can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
- Thread starter cheameup
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Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
I'll say yes, but it's very rare to get one poor enough to affect the output since the connection only transfers fractions of a volt. It's possible that a solder connection would be poor enough to change the load on the pickup. It, I think, would have to be enough to show on a VO meter. Select that pickup, w/everything wide open on the guitar & it should measure very close dc res at the output vs straight across the pickup leads. If it does, I doubt a solder joint is changing output volume.
I'll say yes, but it's very rare to get one poor enough to affect the output since the connection only transfers fractions of a volt. It's possible that a solder connection would be poor enough to change the load on the pickup. It, I think, would have to be enough to show on a VO meter. Select that pickup, w/everything wide open on the guitar & it should measure very close dc res at the output vs straight across the pickup leads. If it does, I doubt a solder joint is changing output volume.
IanBallard
New member
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
Mainly a bad solder joint just compromises the strength of the bond from surface to surface. The ground wire on my trem claw is pretty ugly and I'm waiting for it to pop off... but my guitar sounds fine.
Mainly a bad solder joint just compromises the strength of the bond from surface to surface. The ground wire on my trem claw is pretty ugly and I'm waiting for it to pop off... but my guitar sounds fine.
cream123
JustAskinologist
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
It could be a cold joint...meaning that you soldered on top of other solder without the new and old solder connecting...
in short, the way to fix this is:
1. "reflow" the solder (that, is remelt)
2. once the solder is hot and liquidy, flick it somewhat lightly so the solder falls off. I prefer it to fall on a tile on the table or the ground works too if its cement. This is done to completely remove all of the old solder
3. just solder the joint again
remember:
1. you don't need that much solder, just enough to make the connection
2. Do not hold the iron on the join for more than say three or four seconds. Especially on PC boards. The glue that keeps the copper contacts on has an only slightly higher melting point than the solder itself
3. Put the iron on the "anchor point", not the anchored piece itself. i.e. don't heat up the wire, heat the potentiometer's lug. in the case of a PC board, it would be the copper contact itself.
4. Don't move the the joint at all while the solder cools
5. Blowing on the solder (lightly) helps it cool
6. If you get too much solder on a contact, you can always use untinned (non soldered) braided wire to suck up the melted solder...works nicely
I'm sorry if this insulting anybody's intelligence. I just thought it was worth it to type it out for those that are beginning soldering. I might be forgetting something...
It could be a cold joint...meaning that you soldered on top of other solder without the new and old solder connecting...
in short, the way to fix this is:
1. "reflow" the solder (that, is remelt)
2. once the solder is hot and liquidy, flick it somewhat lightly so the solder falls off. I prefer it to fall on a tile on the table or the ground works too if its cement. This is done to completely remove all of the old solder
3. just solder the joint again
remember:
1. you don't need that much solder, just enough to make the connection
2. Do not hold the iron on the join for more than say three or four seconds. Especially on PC boards. The glue that keeps the copper contacts on has an only slightly higher melting point than the solder itself
3. Put the iron on the "anchor point", not the anchored piece itself. i.e. don't heat up the wire, heat the potentiometer's lug. in the case of a PC board, it would be the copper contact itself.
4. Don't move the the joint at all while the solder cools
5. Blowing on the solder (lightly) helps it cool
6. If you get too much solder on a contact, you can always use untinned (non soldered) braided wire to suck up the melted solder...works nicely
I'm sorry if this insulting anybody's intelligence. I just thought it was worth it to type it out for those that are beginning soldering. I might be forgetting something...
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cream123
JustAskinologist
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
Good point, but make sure it isn't too hot, or it will burn the flux, turning the flux into carbon (i.e. an unwanted "ghost" resistor).
I would suggest an adjustable Soldering iron with a pencil tip, otherwise a 40 watt with a pencil tip is a good. Weller is always a good bet.
You want to use a pencil tip because then the heat is more concentrated at the point of contact. This helps to reduce other areas heating up when they shouldn't be.
Make sure you tin your wire if its braided (a bunch of loose strands).
1. Twist the wire so it is as thin and compact as possible
2. put the soldering iron on the wire itself
3. feed the solder onto the wire at the contact point between the soldering iron and the wire
4. Rotate and repeat this until it is fully tinned (covered in solder)
5. I usually snip the ends off with a tin snip to make sure that they are not dull at the ends. This is more important with PC board/pedal work though.
This will make sure that you get as solid of a connection as possible with braided wire.
I always use braided wire because it doesn't seem to break as much as its solid equivalent. Some places such as smallbearelec.com (at least they used) sell pretinned braided wire which speeds things up nicely
EDIT: I also get a sponge for when the tip gets too much solder on it, I flick the solder onto the damp sponge...also nice for wiping the iron on when it gets burnt flux and other gook on it
Good point, but make sure it isn't too hot, or it will burn the flux, turning the flux into carbon (i.e. an unwanted "ghost" resistor).
