I've been soldering for 25 years, and every point and tip you gave is absolutely correct. Although over a beer I'd argue the damp sponge over the brass pad lol

Before I watched this video I was just putting some solder on the end of the iron and then smearing it over the two parts and then saying a little prayer. And then trying it again most of the time. Thanks.

THANK YOU DYLAN FOR MENTIONING WHY YOU DONT HOOK THE WIRE ENDS!!! I’ve heard that SOOO many times and seen it done often and any guitar tech will tell you exactly WHY you SHOULDNT do that! There’s an angry Canadian dude that works with guitar-shaped objects that said that same thing too but what do you think the people in his Facebook group do?! Guys, listen to Dylan and that angry Canadian fellow. They know.

What a gem. Nice job. This taught more about soldering than any other source I’ve seen.

They call me Mr Work Movin’ Around before I took in this excellent content. Thx for all the tips and leg clips with all the enough heat. Solder tips are unique to each of us. Not everybody wants or needs a huge chisel tipped, uncircumcised robot heat gun when you can have a rapid fire baby boy tip.

a great tip for your plyers is put a rubber band around the handles to keep them from opening accidentally

Hands down one of the best soldering videos I've seen

I used to work in electronics for a good number of years, but now I work in IT. One thing I did not learn how to properly while getting my degree is how to solder. Luckily, I did receive the training from an employer. There are a few things he didn't mention in the video that might be helpful to those with little experience. The first thing is to be sure to use enough heat, but don't use too much heat either. If you get a better soldering iron that that has an adjustable heat control don't just turn it up to maximum, especially when soldering smaller things. The purpose of flux is to prepare the surface of the items you are trying to join. If the temperature is too high the flux burns off fast and cannot do its job. When soldering circuit boards, you can cause damage to the traces. (You can also cause damage if the temperature is too low because you have to heat what you are trying to solder for too long.) The tip size and shape also matter. A small pencil tip works for small wires but cannot properly heat larger surfaces. Likewise, a large tip can overheat a small connection and can cause damage, which is a factor when soldering the cheap quality circuit boards in guitar amps. As he mentioned when soldering wires pre-tin them. A good tip for those new to soldering is to get a good tool to strip the insulation off of the wire. It doesn't have to be expensive. The best thing to do is to not just pull the insulation off of the wire and then use your fingers to twist the strands together. Instead, cut into the insulation and pull the insulation just a little bit, but don't pull it all the way off. Once that is done grip the tip of the insulation you want to remove, and give is a gentle twist as you pull it off of the wire. This will twist the wires together for you as you pull the insulation off. Putting a bit of flux on the wire prior to soldering helps but is not necessary. The last tip is just common sense and that is don't breathe in the smoke that happens when you solder as it is toxic. Do something to prevent it from going up to your face.

Just ordered a soldering iron, gonna start doing this myself. Amazing timing, thanks!!

Thank you Dylan.

First, one of the best, most informative videos I've seen. I have the same Weller soldering station you do as well as helping hands, "but" until I can find a way to overcome my Corneal problems, complicated by Cataracts, further complicated by arthritis (obviously, I'm rapidly approaching my late 70's), no matter how fantastic this information is, I'm really not sure I'll ever be able to solder satisfactorily ever again. Having said all that? The information in this video is invaluable to those of you with no vision or arthritic (include tremors) problems. There are those of us out here that really want to do what we "ustacould!!!" And now cannot...Dammit!!!! I really wish I had had this information when I "could" have really used it. It's some of the best ever!!! (No it is no one's fault, other than mine for having the audacity to live over 3/4 of a century, that I can no longer do what I really want to do. It's just one of those things that "getting old" causes those of us "getting old" have to deal with on a daily basis. Not intended to be a bitch. A Statement Of Fact?!?!?!? Hell Yeah!!!!) Thanks for the extremely informative video, Dylan. Please keep videos like these coming!!!!

Hey Dylan great video. In England we pronounce the L!

Now we know how to Soda guitar stuff! Thank you so much!

Great video! For people who are newer... Maybe a video sometime on de-soldering and cleanup used components? Thanks for the great video!

I'm new to this particular hobby but I have painted minis for a while. I have never had "helping hands" but have always had sticks and poster tack.

This is a fantastic video. Thank you so much for such clarity!

This video was extremely well done and super helpful. Thanks so much.

Thank you for all of the Information. Everything that you explain makes COMPLETE SENSE ! I previously checked out your Oil Paper Capacitor VS all the other Caps. Made complete sense to me.

Really dig this vid!! GREAT info. You present really well, easy to understand you. Thank you!

Thank you Dylan, a very good lesson !

This was extremely helpful. Thank you very much Dylan!

