Choosing the Right Soldering Irons for Music Instrument Repairs

Serious musicians need basic soldering skills. Learning simple soldering helps in countless situations—including building cables to suit your needs and changing pots and jacks. Soldering irons are especially useful in guitar repair, and they can save you a lot of money while extending the life of your instrument.

For basic guitar soldering and soldering on most other instruments, you’ll need a 30-watt iron and a smaller 15-watt iron. The 30-watt is good for inside an instrument’s body, and the 15-watt is tiny enough for detail work in stompboxes, PCBs and other tight spaces. A chisel tip is a good starting point and should serve you well for most work. As for flux, avoid the plumbing or paste flux you might have on hand already and invest in rosin-flux cored solder (60/40, lead/tin). This flux works like a charm on most instruments.

Once you’ve got the correct soldering irons and flux, consider getting some accessories to make your work easier. A soldering stand with an attached sponge will make cleaning and maintaining your iron and tip much simpler. Needle-nose pliers, a de-soldering pump, and a “third hand” is also invaluable for soldering jobs ranging from basic to expert. These parts aren’t necessary, though, and you can get started learning soldering for musical instruments with just a couple of irons and the right flux.

Electronic Soldering Preparation

Are you currently planning on carrying out an electronic project that requires soldering? Before you begin any electronic soldering project, it’s important to first prepare your soldering iron by properly cleaning and tinning it. Follow these simple steps, and bask in successful electronic soldering goodness:

1. Turn your soldering iron on. It will take a few minutes before the iron is hot. Be sure to have the iron in a proper stand, and not resting on your work area where it can cause a fire.
2. When the iron is hot, clean the tip. The recommended way to clean a soldering iron is to wipe the tip with a damp (not wet) sponge. While working, wipe the iron every now and again with the sponge to keep it clean.
3. Tinning refers to the process of applying a light coat of solder to your soldering iron. You should tin your soldering iron before carrying out any project. Tinning helps the solder flow more freely when it heats up, which makes your soldering iron work more efficiently and freely. To tin the iron, melt a small amount of solder on the tip, then wipe the tip dry with your sponge.

After following these simple steps, you can begin your electronic soldering project. You should clean the tip of your iron frequently as you work, ideally after each joint is soldered. It’s also important to follow all safety precautions when doing any type of soldering. Find the best soldering equipment and more at StellarTechnical.com today.