Harbor Freight sells a set of “Helping Hands” for under 5 bucks for soldering and other fine detail work where you wish you had an extra hand (or two). Even with an auto feeding solder gun, it’s still useful to keep the work still and in contact for good clean solder joints.
Kinda neat, but if you are soldering a p/u lead to a pot (or switch), just put some solder on the pot lug, then put some solder on the wire end. Once they both have a blob on them you don't need to feed any more solder into the joint; at this point you just hold the wire end on the solder lug and heat up the joint until they are fused. I use one of the 60W soldering irons that allow you to adjust the temperature; they aren't as good as a soldering gun/station that has a sensor in the tip, but you can find them for around $10 (and they take the standard Hakko-style tips). Don't forget to order a solder sucker for desoldering. BTW, thanks for the review on the Wolf guitars, I picked up an LP style and couldn't be happier with it!
Oh my gosh thank you so much!!! I have been soldering for years and it's always been awful holding the wires, the iron, and the solder, and that this thing will change the game forever!! Thanks again!
I gotta say, this video popped up on my UA-cam feed. And crazy as it seems, THIS is a majorly helpful subject. I've been playing for 35 yrs, & I just decided, I'm tired of buying guitars that lack 1 feature or more, and i cant afford to go custom shop buying, so...time to learn these skills. I've been watching vids on soldering, and this was way more helpful. I was afraid to jump in start. Knowing this tool is out there, has inspired me! I was worried about the pitfalls he discussed. Wow. I immediately subscribed and ringing that bell!!! Thank you so much! You r so clear, calm, & concise, I'm on my way to modifying my guitars, looking forward to future content!!!! Cool man!!!
Thanks Max, I’ve been doing the same as you, old school style. I even stopped changing out pickups because it was such a pain. Now, I’m going to get one of those new soldering guns!!!
A good tip that makes the soldiering of any guitar pots, pickups or switches much easier is to use wire with the highest amount of lead as possible. Requires a lot less heat to make a clean and pretty joint.. These days the highest amount is called 60-40, that's 60% Tin and 40% lead. I use 60-40 Tin Lead flux rosin core soldier .039/ 1.0mm. Lead is poisonous, so if your soldering a lot use a mask. Always keep the tip clean and always pre Tin all wanted connections.
Most helpful. To avoid any "hair-razing" issues I would have to resort to time travel and go back to when I had hair that could get in the way . . . of anything at all. I appreciate how easy to follow and to the point this video is. Thanks.
Been looking at these for awhile now... Every time I see one, I'm down to the "last" guitar, I'm modding... Hell with that, I'm getting one!!.. Thanx Maxx..
I have one. It packed up after about a year of use, and the feed tube had to be cleared a few times when it did work. When it worked , it was useful though. Thanks Max.
I did the pickup swap on my Stratocaster using the pencil-type iron you show in the video. Mine came from Radio Shack. I just wrapped the wires through the lugs on the pickup switch and could hold the iron in one hand and the solder in the other.
I have a gadget I bought at Harbor Freights called Helping Hands. It has clips and a magnifying glass. They also carry one with an led light. Real handy if your hands aren't that steady. Plus less eyes strain on small items.
Very cool. For your request for other cool tools, a cheapy fret level tool can be made with a metal carpenters level, various grits of sandpaper, and some double sided masking tape (or even easier - sandpaper with an adhesive already on the back). The level gives a very good straight edge that is wide enough to do the job and is available in lots of different lengths. Good for both fret levelling and edge bevel.
Thank you this was super helpful. Somehow soldering just looked so complicated the old way, I didn't even want to bother changing my pickups. Now that I've seen this I'm definitely gonna look into getting some good/better pickups for my guitars.
I recommend getting you a soldering accessory I use frequently called Helping Hands sold by Radio Shack & Amazon. It has 2 alligator clips and a small magnifying glass all mounted on arms that pivot so you can move things where you need them when soldering. I use mine a lot assembling electronic kits for Ham radio. Radio Shack also makes a plastic type device about the size of a brick that has places cut into it all over it that will hold wires and many different types of connectors while you solder them. I believe it's called a solder helper.
I have never seen one of these before. Gotta have one now though. Also cool that you likened it to a MIG welder, being a professional welder/fabricator. Thanks Maxx, always enjoy your videos.
