[TheMissing]

To strip wires, you need a REALLY thing set of wire strippers. I know I stock ones that go down to 24str wire.

Read tutorials online, practice practice practice... It's a pain to learn. I'm still learning, but getting better.

[jaxadam]

You also forgot to add to your list:

1) burn cream

2) band-aids

I always burn myself for no apparent reason.

I prefer 60/40 rosin core solder. It is just what I'm used to working with. I like to use flux to help the solder run smoother with other soldering applications that I do.

You might want to also get a small dish with a piece of wet sponge to wipe the tip of the solder iron occasionally.

Also, solder loses its integrity when it is heated and cooled over and over. It will start to become brittle and useless, and cause bad connections. Practice dropping a few drops on something. You want to get a good, fresh, secure connection.

[Xtremevillan]

Yeah...first time is the worst, haha!

I mean if I can't do it myself I'll take it to the tech.

Originally Posted by jaxadam

You also forgot to add to your list:

1) burn cream

2) band-aids

I always burn myself for no apparent reason.

I prefer 60/40 rosin core solder. It is just what I'm used to working with. I like to use flux to help the solder run smoother with other soldering applications that I do.

You might want to also get a small dish with a piece of wet sponge to wipe the tip of the solder iron occasionally.

Also, solder loses its integrity when it is heated and cooled over and over. It will start to become brittle and useless, and cause bad connections. Practice dropping a few drops on something. You want to get a good, fresh, secure connection.

True, I'll just pick up a pair of work gloves from work as well. Not like I'll be paying much. 60/40, I hope my work has that. I'll post a review on SS.org of all the materials I bought before I start to work, JIC anything is wrong.

Yeah, I'm gonna line up a wet sponge near the guitar.






To unsolder something, like the previous connection, all I need to do is just hold the soldering iron there for a few seconds, and gently lift up on the wire I'm unsoldering, right?

[TheMissing]

As stated above, rosin core solder is a must, and IF you can find it, lead solder is SO much easier to work with.

Originally Posted by Xtremevillan

Yeah...first time is the worst, haha!

I mean if I can't do it myself I'll take it to the tech.

Or do what I do and become friends with a Tech, wire up the pickups, and give him $20 to solder them up and do a quick setup.

[TheMissing]

Originally Posted by Xtremevillan

To unsolder something, like the previous connection, all I need to do is just hold the soldering iron there for a few seconds, and gently lift up on the wire I'm unsoldering, right?

yes

It helps to have some sort of desoldering tool to get rid of the excess when you're done. I'd reccomend desoldering braid, as the suction tools while good for circuit boards and such, for some reason don't like large ammounts like say on a pot.

[Xtremevillan]

Originally Posted by TheMissing

As stated above, rosin core solder is a must, and IF you can find it, lead solder is SO much easier to work with.



Or do what I do and become friends with a Tech, wire up the pickups, and give him $20 to solder them up and do a quick setup.

Oh, I wish I could do that. Maybe I'll become friends with Sal Tine

Originally Posted by TheMissing

yes

It helps to have some sort of desoldering tool to get rid of the excess when you're done. I'd reccomend desoldering braid, as the suction tools while good for circuit boards and such, for some reason don't like large ammounts like say on a pot.

I'll see if Sears has any.

[jaxadam]

Originally Posted by Xtremevillan

True, I'll just pick up a pair of work gloves from work as well.

This will probably only complicate things. You will probably not be dexterous enough with gloves on to hold the wires, solder, iron, etc.

Originally Posted by Xtremevillan

To unsolder something, like the previous connection, all I need to do is just hold the soldering iron there for a few seconds, and gently lift up on the wire I'm unsoldering, right?

Yes, and it will liquefy quickly, but it will also harden back pretty quickly as well. Like TheMissing said, get some solder sucker.

[Xtremevillan]

Ah...I guess bandaids and cream it is, haha.

Solder sucker...I'll see if Sears has any. If not, to the radio shack I go!

I also heard somewhere that if you heat up the solder and blow it away (onto a towel, not paper of course) that it'll also work as well. This isn't recommended, is it.

[jaxadam]

You will be fine. Just remember the tip is always hot. So don't lay it down on a phone book or matchbox.

Any type of solder wicking product will work since you are dealing with a relatively small amount of solder.

A heat sink comes in handy when you are holding the soldering iron on a connection, because you can overheat electronics (like capacitors) are ruin them. You probably won't need one of these for a basic pickup change, though.

[AMS-Ryans]

Originally Posted by jaxadam

remember the tip is always hot. So don't lay it down on a phone book or matchbox.

That's great safety advice, but remember this is true for soldering Irons. If you are using a soldering gun you may have to hold down the trigger to get it hot.