How to Solder Guitar Pots - Guitar Soldering Course Lesson 3

In this lesson of our Guitar Soldering Course, Besty shows you how to master soldering to guitar pots.
See our handwound guitar pickups: www.radioshopp...

[@thebreakfastmenu]

Man, folks like you that have free tutorials like this are MVPs, big time.

[@quintijn3444]

Just a little headsup for the people who aren't working with CTS pots but cheaper alternatives. They're often a bit more tricky to work with and need cleaning before you use them. Otherwise you run into situations where the tin won't stick to the back of the pot. You can read about people sanding the backs with sandpaper, but I find just cleaning them with an alcohol or naptha works great and makes them just as easy to work with as CTS pots!

[@notanotherguitarchannel]

Thanks! Yeah I was having a hell of a time with some cheap pots that had been sitting in my shed for a couple years.

[@ibanezsr505latin]

Im gonna be working with a smaller version of a Volume pot i picked up from a local guitar shop... potentiometer is smaller but states that it will work we will see

[@Phillip_higgins]

Thanks

[@downtownbillyandthenewjivefive]

@@notanotherguitarchannel If they were sitting in your shed, they oxidized.

[@mikewendeln5218]

I wish you would have told me this a couple of days earlier. Didn’t know and had a heck of a time. Lol

[@user-rs8zg8ey2b]

Back in 1992 to 1997 I had a roommate that played bass and repaired guitars, mostly re-frett'ed the necks, he started complaining about the shitty pots/switches/jacks that even expensive guitars use. At this point I have had decade plus repairing computers to component level, and everything else I owned. I easily knew how to solve his shitty component problem (like the rubbish pot your soldering too). Bourns or spectrol pots are some of the best out there, the cermet have 1 to 5 million rotation life, yes, I said million. Cutler/Hammer are some of the top toggle switches. He ended up replacing all his and liked them so much, he sold kits of these parts, about 230 kits per year until I moved out and bought a house. The cable jack was special, ball bearings and was a work of art. He started making high end bass guitars for a while, not sure what he does now.

[@freelance_commie]

Wow, can’t wait to be able to rewire my couple of guitars. Such smooth and clear instruction, thanks!

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

Thank you guys, needed to see how you solder, lots of light and magnifier(some-times) help too...and the obligatory calm disposition! Thanks again.

[@GuitarsRgood7]

Very cool! This close up really helped me understand what is going on when you solder!

[@bluesforthesolaranus]

Thank you so much for this. I had to change out all the electronics on my jazz bass and thanks to your video it went off without a hitch.

[@moose6676]

Thanks for a really great video, this has given me confidence to start doing my own work instead of paying. 🙏🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Bad.At.Guitar]

Wonderful and brilliant for DIY guitar folks

[@TC2290-wh5cb]

The ground wire has just detached itself from the pot in my tele, so will be using this as a guide.

[@ramencurry6672]

Gorgeous potentiometer

[@JamesTodino]

Thank you mate! Always struggled with getting a neat ground blob on the bottom of a pot, so I've been in need of advice like this!

[@user-rs8zg8ey2b]

Another trick my roomate did to the guitar necks, instead of varnish, he used thin CA, many coats with light sanding/cleaning in-between, this made the finish bulletproof from sweat/etc.

[@saintbodhisatva]

what is thin CA... sorry Im not from the USA

[@user-rs8zg8ey2b]

@@saintbodhisatva super glue, in this case the ultra thin stuff

[@lynnjones4097]

Thank you for the awesome lessons. This helps a lot

[@anthonybraun2665]

Thanks bro, you're a WINNER!! 😄

[@jgtRock]

Great video!

[@RedeyeRaccoon]

Great video, love the method, explanation, etc. The only constructive criticism... Leaving your solder joints too shiny could mean a possible cold solder joint. You should have a matte finished look to solder. That means you've reached the proper temperature for maximum hold. Cold solder joints can break easily. This is of course if you're using a 60/40 solder with a rosin coar.

[@elchivojota]

Interesting approach to the terminal soldering! I was always taught to do the 'curl"' method for the wire through the lug, to ensure the two entities have adequate contact prior to closing the joint. Thoughts on that?

[@dfanman1]

You make this look so ridiculously easy. Me and soldering do not get along at all. I'm the type of person who can't get that solder to stick to anything no matter what I do. It's maddening!