That is very interesting🤔 Not long ago I found that for best results the solder usually needs to be applied to the parts directly, not to the iron. Wondering how this comes into play here🧐
That Wolf Axe is soo sexy from the back. Man, I want a neck-thru, 5-piece Walnut/maple neck, just like that! Every guitar should be built like that - it's not only shredders who don't want a great big steel block heel that hinders anything above the 12th fret!
Ahoy-hoy! Me again! I want to rant some more!! I frikken haaate the Fender block steel heel joint!! Who amongst has ever whacked the palm of their fretting hand smack against that steel spike corner when your ascending past the 12th...and gone, "Jolly good show! I enjoyed that great big spikey obstacle in the middle of my playing arc!" ?? And who amongst us has ever said or even thought, "I'm done with this neck., get Leo to send me a new one, on the double, so I can bolt it onto this body , and then go on with my shows..!"? And we are stuck with bolt-on necks, complete with their square block heel being the norm in the guitar world. Sure there are set necks, and neck-thru s...and they are terrific...there are also bolt-on s that have evolved into contoured heel joints.... But the majority norm - thanks to Leo thinking we'd all want new necks sent to us while we're on the road 🙄 - are Fender style square, steel block heels. I *Haaate* them!
I prefer the old fashioned way as stated in many of the comments below. Make mechanical connections, use flux, and tin the wires and make a good hot solder connection. You can use clips and helping hands to hold things together. Use a fan as a cross current when soldering to blow the fumes away from you and solder outside or in the garage with all the doors open. You don't want to breathe the lead and tin fumes. A nice little handy device is a guitar string winder bit. It's a bit that fits in your cordless screwdriver/drill. It's cheaper and more durable than the battery powered motor driven string winders. Another nice item I love is DeOxit Contact Cleaner and DeOxit Gold Contact Preservative. They're great for restoring controls on just about anything or on anything that has experienced metal oxidation like connectors and jacks. They're pricey, but it's the best stuff I've ever used! 👍👍👍
I mostly do circuit boards as well as guitar stuff so I have a really nice iron, I just have a set of helping hands(alligator clips on little arms) to hold stuff while I solder
Glad you like yours Max. I got one and its terrible. The solder hits the iron too high up and is cold by the time it gets to the part. Total garbage and my guitar is now all fucked up.
If I cant find a string height measure, I use a quarter at the twelfth fret to set the action (as my ball park) and I adjust the neck from there. Sometimes I use a dime at the third fret. When I don't have a radius gauge I like to set the saddle by first taping a gift card to the back of the neck on either side, over the twelfth fret, as it follows the radius of the neck because it is tight against it. Then raise the saddle until it doesn't sound like it is hitting the card. These things get me in the ballpark, and I adjust from there.
I look at soldering equipment all the time and I missed this iron! I will get one for amp building! I can hold those power supply capacitors in place while I solder them! Thank you so much for this info! Any time saving, low cost tools or accessories you find in the future would be welcomed. Love from NW Colorado. Thanxz
" That couldn't have been told to me at the right time, was getting ready to putting new circuit board in my Wha and I was going to purchase a $ 80.00 dollar one but thank to you my friend that's not going to happen, Thanx's Brother " !!!
You could demo a string change with the Ernie Ball PowerPeg. It’s electronic and way better than your traditional manual peg winder. It’s only $10 and there is another one that is around $25
you will end up getting cold joints with that gun. its an old idea. you need to heat up the wire or pot then let solder flow into it. i just tin the wire first so it solders quickly. heat shrink is also good. u can also buy a third hand jig which holds parts so u can solder easily.
I hate to soldier. I use a butain with holder for shrink wrap. You could adjust the flame and it was so precise like a thin laser beam and it was quick. I bought it at radio shack. I wore it out and I can't find it anywhere.
Yes Ha Ha!! Were has that thing been all my life. Do you know how many times I've tried soldering while scarfing down multiple cookie's. Dam now me want cookie.
Way cool, self feeding solder iron thats cordless also, that's even better than sliced bread, a good trick to prevent hair catching fire when soldering is to go for the "Kojack" look, or shave your head (for the youngsters in the audience).
Harbor Freight sells a set of “Helping Hands” for under 5 bucks for soldering and other fine detail work where you wish you had an extra hand (or two). Even with an auto feeding solder gun, it’s still useful to keep the work still and in contact for good clean solder joints.
I was going to recommend a "Helping Hands" too. Got one for a really good deal when Radio Shack went out of business. 👍
Ya, i bought helping hands a long time ago on ebay for $7 and free shipping. Great little tool for sure.
I’ve bought this and the heating pin melted the first time I used it..