Thanks for the lesson - I can pronounce, but not do it, In the UK the ‘L’ is pronounced: solder as in folder, rather than sodder as in fodder. Your language came from mine. PS what the hell did you do to aluminium? For the purposes of clarity and the bearing in mind that internet comment sections are not the most friendly or forgiving of places, my tongue is firmly in my cheek. It’s a shame I have to say that for some, not for all, I hasten to add.

Thank you Dylan!

awesome tips, your prior video helped also. I liked the strength test, and explanation of what a solder is, chemical bond, I learned something new (thought it was a type of weld using lead alloy . . . . I ordered one set of runway cables but now make my own. the helping hands / octopus holder thing is pretty fly and helps or making jigs like dylan did, like doing a wiring harness for ES or LP, just a template with the holes, and use that to make a hard cardboard template to put in and make the wiring harness

Awesome Video Dylan really helps.

Perfect timing! I’m going to be soldering a set of pickups into my guitar. They are even a set of your DAF pickups.

Thank you for this! Finally get it now - the chemical reaction bit was excellent coz I didn't realize that.

Thanks man, very helpful 👍

awesome video! I use a few pairs of hemostats to hold the wires when joining.. work like a charm!

Thank you Dylan

Excellent video. I’ve learned a lot.

Dylan, thanks for the video. Fortunately, my father taught me about soldering as a kid, but I have used the 'hook' technique sometimes just as a way to hold in place. But I fully understand why you don't really want to do that. Thanks for the tips and reinforcement of techniques in soldering. I definitely need some of those helping hands.

Thanks, I learned somethings about soldering especially how much heat to use

I know why I subscribed to your channel. Dropping some super interesting etymology!! Super dope 😊 Getting into a totally new thing like soldering is exciting. I’m just getting in cause the black ground wire of my Ibanez AZ got pulled out.

I say "soldier" just to bug people. I find bugging people to be fun 😁

Don't think you mentioned it (if you did I missed it), but if you want to get good heat transfer tinning your soldering iron tip is a must.

I use a lead solder without a rosin core and found a flux pen works a lot better than a paste flux. No cleanup and makes tinning wires a breeze. Personal preference only. Plus I get it free from work to use on my builds

From the Matrix, "now I know how to solder." Thanks for the education, you will see this put into practice on my guitar mod videos on the JJM channel.

If you don't have a helping hand thing, use an old rusty pair of pliers that are actually stiff to open and close. Use them to hold one part of your work, freeing a hand to hold the iron or solder.

Do you have an Amazon reference for purchasing wire to wire the pick guard?

Been banging my head against a wall trying to solder to the back of pots, but no matter how hot I put this Schneider iron from Harbor Freight (even up to 896 degrees apparently) I still get cold solder. I think the temperature gauge is bogus. I just ordered the Hakko iron as soon as I saw this. I hope it works!

A great vid, very helpful. But as a welder and former plumber i do have to give ya a friendly correction. Porosity is a defect in a weld joint where air or contamination enters into the joint at time of weld. Welders don't sand or grind unless they screwed up or repairing a painted surface. Sanding comes from joining copper piping by welders who use lead free solder. You MUST sand and pre flux copper piping. Its a form of brazing. But Porosity is a bad thing, i think you were referring to the surface being porous enough to suck up the solder, but im just guessing. Either way thank you, great video, worth just for examples of technique

I use the same Hakko iron and it's fantastic. I prefer the flat blade style D16 tip then the conical tip. Also for me I find adding a hook to the end of a wire to make a mechanical joint will mean the wire moves less. Not saying that your joints aren't good but a beginner might find it easier. You don't need a full hook just a slight bend to keep it from moving. To remove you just apply heat with the iron and pull with the other hand. If they get into amp work and you are placing a lot of components you don't want them coming out before you solder them all down.

Bought a pound of solder on your recommendation. It will outlast me. I have struggled with lead-free to get mediocre results. I'm told 63/37 solidifies and re-melts more quickly. Everyone I watch on here uses 60/40. Good enough for me.

Can you solder a piece of wire to the hot wire of a pickup to make the hot wire longer. (The hot wire on my neck pickup is just a little too short) thanks for the outstanding videos.

How do you prepare the tip of the soddering tool? I understand you need to tin it before hand right? And how long would the tip last?

So that solder is actually 60/40 tin/lead. I’ve seen other guys recommend the opposite ratio but I can’t find it narrow. Is narrow more important or lead content?

Wow, The Grecian Empire, who started the ball rolling 2,000 years before the Roman Italic tribes thought they were civilised , would have been so amazed at your explanation of how they influenced the English? language.

