Tell me I can do this...soldering..

B

bford

New member
Hello,

Well I'm putting a guitar together for my son for Christmas. I have all of the parts now. I've put the bridge on and placed the sperzel tuners on the neck.

I've never soldered pickups or the pots or any of that. Tell me it's not too hard for a beginner (hopefully) I'd really like to do it myself just for the satisfaction that I put the guitar together for my son. Plus Christmas is close, and it might be hard to get someone to do the work in time.

Thanks for any help, info or encouragement. I've been playing for a long time, but other than setting up my guitars, I've never messed with the electronics myself.

later

bford
 
I have found that solder paste helps tremendously. The solder flows and coats much more evenly if you apply this lightly to the surfaces first. One brand that comes to mind is "norkode' - it comes in a little tin and is sold by real hardware stores (our little grange supply sells it).
 
Thanks for the tip. I'm off all of next week, so I have time to get it right. Thanks for the tip about the paste.

regards,

I may have some more detailed questions here next week, once I get started.

ROCK!

bford
 
You Can Do This.

Don't forget the solder glop - it's a paste flux in a little tin that makes it all come together. Put a little on the union to be soldered. Take your time and think of yourself as a craftsman; let the thing be neat. It'll be fine!




Wait... He said that already. Is there an echo in here? :D
 
It's really easy. I'd recommend you practice your technique on some scrap wire before you do the real thing.

You'll need a pencil-tipped soldering gun, a coil of thin acid-core solder, a small tin of soldering flux and craft paint brush. You'll also need something like a hemostat to use as heat sink - you will clip it to the potentiometer (or whatever component you're soldering) to allow it to absorb excess heat and lessen the chance of damaging the component from heat.

Let the soldering iron get to full temperature before you begin. Wire together whatever you are going to solder, clip on the heat sink, and brush flux over the area to be soldered. Tin the tip of your soldering iron by melting some solder onto it.

Touch the soldering iron to the area to be soldered, and keep it there to get the joint hot. The flux will start to bubble and smoke, and that's when the temp is about right. Dab the solder onto the joint (NOT onto the iron) and let it flow onto the work. You won't need much solder, probably a lot less than you think. Immediately remove the solder coil and the iron from the work and let it cool. Careful of that hemostat - it's gonna be hot!

If the joint doesn't look as if the solder has penetrated the way you want, just reapply heat without any extra solder.

Good luck!
 
I always buff the back of pots with a fine sandpaper, there is lots of times a coating on them that solder won't stick to.
 
easychair said:
I always buff the back of pots with a fine sandpaper, there is lots of times a coating on them that solder won't stick to.
Click to expand...

+1
Buffing the backs of the pots is a must. I use a scotch brite pad.
 
Zaphod B said:
a coil of thin acid-core solder
Click to expand...


Isn't acid core the stuff they sell for plumbing?

Typical quality electronics solder is solid silver.

But anyways, I like the thinnest stuff I can get. I might use about 4-5" on one solder point, but I feel like I have a lot more control.
 
Outlaws said:
Isn't acid core the stuff they sell for plumbing?

Typical quality electronics solder is solid silver.

But anyways, I like the thinnest stuff I can get. I might use about 4-5" on one solder point, but I feel like I have a lot more control.
Click to expand...

Yes- acid core does not go well with electronics or electric things. It tends to eat them.
 
You can do it! The best thing about soldering is that if you mess up it's no big deal. You can always just knock the solder off and try again.

Practice on some old junk first and just take you're time. Don't sweat it, you'll be soldering like a pro in no time at all.

:D :D :D Good luck :D :D :D
 
You can definitely do this. In fact, I would say that soldering is the *easy* part. The hard part is keeping the soldering iron away from the other wires you aren't soldering. It's pretty easy to melt a nearby wire and end up with a short.
 
Do a search, I think in the studio forum. There's been a bunch of threads with tips on soldering well.


Good luck. It might take a little practice but it's not a difficult skill to learn.
 
Dude, if I can build a guitar pedal (which I can, I've built 4), then you can solder the pickups and pots.

GOod luck!
 
You can do it. Use a soldering iron with a pencil tip and rating of not more than 40 watts(not a gun which typically run much hotter at 100watts or more) . Tin the tip before you begin. Radio Shack offers a nice little setup for 19.99 that has everything you need and is adjustable for either 25 watts or 40 watts. Heat burns parts quick so use the hemostat and get the tip out of there as soon as the solder flows. Make your joints as neat as possible and watch out for strays solder "balls" that can move around and cause shorts. Good luck and have fun!
 
gbdweller said:
You can do it. Use a soldering iron with a pencil tip and rating of not more than 40 watts(not a gun which typically run much hotter at 100watts or more) . Tin the tip before you begin. Radio Shack offers a nice little setup for 19.99 that has everything you need and is adjustable for either 25 watts or 40 watts. Heat burns parts quick so use the hemostat and get the tip out of there as soon as the solder flows. Make your joints as neat as possible and watch out for strays solder "balls" that can move around and cause shorts. Good luck and have fun!
Click to expand...

Radio Shack also makes a cute little spring metal heat sink that clips on with sharp points and has thermal insulation on the far end so's you don't burn your fingers.
 
gbdweller said:
You can do it. Use a soldering iron with a pencil tip and rating of not more than 40 watts(not a gun which typically run much hotter at 100watts or more) . Tin the tip before you begin. Radio Shack offers a nice little setup for 19.99 that has everything you need and is adjustable for either 25 watts or 40 watts. Heat burns parts quick so use the hemostat and get the tip out of there as soon as the solder flows. Make your joints as neat as possible and watch out for strays solder "balls" that can move around and cause shorts. Good luck and have fun!
Click to expand...


Guns work fine for most guitars, as there is nothing all that sensitive in there, but they are sure akward. One of the guys in my shop prefers a gun just because it heats up so quickly. One of the others used to use a gun, but I got her a nice Weller soldering station and she is MUCH happier now.

You NEVER want to use a gun on a PCB though.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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