Soldering \ Wiring help

[Riffmeister]

I'm getting ready to build some switches for the first time and to start wiring up my own pickups and have a few ?'s about soldering.

Do you need flux and what is it for? I have heard yes and no on this.

Does it make any difference what kind of solder to use?

And lastly for the soldering, do you heat the parts and let the solder melt over them, or do you heat the solder up and just let it run over the parts?

Now for the pickup ?'s, I will be taking out my EMG's and I went to their site to find the wiring diagrams to make sure of what all the connections were etc. Well their diagram uses this thing called a buss, which my guitar doesn't have. I have a bunch of wires rinning to a small screw that is screwed into the body. What is this for, and is it specific to the EMGs?

I assume it is some kind of ground, but there are ground wires running to the pots, the jack and to the trem claw, so what why would this be needed if that is what it is for?

[Riffmeister]

Ok For once, I didn't do a search before I posted something( Sorry) and have seen numerous posts now, most of them about bad experiences when doing this for the first time.

Most of my ?'s were answered, but There was somehting about Pot sizes on there. I jsut ordered some new pots from Warmoth, and dind't really recall there being any diffences other than a 250 or 500k etc. I am wondering if I am going to have problems with them fitting my DKMG. what is the difference in an import and a USA sized pot?

I'm not sure what size the ones I ordered were at the moment.

[AlexL]

And lastly for the soldering, do you heat the parts and let the solder melt over them, or do you heat the solder up and just let it run over the parts?

Touch solder to the tip of the iron, so the iron tip has a small coating of hot solder, touch the iron tip to the part, and touch the solder to the part. Don't just drool solder over the desired connection!

If you are connecting wires to pots, "tin" the wires first by applying solder to the iron tip as described above, then hold the iron tip on the wire, and then touch the wire with the solder. This will cause solder to "wick" onto the wire, and fill in the gaps between the strands and coat the outside of the wire.

- E.

[Sharkfin]

You should find this write up helpful.

http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/ts0065_soldering.hzml

[Riffmeister]

Thanks Guys!

[dg]

There's all kinds of good stuff in the sticky post at the top of this section, like this soldering tutorial:

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=521165&postcount=16

[Riffmeister]

Is there any harm done to anything that can be done by wiring an LED in backwards?

[Trussrod]

This site offers dimensions for some of the pots they sell:

http://www.guitarnucleus.com/gnstore/elec_pots.html

[Dred]

Is there any harm done to anything that can be done by wiring an LED in backwards?

It dies.

There's a good few videos on youtube as well. One thing to read how it's done, but it's also immense help to watch it being done as well. That way you'll know when you're meant to let go, or the angle at which to make contact, etc.

[Riffmeister]

Dred,

If it is only the LED that dies, I can deal with that, I oprdered a bunch extra just in case, I just want to make sure no damage to the footswithch or amp will occur. I don't know how, but the Leds are powered by the amp somehow, not a battery or anything like that.

When the gain channel is on , the led lights up when the clean is on there is no LED.

I have to replace the Leds in the footwswitch and just want to MAKE SURE I don't do anything to mess it up

[nor]

Flux is your friend - especially when soldering wires to the back of pots. As far as pot size - look at the wood surrounding the hole the shaft passes through. If it is recessed (common on archtops) then size probably matters. If it is not recessed, size probably doesn't matter. If it's a deep arch then you will most likely need a pot with a long shaft.

[straycat]

Here is a tip clean the back of the pot with with some alcohol to remove residue or scuff the back of the pot with 1000 grit sandpaper to give the solder a clean place to adhere to.
Touch the tip of the iron to the pot to heat it a little(enough to allow the solder to flow) then as you feed the solder it with form a little pool and then attach your wires.As stated before put a little solder on the bare end of the wire then all you need to do is touch the iron to the wire and it will melt right into the pool.

[Riffmeister]

Nor,

I got long shaft pots, the length isn't what I am worried about , it's the diameter, or do I even need to be worried about that ? When I heard SMALLER pot, I assumed it was the shaft diameter and not the length.

In any case, the diameter on the ones I got said they were 3/8 I beleive.

[straycat]

The length is important you do know that right?If the pots in it now are of a smaller diameter you need to use a wood reamer to enlarge the holes in the body for the shaft.

[Riffmeister]

The length is important you do know that right?If the pots in it now are of a smaller diameter you need to use a wood reamer to enlarge the holes in the body for the shaft.

Yea, I know the length is important, but I got long shaft pots that are adjustable if I need them to be shorter, that is why I said I wasn't worrried about the length, but I wasn't sure about the diameter, I don't want to be doing anything that can screw up the finish. Not sure what a reamer is , but can you just drill the hole bigger if needed?