Soldering tips?

[karpathion]

i use a normal solder. it's mostly tin, like 97% tin with a little copper, and a little zinc. i've heard you can get a nickle solder, than works better for guitars
can someone tell me if this is true. and if so does it really make that much of a difference. and if so, where do you get. i can see where nickle is a better conductor, but in such a short distance. i just really dont see that it really matters that much. but i am kinda new to this tech stuff.

 

[Micah]

Re: Soldering tips?

i use a normal solder. it's mostly tin, like 97% tin with a little copper, and a little zinc. i've heard you can get a nickle solder, than works better for guitars
can someone tell me if this is true. and if so does it really make that much of a difference. and if so, where do you get. i can see where nickle is a better conductor, but in such a short distance. i just really dont see that it really matters that much. but i am kinda new to this tech stuff.

Hey man! Welcome to the forum! I just use rosin core run-of-the-mill radio shack electronics guage stuff. I bought a roll a while ago and, with as much as you actually use changing pickups, I could see it lasting me a life time! I do know that one of the best tips for soldering is minimalism. Less is more when it comes to solder on the lead. Also, Ive ruined some pots through over soldering. What happens is you have to heat the pot up sooo much more when theirs half-an-ounce of solder on it that you actually melt components inside the pots. Then you get crackling, shorting and noise. But you learn as you go...

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

thats what i was thinking i just got techs in my town telling me a whole bunch of crap to try and get me to bring my gear to them. and well i wasnt pleased the last two times i let them do work for me. so i said to hell with them i'll learn it my self. hell i can buy and install 2 or 3 pups, for the price to have them install 1. plus i take a little more care on my guitars than they do.

 

[Micah]

Re: Soldering tips?

thats what i was thinking i just got techs in my town telling me a whole bunch of crap to try and get me to bring my gear to them. and well i wasnt pleased the last two times i let them do work for me. so i said to hell with them i'll learn it my self. hell i can buy and install 2 or 3 pups, for the price to have them install 1. plus i take a little more care on my guitars than they do.

Gees!! They are charging you a hundred bucks to install a pickup!!?? Thats crazy!! My guy here in Omaha is incredible! He does tremendous work and always makes what he's working on "his-own". But even the reasonable $20 he charges to install one was worth me learning to do it myself! Plus it takes the "magic" out of it and helps you to start understanding what is going on in there, and why different things sound the way they do. Its how you can make accidental innovations that set you apart ;-)

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: Soldering tips?

I'd say the important things about soldering are:

1) Keep a clean iron.
2) Use very thin solder.
3) Keep a very clean iron.

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

well i do get a set up done whenever i drop it off. but ive learned to do that myself also
he wants it set up and the way i do are two different things. i like my bridge a little higher for palm muting. i get charged 90 bucks for setup pup change, and electronics cleaning. wich saves me alot when i do it myself.

 

[Micah]

Re: Soldering tips?

well i do get a set up done whenever i drop it off. but ive learned to do that myself also
he wants it set up and the way i do are two different things. i like my bridge a little higher for palm muting. i get charged 90 bucks for setup pup change, and electronics cleaning. wich saves me alot when i do it myself.

Man!! Definatly do it yourself! Then you can set it up to your specs and not just take his preferance! Good Idea!

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

yeah the solder i use is very thin and got a brand new iron. i'm just worried about heating a tone or volume too much

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

and thats why i'm on here learning what i can.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Soldering tips?

Amen on the DIY. It will save you TONS of money, time and frustration.

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

i'll tell you though. it is scary workning on a 6 month old gibson. if i screw that guitar up. i'll cry. been playing for 15 years and the 2 guitars i have now are the first non pawn shop,more than 200 bucks guitars i've ever had. an let me tell you, theres nothing like a brand new gibson. its like my own little piece of heaven.

 

[tc]

Re: Soldering tips?

Use alligator clips or something similar to prevent overheating something. Specially useful when soldering resistors.

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

what do i do with the clips? clip them to dispurse heat or heat the clip?

 

[Micah]

Re: Soldering tips?

i'll tell you though. it is scary workning on a 6 month old gibson. if i screw that guitar up. i'll cry. been playing for 15 years and the 2 guitars i have now are the first non pawn shop,more than 200 bucks guitars i've ever had. an let me tell you, theres nothing like a brand new gibson. its like my own little piece of heaven.

Theres not a whole lot to screw up really--dont worry man! Just be carefull with the hot end of the soldering iron ;-)

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

i guess that means keep it away for your fingers too huh?
"i couldnt play for a week"lol

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: Soldering tips?

I find with pots the trick is to turn up the power on the iron (if it's adjustable). More power equals less contact time needed, which means less chance of damage. A smaller iron or lower temperature means more energy put into the pot shell in total before you get the solder to flow, and hence more chance of damage.

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

How do you clean a soldering tip??

sand paper maybe? may take awhile though. better start with the thick stuff.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: Soldering tips?

Absolutely not! You'll go through the coating, and the metal underneath (usually copper) will corrode - the flux in the solder will eat right through it.

You've basically got two options; a wet sponge, or a brass shavings pad. The latter is (in my view) better because it doesn't cool the tip.

 

[karpathion]

Re: Soldering tips?

so does it have to be warm before you clean it? well i guess so huh? sorry dumb ?.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: Soldering tips?

Yup.

Best thing is to tin the tip as soon as you get it - that'll help condition it for use. A decent tip should then last years.