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pickup

  • 13-02-2007 12:01am
    #1
    cantdecide
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,465 ✭✭✭✭


    hello all.
    how hard is it to wire a guitar pickup?

    i've got a sentimentally valued jackson. it's a tame one, not the 80's all black ones. it's actually a nice guitar and i'd love to give it a pickup upgrade.
    any advice to a novice.:)


Comments

  • #2
    deaddonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 861 ✭✭✭deaddonkey


    very, very easy

    i/we shall help you through it

    all you need is a soldering iron with a small tip (15-30 watts)

    it's a matter of chaning a maximum of 4 wires, but usually 2.

    it really couldn't be simpler.


  • #3
    Beecher
    Closed Accounts Posts: 936 ✭✭✭Beecher


    Well today I did my first solo soldering job on an Ibanez RGA 121 I got yesterday :) Here are some things I learned which may help you.

    (1) Solder doesnt contain lead any more so it needs a slightly higher temperature to melt so dont buy a 15 watt iron. 25-30 watt will be fine.

    (2) Dont use a pointed soldering iron (like this). Use one with a flat base on the top (like this). The reason for this is I found the flat topped one made applying solder much easier than the pointed one. The method I was using for applying solder was to cut off a small piece of solder and melt it with the soldering iron where it would stick to the flat top of the soldering iron as a liquid ball of solder, then I hold the wire in place and press the liquid ball of solder on top of the wire, hold for a sec and presto!

    (3) Soldering is much easier than I thought.

    (4) Getting burned really f*cking sucked.

    (5) Place something around the cavity to protect the paint from any solder that may fall on it.

    *Edit (6) Getting burned still really f*cking sucks an hour later!!


  • #4
    The Doktor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,208 ✭✭✭The Doktor


    Sorry lads, but thats not how to solder. Doing it like that will not make a good electrical joint and will deteriorate over time.
    As far as the tip is concerned you will find one that you like over time. I like a round tapered tip, flat on one side. Never liked chisel type ones.
    When soldering the 2 wires, its important that they dont move until the solder has hardened. So use somthing to hold the wires, or wrap them together so they dont move.
    Next put a small bit of solder on the tip, i mean small.. this is for heat transfer.
    Hold the tip against the wires, and allow them to be heated, so that both wires are at the same temp. Then take the solder and feed it into the wire at the opposite side to the tip, the solder will flow freely into the wire. Dont use the tip of the iron to carry solder onto the joint. When the wire is covered with solder remove the iron.
    You dont need a heap of solder on the wires, just enough for the joint to be lightly covered. The solder should remain nice and silvery when hardened.
    If its dull and grainy, you should remove the solder using desoldering braid and start again.
    Practise on some wire for a while before you attempt the real thing.


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