What solder for guitar pickups?

[spiral light]

What's the correct core resin for pickup soldering?????

[The Geoff]

I must say, i just use standard electrician's stuff I've had for years.

 

G.

[Zuben]

60/40 rosin core

[The Geoff]

Yup, that's the stuff.

 

G.

[spiral light]

60/40 sounds about right to me, cheers!!

[caprae]

Do a search. There was a discussion here a bit back. Seymour Duncan's web site it also good for soldering technique info.

[spiral light]

I'll definitely check that out, it's been a while since I've done any serious soldering so I'll probably need a refresher. I have a guitar that I'm building pretty much from scratch (not being content with building a pc from scratch), but that's another post (I'm just gathering what I'll need at the moment).

[S. Yeti Bigfoot, Esq.]

Just remember..."The bigger the glob, the better the job."

[Trucks]

I'll definitely check that out, it's been a while since I've done any serious soldering so I'll probably need a refresher. I have a guitar that I'm building pretty much from scratch (not being content with building a pc from scratch), but that's another post (I'm just gathering what I'll need at the moment).

 

The only major mistake I notice a lot of people do, is to put the solder on to the iron tip, then transfer it to the joint.

 

You should heat the joint (or wire, or whatever you want to solder) and then place the solder in the point to be soldered (whilst still holding the soldering iron there).

 

If everything is tinned properly, you may not need to add extra solder to the joint.

 

When tinning, heat the wire with the soldering iron, keep the iron on it and touch the solder on the wire a few mm's away from the iron tip. When the wire is hot enough it will suck the solder up.

[Xplorer]

Hmm... sounds like alright advice.

 

The way I find that works the best is doning almost the exact opposite. A very small amount of solder on the iron will increase the contact area and speed up heat transfer.

 

That being said, you don't want too much solder. Too much solder will transfer to the join and make a mess. Usually when you pull the tip away it will leave a solder spike sticking out. On the other hand, not enough solder on the tip will heat one part of the connection more than the other. This can lead to melted shielding and over soldering (when the solder wicks under the wire insulation).

 

Ideally you dont need to tin your connections. Sometimes it helps to keep braided wire from fraying apart, but it can give you a misleading connection, or a cold solder joint. If you have just a little dab of solder on your tip it will allow you to heat both sides of the connection evenly because the solder will flow slightly to both sides, then you let the rosin in the solder you apply to do it's trick. The rosin will 'etch' the surfaces of the connection clean, and allow the solder you apply to wet beautifully to the connection. This will pretty much garantee a better joint with less excess solder and less chance for a cold solder joint.

 

If you are slodering to a pot, I usually heat the pot first until solder just starts to wet to it. Then I'll bring in the wire (with an alligator clip attached to the sheilding side of the exposed wire). A 'gator clip heat sink works well to keep the heat out of the sheilding as the pot cools.

 

I'm sure everyone has their own tried and true method.

[Xplorer]

What's the correct core resin for pickup soldering?????

 

To answer your question, typically the flux is about 1% rosin. You want to use a 60/40 solder, but you don't need a relly heavy rosin core for the job. If there is alot of oxidation on the terminals you are going to solder to, a good way to clean them up is to heat them and apply solder directly. Then use a rosin impregnated solder wick to remove the solder you just applied.

 

If you were just wondering what type of solder to use, that ya, it's 60/40.

 

Stay away from multi-core. You won't need that much rosin!

[S. Yeti Bigfoot, Esq.]

OK, fine. If you want to be serious about it.....

 

Here's a good website:

 

How to solder

[Trucks]

Hmm... sounds like alright advice.

 

The way I find that works the best is doning almost the exact opposite. A very small amount of solder on the iron will increase the contact area and speed up heat transfer.

 

That being said, you don't want too much solder. Too much solder will transfer to the join and make a mess. Usually when you pull the tip away it will leave a solder spike sticking out. On the other hand, not enough solder on the tip will heat one part of the connection more than the other. This can lead to melted shielding and over soldering (when the solder wicks under the wire insulation).

 

Ideally you dont need to tin your connections. Sometimes it helps to keep braided wire from fraying apart, but it can give you a misleading connection, or a cold solder joint. If you have just a little dab of solder on your tip it will allow you to heat both sides of the connection evenly because the solder will flow slightly to both sides, then you let the rosin in the solder you apply to do it's trick. The rosin will 'etch' the surfaces of the connection clean, and allow the solder you apply to wet beautifully to the connection. This will pretty much garantee a better joint with less excess solder and less chance for a cold solder joint.

 

If you are slodering to a pot, I usually heat the pot first until solder just starts to wet to it. Then I'll bring in the wire (with an alligator clip attached to the sheilding side of the exposed wire). A 'gator clip heat sink works well to keep the heat out of the sheilding as the pot cools.

 

I'm sure everyone has their own tried and true method.

 

Thanks for putting me straight mate! hehe :-) No, I dig whatya sayin'. I also know, that you solder a lot more than I do!! :-)

 

I was taught to always tin, that's why I do it. I didn't know it could cause problems. So im glad you pointed that out!

 

I tend to dab solder on the iron, then wipe most of it off before I start. Is this similar to having a touch on your iron, as you suggest?

[Xplorer]

LOL, I'm not trying to set you straight! (although somebody should)

 

Whatever gets the job done with minimal swearing is the best way to do it!

 

The little bit of solder on the tip needs to be more than just a 'tinning' of the solder tip. Basically if you touch a round solder tip to a round lead (or flat for that matter) the amount of actual contact area is uber small. Make sence? Consider the green area in the picture below.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/scmcfaul/example.jpg

 

When you have a bit of solder to bridge the gap the increase in contact area is relativly huge! This means the joint heats up much quicker.

[Xplorer]

Again, I'm not saying this is the best or only way to do it, it's just how I've learned to do it.

 

I was taught how to solder in my electronics education as well at Nortel and my days as a Tech.

[Trucks]

You drew circles kissing? What is wrong with you, dude?! :grin:

 

I was taught how to solder by Jim Solder, from Soldertown in Solderton. So I am qualified enough, to say you are absolutely right. :-)

[Xplorer]

Well, that's clearly a prestigious school.

 

Unfortunatley Professor Flux McIrontip from the Polysporin Institute of Soldering didn't teach me the merits of wiring tinning.

 

You liked my cicrles picture? I'm drawing another one for you, just wait till you see what the rectangle is doing with the oval. Ohhhh yea... Giggity.