmages measure 7.82,3.80, 7.39K at the 3 switch
settings, which seems right, and consistent with wire tugs.
Now the bottom ohmage of the pots was not going to be 60 and 60 ohm or so
to
give 30, one poor pot perhaps. I will remove the output screened lead
although nothing seems wrong with it, but the output socket was loose and
turning to an extentm requiting the screened lead to resist the turning.
Just leaves wear /plating problem at the tip contact of the switchcraft
1/4
in socket but it looks perfectly normal, contact point axial to jack until
deflected to the tip groove , etc. Pots measure consistent across tracks.
Switch seems ok but how to test other than by replacement