Pain in the neck desoldering on my MIM strat

[BIGD]

I guess it's a good thing that they make a solid mechanical connecton in the factory, but damn it is a pain to swap out pickups..I think I fried the 5 way switch trying to get the wire off one of the poles.

[honeyiscool]

I generally buy new 5-ways whenever I need to change all three pickups.

 

I really like these low profile switches from Tricked Out Guitar:

 

[onelife]

It's a good idea to clip the wires instead of trying to desolder them.

 

If you do need to desolder, make sure you use a hot iron (40+ watts) with a small tip so you can keep the heat localized and get out quickly enough that the heat does not have time to travel to where it starts to melt other things.

[honeyiscool]

Also, tin the iron, hit the metal, not the solder on the metal itself, etc.

 

I figure he knows how to do that.

[BIGD]

 

It's a good idea to clip the wires instead of trying to desolder them. If you do need to desolder, make sure you use a hot iron (40+ watts) with a small tip so you can keep the heat localized and get out quickly enough that the heat does not have time to travel to where it starts to melt other things.

 

 

 

It is a 40 watt iron..problem is I didn't realize that the wire would be wrapped around the pole as opposed to just connected by solder, so I'm trying to yank and it looks like the solders liquid but it ain't coming lose...then the heat starts coming up the wire and....blech.

 

So if you snip the wire what are you going to do with all that crap left on the pole of the switch? just solder right over it with the new connection? I guess it will probably work.

[BIGD]

 

Also, tin the iron, hit the metal, not the solder on the metal itself, etc. I figure he knows how to do that.

 

 

Yeah, I did that but again...the mechanical connection was still there so I'm frying away when most of the solder is gone already.

[honeyiscool]

The way I do is I get the iron really hot and ready, and then be ready to yank with my other hand as soon as it hits.

[onelife]

 

So if you snip the wire what are you going to do with all that crap left on the pole of the switch? just solder right over it with the new connection? I guess it will probably work.

 

 

If you can get in tight enough to snip it close then there won't be much left.

 

To answer your question, yes, leave what is left there and solder over it - it's better than the alternative.

[mrbrown49]

You may need a hotter iron. If your guitar came with a little Rohs sticker on it that means it's lead free solder which melts at a higher temp. You need good heat conduction and a hot iron to desolder those factory joints. Using an iron that's too cold just prolongs the heating process and that's when components fry.

[bsman]

 

You may need a hotter iron. If your guitar came with a little Rohs sticker on it that means it's lead free solder which melts at a higher temp. You need good heat conduction and a hot iron to desolder those factory joints. Using an iron that's too cold just prolongs the heating process and that's when components fry.

 

 

Yeah -- when I replaced the pickups in my 09 MIM last fall, I wanted to bite someone by the time I was done. That lead-free solder may be better for the environment, but it was damn tough on my blood pressure...

[Beyer160]

Desoldering braid or a bulb is really handy. You shouldn't reuse solder anyway, so wick away the old stuff until you can unwrap/snip the old cable wrap. I also use a 25 watt iron, I find it easier to keep from pulling up traces or boiling the work.

[mike42]

I second the idea of the desoldering wick. If it's really wrapped tight you'll probably have to get most of the solder off to unwrap it. Another possibility is to clip the wire right up against the lug and then use a toothpick or similar to pull off individual strands while it's hot. That's a pain, but sometimes you do what you have to. I will suggest again that there's simply no reason to wrap wiring in a no-stress situation like a guitar. Just lay it on the lug, and if you get a good joint that's all you need. The next guy that works on the guitar won't have to go through this.

[BoneNut]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062745#

[diceman1000]

my MIM Standard Strat was a BITCH... i swear, them Mesicans welded that {censored} on:lol:... i fried my middle tone pot and fubared my 5 way:facepalm:

[DaleH]

^^^ You may need a new tip. They just get burnt out after awhile.

[HanSolo]

I find that my soldering gun tip (Weller) has to be clean to melt the solder quickly. I keep a scotchbrite nearby and clean the tip frequently. If after cleaning, it still won't melt the solder quickly, I replace the tip. The tips must oxidize or harden somehow and they just don't get hot enough.

 

I also clip the wire leaving just a short piece to prevent melting the insulator. I heat the lug and pull the wire out with a small needlenose plier. If the wire doesn't come out easily, I pull it out from behind the lug with the pliers.

[mrbrown49]

 

I find that my soldering gun tip (Weller) has to be clean to melt the solder quickly. I keep a scotchbrite nearby and clean the tip frequently. If after cleaning, it still won't melt the solder quickly, I replace the tip. The tips must oxidize or harden somehow and they just don't get hot enough. I also clip the wire leaving just a short piece to prevent melting the insulator. I heat the lug and pull the wire out with a small needlenose plier. If the wire doesn't come out easily, I pull it out from behind the lug with the pliers.

 

 

That's why the first and last thing you should do when soldering is tin the tip. The tip should always be tinned. It keeps oxidation to a minimum. That layer of oxidation kills heat transfer.

[onelife]

^^^ Very good advice.

 

Also make sure the tip is solidly in the iron if it threads in or is held by a setscrew to optimize heat transfer.