[@johnkelly-u3n]

im in the same boat, it has to have something to do with the tinning and cleaning, maybe im not using enough tin or the wrong solder

[@das.ruderboot]

I highly recommend solder that still got lead in it! also it needs a flux core! Flux is extremely important, makes the solder flow and not stick. You can also get flux in a tube, put some where you want to solder and it'll flow easily. I started off with lead free solder and no flux core, and it was horrible. Getting some good lead solder with a flux core allowed me to create shiny and perfect solder joints. The solder just flows like no tomorrow

[@irvinparcon]

Why my solder never sticks at the top of the pots? 😢😩😭

[@simonmcc3608]

A fantastic video! I like the look of that wee vice for holding the components. Stops you from chasing it around the table!! Where would I get one of those?

[@goodyguitars4270]

@5:13......... semi-spherical.....it's a Hemi.......it's a Mopar!

[@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV]

I actually stopped bending the ground lug to the pot and instead just use a wire. I do this because of breaking the pot by accident...that pcb that the lug is attached to can break easily! Trust me..after this happening to me a gazillion times...a wire is easier! Also, the tinning the lug at the top is great information. That Solder can go down that entire lug to the bottom and can and will cause breakage or shorts eventually!

[@JacobR.88]

What temperature do you use while soldering the back of the pots?

[@ruzcelbeltran]

Amazing tutorial clean job

[@mikemanne8112]

very nice

[@alejandrolou1739]

Muchas gracias 😊👍

[@LeonRHarvey]

these are better than the Seymour Duncan lessons ;D

[@ibanezsr505latin]

Your are an expert best video by far

[@mknewlan67]

My 1st time soldering and using cts pots I can’t get the solder on the pot. It either sticks to the iron or the solder itself. Any suggestions? Please?

[@pablopicasso7343]

Make shure your soldering iron is hot enough. You need bigger soldering tip and more heat than for electronics.

[@mknewlan67]

@@pablopicasso7343 found out I was using the wrong solder. Works like a charm when using proper gear lol.

[@bigjoe5659]

What tin wire do I need? Just got my soldering kit and want to install my electronics

[@Paul-mn8ql]

I wish my Les Paul had a tiny little vise in it like that. It sure would be a lot easier to get those “nice pools” of shiny solder.

[@JeffTaylor-z5v]

Can I ask what model soldering gun you're using for what I assume is a high heat job?

[@pbboeye1012]

So, is it ok to run grounds to the casing and not a lug, assuming the lug is grounded up against the casing?

[@ytmndan]

Why not solder the ground wire through the grounded lug?

[@Fartinhalerr]

What kind of wire do I solder to the pots? Not talking about the solder itself but the wire that will be soldered

[@chrisr4740]

Hi how do i wire a tone pot on a bridge pickup only with a 5 way switch ibanez cheers

[@mr1bienvenu1]

How many watt iron is that ? Which solder are you using ?

[@megadawg342]

Great technique. Thanks for the lesson.

[@sergioalejandrosaenzperez5163]

a query, what type of soldering iron and tin do I need to do this electronics job?

[@fleetwooddave]

Help me wrap my head around why the 3rd lug is bent in to ground and if there is a circumstance where you wouldn't go to ground with it but use it for a different objective...thanks

[@danielbermudez1552]

The 3rd lug is the end of the resistance in a pot, if you put it to ground you're looping the circuit and making it go silent, that's why it's main use is in the volume pot

[@FF-so3su]

Thanks

[@SrLebowski]

Hello, did you use 1 or 0.5mm soldering wire?

[@brunom3478]

What's the wattage on your soldering iron?

[@6strings1pickup12]

Is there a reason you didn't just solder the black wire to the pool you already created when you soldered the lug to the housing? I'm a soldering noob lol, just started.

[@jnicholls21]

The soldering of the wire already soldered is likely to be compromised if you re-flow the pool to add an additional wire.

[@SionynJones]

Da iawn. Thought I detected a bit of Welsh accent. So cool to have pickups made in Wales.

[@RadioshopPickups]

Diolch Sionyn! Inni yng Ngorllewin Cymru (Gogledd Sir Benfro) dyddie hyn :) Besty

[@christophercolumbus8944]

@@RadioshopPickups why do they always solder the last leg to the potentiometer ?