I think i learned things :)

Dylan, when I first saw the thumbnail I thought you was smoking crack lol

What would cause my bass to lose sound when tightening the nut of the control knobs? If I loosen the nut to a degree where it's way too lose, the sound returns. Could it be that the copper tape is shorting the pots? I just saw in one of your other videos that you advise ripping out the shielding... should I shield the pickup cavity? Side note... I would love to get those exact pickups you made for Dan at G&G for his PRS LifeWater bass he made for a contest several years ago. I'll take them kit or pre-made. They looked really awesome. Thank you

so I have been having issues with an Emerson Custom wiring kit I just put in my Vintera Road Worn strat. When I pull back the volume I get radio noise. I even resoldered everything to the degree in which you explain in this video and still same thing... could it be since the pickup wire is enamel and the emerson kit is cloth that I am experiencing the radio noise? I also use Kester 60/40 like you have.

I was unawair you still did loaded guards. I did not see that option on dylan pickups (i was looking at soap bars) ill have to go look again. I think my only guitar i am wanting yo swap pu in (lp jr 2011) may have quik connect or may not

So what kind of wire do we need for the connections? You never mentioned what those are except that they're pre-tinned.

I didnt ground my volume pots 3rd lug to the pot casing Cos i dont want it to completely turn off, I use a volume pedal for the swells ... with that open lug there's still a signal at zero but cleaner which interacts great with the tone pot. On a tone pot though, whats the difference between soldering the cap on the middle lug (Ibanez style wiring) vs the outer Left lug (seymour duncan style wiring)?

I see you use a hakko fx 888d, I was looking to buy one but the tips say lead free.Can you use 60/40 solder with lead free tips?

Thank you Dylan! Couple of weeks ago, not much soldering experience and at that with cheapo solder irons! I bought a great solder station with digital temp and I attempted to soldered a new 5 way switch.... My guitar is SOOOO noisy now. Hadn't had a achance to go back and clean everything and resolder. Just saw your video and am so glad i did! Saw all the mistakes i did and can now go back and do a much better job thanks to this video! What's the old radio saying... Long time listener..First time caller! Been watching a bunch of your vids and learn lots from ya!

Hey man I'm an American living in New Zealand and I remember there was a device called the humx I was just wondering if you know anything about them and how they work I would like to try and make one thanks

I'm not sure if Germany, or the entire EU, commercially, you have to use lead-free solder. But for private projects, you may still use solder with lead.

I just started soldering some basic stuff in guitars, and find the cheap $8 soldering iron works fine. The way I see it is that if I can learn a soldering with a cheap tool, then I’ll be in good shape by the time I need to upgrade.

How would you tidy up a messy existing solder job? Do you just heat it up and add new solder or are you meant to clean the old solder off and start again? If so how to you remove/clean off the old solder?

Asked a guy in the hardware section of a local Kroeger owned chain store if they had solder and he had to have been in his late 40s but had no idea what it was, even after I explained it was the stuff used to connect wires and electronic components and he still had never heard of it, and he was a native English speaker. Was a strange experience.

It would have been so easy for you to explain how to and how often to clean the tip making it a complete tutorial now i have to find the answer.

Your explanation of what soldering actually is: I always thought of it more as brazing or gluing...the pieces being stuck together don't melt but the stuff that sticks them together does. Chemical reaction? I'm going to have to look into that. Seems more mechanical than chemical. On another note, I'm curious to see an ohm-meter check solder joints to compare 60-40 tin/lead solder with silver solder...see if one has appreciatively more resistance. Please don't take anything I say as disagreement, you raise questions, that's all.

Hey Dylan. I have a really good question for you. When a pickup diagram shows 4-5 wires being soldered to the back of a pot in the same spot, does it actually all have to be in the same spot? I have done this but its very difficult and messy with 5 wires all in one blob. But since the back of the pot is all one piece of metal, does it matter where you solder everything on there?

The reason I respect you so much is that you do your fucking homework hahaha (with respect to the pronunciation thing I mean)

I've seen other videos which rely on pre-soldering the tabs and the back of the pot, and I've personally found it kinda creates a mess and that you don't do that at all. Is it the reliable heat that allows you to skip that step, or just your preference and your experience?

What kind of wire to use?

Can anyone take a good guess. My middle and neck pickup (HSS, Select Strat) are week sounding, especially the middle pickup, bridge pickup (humbucker, both coils are working) seems to be the right output level but has a muddy sound, so far I've changed the pickup selector, I'm thinking of replacing the volume part next, moving maybe somebody out there has had this problem?

It's like colour and color.

As far as welding terminology goes the word you want is brazing. The act of using a third metal as a binder that has a lower melting point than the materials being fused together.

The Weller iron is on sale 52% off on Amazon right now

I recently tried to solder a ground wire to the spring claw of a Strat, and no matter what i did it did not stick to the claw, even when sticking when it cooled down it just came off! I thought maybe it is the metal type, as I had no problem on a different Strat. What am I doing wrong?

