Re: Should I install my pickups myself or have someone do it.
It's really not that difficult, so give it a try.
Important tip: try to get the wires you're soldering together as far away from the guitar as you can, or at least cover the guitar with something. I've lost count of the number of times I've dropped blobs of solder onto the paintwork/scratchplate, and the number of times I've dropped screwdrivers and other tools on the guitars.
You're first effort may not be the tidiest it could be, but if it works, who cares? You can always go back later and do it again.
It's never too late to make mistakes! I've been soldering on my own and other people's guitars for about 6 years, and I phucked up the wiring on something I did a couple of weeks ago! It was a 2 minute job to correct it.
I find it easiest to solder if I place the tip of the soldering iron underneath whatever I want to solder together, then touch the solder wire to the top of where I am soldering. The solder just flows onto the joint, and I end up needing less. Naturally, this takes 2 hands to do, so having some kind of clamp to hold the wires in the right place is invaluable. The one I've got is like two small positionable 'arms' with crocodile clips at the end, and is actually a fly tying tool!
It's really not that difficult, so give it a try.
Important tip: try to get the wires you're soldering together as far away from the guitar as you can, or at least cover the guitar with something. I've lost count of the number of times I've dropped blobs of solder onto the paintwork/scratchplate, and the number of times I've dropped screwdrivers and other tools on the guitars.
You're first effort may not be the tidiest it could be, but if it works, who cares? You can always go back later and do it again.
It's never too late to make mistakes! I've been soldering on my own and other people's guitars for about 6 years, and I phucked up the wiring on something I did a couple of weeks ago! It was a 2 minute job to correct it.
I find it easiest to solder if I place the tip of the soldering iron underneath whatever I want to solder together, then touch the solder wire to the top of where I am soldering. The solder just flows onto the joint, and I end up needing less. Naturally, this takes 2 hands to do, so having some kind of clamp to hold the wires in the right place is invaluable. The one I've got is like two small positionable 'arms' with crocodile clips at the end, and is actually a fly tying tool!
