Soldering: What do I need?

[guitarman13]

The volume pot on my RG1570 needs replaced, and I also want to replace the pickups with better ones. So, I figure why not learn how to do solder now and save some money. I have some questions though; What wattage of soldering iron do I need to do this? And what type of solder to I need? Also, how should I practice soldering before I actually do it for real?

[RG462]

Its alot simpler than you are making it. Just buy any kind of craft soldering iron, doesn't have to be top of the line, and ask for electrical solder. It isn't that hard. All you need to do is heat the iron and melt the solder onto the joint between 2 wires, a wire and a pot, etc.

[Dee]

Wattage: 25 would be fine, 40 watts is plenty. Don't go higher for guitar electronics.

Solder: Rosin core 60/40. I use Radio Shack stuff, I think it's 0.50 diameter or something.

You should get some solder remover wick. You put it on top of the old blobs of solder and it soaks it up when heated with the iron. This makes the contact point clean ready for your next joint.

Buy a sponge for wiping the tip of the iron on after each joint you solder. If you search for "solder" on e-Bay you'll see all this stuff come up. Or if you go to an electronics store to buy, just ask them for all the stuff I mentioned.

Best thing you can do is search online for a soldering guide.

[MadRyan]

I like a 40w iron because it heats up the part a bit faster which allows you to solder the joint faster and remove the heat. IMO this makes for less heat absorbed by your part. On pots this is a big deal. I also tried something a bit different while swapping out a volume pot this morning before church. I ran a piece of solid copper 22ga from the ground on the pot to the body which I normally do, but in this case I soldered it to the body leaving enough to form a loop, to which I attached my pickup leads and ground. In this way I'm not repeatedly heating the blob of solder on the pot. It worked really slick.

[jaxadam]

Originally Posted by Dee

Solder: Rosin core 60/40.

Yup, good stuff. Also, it's easier than you think.

Flux will help solder run smoother, but you probably don't need it.

[Dee]

Originally Posted by MadRyan

I like a 40w iron because it heats up the part a bit faster which allows you to solder the joint faster and remove the heat. IMO this makes for less heat absorbed by your part. On pots this is a big deal. I also tried something a bit different while swapping out a volume pot this morning before church. I ran a piece of solid copper 22ga from the ground on the pot to the body which I normally do, but in this case I soldered it to the body leaving enough to form a loop, to which I attached my pickup leads and ground. In this way I'm not repeatedly heating the blob of solder on the pot. It worked really slick.

I see your point. My current iron (a Draper 40w) heats up parts nice and quick. My previous iron was a pain in the ass sometimes, the wattage was too low and I couldn't solder as cleanly with it.

Thanks for the tip, btw.

Oh, and to guitarman13 -- take a pic of the wiring if you have a digital camera, get a close up just in case you forget where everything goes! But the least you can do is draw a diagram if you don't have a cam.

[kennydoe]

I like to use solder paste as well - i coat the ends of the wires with solder (using the solder paste) before i make my connections. makes for a more solid connections.

I 'solder sucker' works well also, to get the old blobs off.

[Dee]

Solder sucker is something I forgot to mention.

[neptoess]

soldering is very easy. I self taught myself with no prior experience while installing Bill Lawrence humbuckers into 3 different guitars and rewiring another dozen or so. I use a big Weller 110/140W gun. The only tools you'll need is solder(i use the **** that came with my gun), an awe(little pokey thing to make holes in the terminals when desoldering, and pliers. As long as you're not changing anything besides one thing you just match up the wires and leave the rest alone. Just study the diagrams and you'll be fine.

[MadRyan]

Originally Posted by neptoess

soldering is very easy. I self taught myself with no prior experience while installing Bill Lawrence humbuckers into 3 different guitars and rewiring another dozen or so. I use a big Weller 110/140W gun. The only tools you'll need is solder(i use the **** that came with my gun), an awe(little pokey thing to make holes in the terminals when desoldering, and pliers. As long as you're not changing anything besides one thing you just match up the wires and leave the rest alone. Just study the diagrams and you'll be fine.

Ya got a thing for the Lawrence Pups doncha...

I actually really liked the one I had in a Washburn N4 but IMO it's not my thing. I'm a firm believer in the fact that there's no one pickup that sounds great in everything.

[neptoess]

yea sorry about my obsessiveness for lawrences it's just that they are the grail pickups for me and i want other people to at least try them you kno? kinda like this board has a hardon for dimarzios