So I got my new Tele and want to do a bit of modding . Bought some nice pickups and hardware and now I need to fit it all.
Been looking at soldering irons, I know they're not meant to be super powerful but will something like Amazon's best seller do the business or is there something more appropriate...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Soldering-Adjustable-Temperature-Different/dp/B01EHGJW9M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1478104240&sr=8-3&keywords=soldering+kitDo I need special solder? (Is there such a thing?)
Any video's you guys would recommend for fitting stuff? I mean, a quick YT search brings up a few, but I don't know who are cowboys and who aren't. I want to do a spot on job of this whilst teaching myself how to do it.
Then the setup...it'll be getting a new bridge and a set of 10s, I'm assuming there's 9s on there at the moment. So will probably need adjusting! Arrrgh, that bit scares me! (plus the fact I used to be impatient and shit at soldering in school!)
Any help and advice welcome from you pros!
Comments
One thing I'd say is to learn about the electronics and how it works, rather than relying on just copying wiring diagrams without knowing why you're doing what you're doing. If I think back, I picked up knowledge from a few helpful places on the web - can't remember what they all were I'm afraid, but it's well worth searching around. One place was:
http://www.1728.org/indexfun.htm
I think I also got "Guitar Electronics for Musicians" from the local library and read through it - a bit out of date, but it still helped a lot.
As to the setup, I'd have thought changing from 9's to 10's would just need a small tighten of the truss rod (maybe an eighth of a turn or less) and there are some decent how to set up a guitar type videos on Youtube. Re the replacement bridge, just make sure you get the right type, as they aren't all the same - find out the dimensions of the one you've got re where all the mounting holes/string-thru holes are positioned, and make sure your new one has the same - get that right, and it's pretty self-explanatory really.
Also when you're doing the ground connections onto onto the back of the pots, scratch or roughen up the back of the pot first... it helps the solder stick.
The CTS pots I work with come pre coated in flux, no need to scrub them. You can check by holding the iron on the back of the pot for a few seconds, should start to sizzle and discolour if they're coated.
I tend to pop the ground wire on the pot, heat that and the pot casing with a wide tip, feed in the solder and wait for the sizzle. Job done. Very unlikely you will ruin a quality pot by overheating it, much more likely to ruin one by overloading it with solder and having it run down into the pot.
De-soldering can be a pain because many manufacturers use low-lead solder now, which needs higher power to melt. Watch out for the back of your guitar, use plenty of masking tape or cloths to protect the wood!
Get some decent wire strippers, spare wire from Rapid and electricians tape (or shrink wrap if you're feeling pro)
Lead free solder is not as nice to work with as 60/40 lead and tin stuff.
ask someone to help you, and three hands make things easier when what your soldering isnt fixed.
This sort of thing
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Am-Tech-Helping-Magnifier-Light-Soldering/dp/B004RLODGA
Now what I am doing in all my guitars is soldering in some quick release connectors to make future pickup swaps as painless as possible.