[@47ravenlord]

Great video, except for not using any flux. I understand that the solder you are using has a rosin core, but that doesn't do much to help the surface you heat before using the solder. A jar of actual flux, a little dab on the back of the pot, and bam....the solder will melt onto the pot MUCH faster, easier, and it will be a cleaner and stronger connection. I am honestly surprised how few soldering videos bother to mention flux when it makes the process so much easier, especially for beginners and people worried about overheating their pots.

[@guitarz99]

100 % agree flux everything

[@47ravenlord]

​@@guitarz99Exactly, it's cheap and incredibly effective. Almost never a reason NOT to use it, lol.

[@christophercolumbus8944]

leg or lug ?

[@kurtklingklang5918]

Where to start? Pretty amateurish really. But well done for soldering over the makers mark on the pot. There's a proper tool for creating a suitable solder point on a pot like this, or any untinned surface. Just giving it a bit of a scrape with a random pointy thing is what I'd expect a rank amateur to do. You should have been able to tin each contact with a single pass, not dabbing a little bit each time - which prolongs the time the component is under heat stress. I'm not sure I would regard bending the contact back on itself and forming a solder bridge to the pot chassis best practice; particularly as you then soldered a wire onto another point of the pot. It would probably been easier to use a separate wire for this.

[@donkink3114]

Strip wires 3/4 inch(19mm) tin them Tin the lugs on the pot. Wrap wire thru the lug while heating it Twist tight then solder a bit more.for a fairly durable physical connection as well as electrical. Use heat shrink tubing to weatherize the connection

[@fearnpol4938]

That’s a ridiculously unnecessarily long joint, the insulation should only be cut back circa 1/4” 5mm at max for this joint. Re twisting of the wire should never be redone as you end up deforming the wire. A correctly made hook joint will have more than enough mechanical strength for anything this joint would be likely to have to face.

[@RedeyeRaccoon]

I used to wrap and secure mine too, but this method holds beter. It's is easier to make any repairs, mistakes or mods later. I also learned when I did that Loop and wrap method it created too much stress in the loops would end up snapping. That's why you're using shrink tube because it gets weak at that tight wrapped part. My only critique is that solder should be a matte finish not shiny once done.

[@JimmyO-m4p]

What temp is best to set the solder gun at for jobs like this. 800-900 lol just kidding but this knucklehead has no idea. Appreciate any answer or help

[@97warlock]

I just solderied using my new soldering iron 400w ....I CAN NOT get the solder to melt to the Pot. I AM SO MTFKING FRUSTERATED, I have watch a million videos, done it all, The Solder will melt intop a cold solder joint, dull grey, cracks off. 400 watt, should I stay on the volume pot about 3 hours, so maybe it will melt the solder??? maybe by then it MIGHT melt a shiny bubble of solfder. Soldering Sucksass.

[@97warlock]

Wih My solder would melt that fast. I have to hold it to it like8 seconds till it begins to melt it then it melts it fast, then start again & wait & wait & wait, till finally it will start t o melt. i have a 35w but its Old now

[@RedeyeRaccoon]

Are you using 60/40 solder with a rosin core?

[@jewblin5305]

Soldering is the pain in the ass of my guitar life. I hate doing it and always get clumsy results…

[@guitarz99]

Solder (sodder) not sawhlderr

[@flukyreview9128]

Tinning the lug is not necessary. Just tin the wire then insert it through the lug hole and solder using small amount of solder as you heat and make contact with both wire and lug. Hmmm your soldering will not pass Mil Specs mate. 🤣🤣🤣

[@gerryroush8391]

Why solder to back of potentiometer? Just use a solder lug under the nut Like every other ground Or is this just a guitar only myth that everyone does

[@scarcam]

Soldering two wires (one either side) to one lug always defeats me

[@pmorra6608]

If you have patience to hook up the wires by hand into the lug, one on each side, and then solder them both together it becomes quite easy.

[@fearnpol4938]

The tinned wire looks to have too much solder on it as it looks stiff beyond the insulation, this is bad as it doesn’t allow and easy bend to create a joint, the wire should have no solder inside the insulation and should stop circa the dia’ of the wire before the insulation starts. Also the tag has too much solder on it as the hole should never be filled in.

[@curtrod]

nah

[@sidneyolson8795]

ᎮᏒᎧᎷᎧᏕᎷ 😱

[@marshallohio5512]

OMG, stop scratching/sanding guitar control pots before soldering !!! Unnecessary !!

[@curtrod]

nah

[@RedeyeRaccoon]

Doesn't hurt it either.

[@diggerdagger1345]

Tip size? Temperature of your iron? Useless video...