I would suggest an adjustable Soldering iron with a pencil tip, otherwise a 40 watt with a pencil tip is a good. Weller is always a good bet.
You want to use a pencil tip because then the heat is more concentrated at the point of contact. This helps to reduce other areas heating up when they shouldn't be.
Make sure you tin your wire if its braided (a bunch of loose strands).
1. Twist the wire so it is as thin and compact as possible
2. put the soldering iron on the wire itself
3. feed the solder onto the wire at the contact point between the soldering iron and the wire
4. Rotate and repeat this until it is fully tinned (covered in solder)
5. I usually snip the ends off with a tin snip to make sure that they are not dull at the ends. This is more important with PC board/pedal work though.
This will make sure that you get as solid of a connection as possible with braided wire.
I always use braided wire because it doesn't seem to break as much as its solid equivalent. Some places such as smallbearelec.com (at least they used) sell pretinned braided wire which speeds things up nicely
EDIT: I also get a sponge for when the tip gets too much solder on it, I flick the solder onto the damp sponge...also nice for wiping the iron on when it gets burnt flux and other gook on it
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copperheadroads
New member
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
According to this very well respected winder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw7yBHpFFmk&feature=related
If you get a cold solder joint which is a bad solder joint ,you can loose alot of bass & output
One of the first things he talks about in this video
According to this very well respected winder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw7yBHpFFmk&feature=related
If you get a cold solder joint which is a bad solder joint ,you can loose alot of bass & output
One of the first things he talks about in this video
cream123
JustAskinologist
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
I've had a lot of circuits not work because of
A) burnt flux
B) cold joints
now, thats not to say that they can't work because of these things. They have just messed up for me in my less clean days
I've had a lot of circuits not work because of
A) burnt flux
B) cold joints
now, thats not to say that they can't work because of these things. They have just messed up for me in my less clean days
Brown Note
New member
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
I'd suggest for (everyone!!!) getting a solder vacuum. It's a pen shaped thingie with spring loaded piston that creates a slight vacuum that sucks the solder out of the joint. They cost about a few dollars and are extremely helpful when resoldering anything.
here's one for $4
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/82
I'd suggest for (everyone!!!) getting a solder vacuum. It's a pen shaped thingie with spring loaded piston that creates a slight vacuum that sucks the solder out of the joint. They cost about a few dollars and are extremely helpful when resoldering anything.
here's one for $4
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/82
Brown Note
New member
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
And uber dodgy badly and probably misplaced solder joint can cause problems, othervice it's likely not to make any difference in guitar electronics. It's possble though and I've encountered one myself. Bad grounds are easier to make than bad wire soldering as the casing of the potentiometer can sink a lot of heat.
And uber dodgy badly and probably misplaced solder joint can cause problems, othervice it's likely not to make any difference in guitar electronics. It's possble though and I've encountered one myself. Bad grounds are easier to make than bad wire soldering as the casing of the potentiometer can sink a lot of heat.
Multi Angle Vise
New member
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
From experience, in part I disagree. I am an electronic service tech. It's not a binary situation - bad joints can sound bad.
Referring to OP, it's not just output reduction, you don't get a smaller version of the same signal, you get a crackly broken distorted thin version of the signal.
The times I've encountered it, it's mostly been a cold solder joint, where the wire is really just sitting in the hole formed by the solder flowing around it, but hasn't bonded. This works fine at first, but when the wire or solder starts to oxidise, the contact is no longer good, and it's almost like putting a bad diode in series with the circuit. Any movement on the wire will make crackle crackle too.
Small signals (such as from pickup) are more sensitive to it. Big currents / high voltages will just blast through the oxide layer. I've seen situations where something will sound terrible, then you put a whacking great current through the path, and everything sounds good again. (This is not a repair.)
That's not to say you can't have an ugly joint that is electrically fine. If both sides are wetted well, bonded well, you can have a horrible blob on top, which you could say is a bad joint that works.
From experience, in part I disagree. I am an electronic service tech. It's not a binary situation - bad joints can sound bad.
Referring to OP, it's not just output reduction, you don't get a smaller version of the same signal, you get a crackly broken distorted thin version of the signal.
The times I've encountered it, it's mostly been a cold solder joint, where the wire is really just sitting in the hole formed by the solder flowing around it, but hasn't bonded. This works fine at first, but when the wire or solder starts to oxidise, the contact is no longer good, and it's almost like putting a bad diode in series with the circuit. Any movement on the wire will make crackle crackle too.
Small signals (such as from pickup) are more sensitive to it. Big currents / high voltages will just blast through the oxide layer. I've seen situations where something will sound terrible, then you put a whacking great current through the path, and everything sounds good again. (This is not a repair.)
That's not to say you can't have an ugly joint that is electrically fine. If both sides are wetted well, bonded well, you can have a horrible blob on top, which you could say is a bad joint that works.
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Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: can a dogey solder affect output of PU ?
Put a little flux on it and reheat it. All will be well.
Put a little flux on it and reheat it. All will be well.