My bad for not watching the tone man's vidio first before buying a good soldering out fit. Bought an off brand, and the shut off timer began malfunctioning after a few short weeks. Now the damn thing will only stay hot enough to use for the first few minutes, then it shuts itself down and won't warm up again no matter what the temp gauge says. Now I'll have to spend the extra money and buy top shelf anyway

If somoene wants to get started with soldering, or even if you've been doing it for a while and want to really up your game, NASA has a series of videos on soldering to their specifications. It's overkill for guitar but illustrates the most important basics: how much solder to use, how visible the strands should be on a solder joint when using stranded cable, how long the exposed wire should be and how far away from the jacket it needs to be in order for the connection to be flexible and surivive movement, how much solder should be on different types of joints, why solder bridges are important, etc. As far as mechanical joints go, you are incorrect. They are best practice. Do they make it more difficult to perform a repair? Nominally, if you're half way decent at soldering. What are we talking? Maybe an extra 10 or 15 seconds, per joint. Quality takes time. Additionally, according to best practices, wires should not be soldered side to side like that. It will work in a pinch but, it's not textbook correct. Is it "fine?" Inside of a guitar probably, but that's not considered correct and I would not use that method. I might expect that level of soldering on a very inexpensive guitar, but if I saw that on a higher end guitar, I would consider that a shortcut and subar. Also you NEED some type of shrink tubing or jacket otherwise you're risking that wire touching something it should not touch. I feel more emphasis should have been made on that point. Teaching people shortcuts is fine. Most people could probably care less about technically perfect control cavities but, please consider at least explaining best practices first, and then explaining why you choose to take shortcuts, as opposed to going the last mile, so to speak.

Any other mf-er watching this thinking i don't give two flying fig trees where the word comes from ...😂

IS 35 WATTS NOT HOT ENOUGH ?

He is 100% correct about forming hook on a pierced, perforated, or punched terminal like the ones on the pot. If it's not required, it's not necessary, so don't bother with it. Unless specified in engineering documentation, even in industry standards it is acceptable for assemblies that are class 1, 2, or 3, as long as the conductor contacts at least 2 surfaces. Guitar wiring would be considered class 1 (the lowest class), meaning the addition of a hook to the terminal only serves one purpose. To infuriate you the next time. Think about it. Are you going to be yanking that pot around or putting it under a bunch of tension? Not likely. Also if your wires are too short causing tension, then consider replacing them. That added pain in the butt if you need to rework it is not worth it.

Hi Dylan, I have a guitar that I have mounted two extra switches on. do you think that having too many solders, in my case at least 2 more, on the signal can affect the tone? thank you

But if you use additional flux the heat exchange is better so the pot would heat up faster and more evenly

I've been struggling like hell with my soldering....you explained why I was getting shorts in my wiring....and having such a difficult time getting it to flow right.....thanx alot brother....now to go back and fix my mistakes....as a suggestion (and I haven't dug to deep back yet), but odd wiring... like I can't find schematics for 2 P-90,2 buckers, or a combo of both and 2 separate vol, no tone, no switch.....kinda stuff....not much of an elec. engineer lol

I thought it was simple. Now I know otherwise 😮

Don't throw rocks. The back pot cap soldering is faulty. Why? Because the cap leg does not make direct contact with the pot. There is solder in-between making the signal travel through it. This will make the pickups sound thinner. Trial and error experience

For the civilized world: by 700° he meant 370° ^^

Actually, "souder" is the french word for welding. In French, welding and soldering is the same word.

Do I have to worry about smoke detectors?

What precautions are you taking to prevent exposure to lead fumes and exposure to lead in the solder? I used to do lead poisoning investigations for the government as part of my job as a environmental health practitioner. Lead exposure is cumulative and can really make you very, very sick with Parkinson's like shakes, and neurological damage. Is that lead solder you are handling with your bare hands? Exposure to fumes from lead soldering is dangerous. What are you doing to protect yourself? I honestly wouldn't risk using lead solder. These other countries ban lead for a very good reason. Please discuss with your followers how to protect themselves from lead exposure.

sole-der - English sah-der - American I think the american pronunciation would sound like a curse in Britain.

soldering or soldering? ITS JUST ACCENT!

I thought this video was going to be about soldering-pots, not soldering pots.

Tip #1 - don’t inhale that sh*t. Get a proper smoke absorber.

Love your channel Dylan - but your similarity to a young Joe Pesci is sometimes scary. I would never dare laugh in your presence in case you thought I was laughing at you 😂😂😂

Dylan, FYI: The Oxford English Dictionary is considered to be the definitive guide to English. The Cambridge is not.

Dude. Please stop saying sauder.

Great video but, but, why do you not put any solder flux paste on your components where you will solder? Ya, your solder has it, but it also stops the heat from being transferred past your solder joints because it's almost instant. If you were doing electronics like this, oh boy you be done. I would recommend a fatter soldering tip with flux paste to solder grounds and capacitors to the back of the pots makes it a lot easier without overheating components. Just always use flux paste even on them tiny wires.