@@audiophileman7047 radioshack going out of business was the canary in the coalmine for whats been happening.
Kinda neat, but if you are soldering a p/u lead to a pot (or switch), just put some solder on the pot lug, then put some solder on the wire end. Once they both have a blob on them you don't need to feed any more solder into the joint; at this point you just hold the wire end on the solder lug and heat up the joint until they are fused.
I use one of the 60W soldering irons that allow you to adjust the temperature; they aren't as good as a soldering gun/station that has a sensor in the tip, but you can find them for around $10 (and they take the standard Hakko-style tips). Don't forget to order a solder sucker for desoldering.
BTW, thanks for the review on the Wolf guitars, I picked up an LP style and couldn't be happier with it!
This is exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks for sharing.
It's things like this that continue to validate and confirm this channel and Max himself...Thankyou !!
I'm on my here to remind everyone not to forget that max is an absolute unit
Oh my gosh thank you so much!!! I have been soldering for years and it's always been awful holding the wires, the iron, and the solder, and that this thing will change the game forever!! Thanks again!
I gotta say, this video popped up on my UA-cam feed. And crazy as it seems, THIS is a majorly helpful subject. I've been playing for 35 yrs, & I just decided, I'm tired of buying guitars that lack 1 feature or more, and i cant afford to go custom shop buying, so...time to learn these skills. I've been watching vids on soldering, and this was way more helpful. I was afraid to jump in start. Knowing this tool is out there, has inspired me! I was worried about the pitfalls he discussed. Wow. I immediately subscribed and ringing that bell!!! Thank you so much! You r so clear, calm, & concise, I'm on my way to modifying my guitars, looking forward to future content!!!! Cool man!!!
Thanks Scotty! I'm glad it was helpful.
Thanks Max, I’ve been doing the same as you, old school style. I even stopped changing out pickups because it was such a pain. Now, I’m going to get one of those new soldering guns!!!
A good tip that makes the soldiering of any guitar pots, pickups or switches much easier is to use wire with the highest amount of lead as possible. Requires a lot less heat to make a clean and pretty joint.. These days the highest amount is called 60-40, that's 60% Tin and 40% lead. I use 60-40 Tin Lead flux rosin core soldier .039/ 1.0mm. Lead is poisonous, so if your soldering a lot use a mask. Always keep the tip clean and always pre Tin all wanted connections.
Even though I was already aware of everything you mentioned in this vid, I still think this is good info to pass on. Another great job, Max.🙂
I appreciate that!
Most helpful. To avoid any "hair-razing" issues I would have to resort to time travel and go back to when I had hair that could get in the way . . . of anything at all. I appreciate how easy to follow and to the point this video is. Thanks.
Been looking at these for awhile now... Every time I see one, I'm down to the "last" guitar, I'm modding... Hell with that, I'm getting one!!.. Thanx Maxx..
What a wonderful tool! I am definitely going to get one! Thanks for showing this!
I have one. It packed up after about a year of use, and the feed tube had to be cleared a few times when it did work. When it worked , it was useful though.
Thanks Max.
Nice video for this useful tools.
I just ordered mine.
Thank you. 😉
I did the pickup swap on my Stratocaster using the pencil-type iron you show in the video. Mine came from Radio Shack. I just wrapped the wires through the lugs on the pickup switch and could hold the iron in one hand and the solder in the other.
Feel your pain, Max!!! SOOOO been there so many times before!! Gonna find one of these and make my life easier!! Thanks Bro!!
Love these 'budget friendly' videos.
Max always comes through. Thanks dude! I bought this after watching your video! I’ve been looking to upgrade my soldering iron.
Excellent!
If you're late to the party, I'm showing up after it's over. Thanks for this video, I completely need one of these!!!
I like using this thing called helping hands. It has 2 clips to hold what you need. This is awesome though
Those have been around forever, and it's hard to find an EE or automation workshop that doesn't have about 4 of them lying around.
I have a gadget I bought at Harbor Freights called Helping Hands. It has clips and a magnifying glass. They also carry one with an led light. Real handy if your hands aren't that steady. Plus less eyes strain on small items.
Very cool. For your request for other cool tools, a cheapy fret level tool can be made with a metal carpenters level, various grits of sandpaper, and some double sided masking tape (or even easier - sandpaper with an adhesive already on the back). The level gives a very good straight edge that is wide enough to do the job and is available in lots of different lengths. Good for both fret levelling and edge bevel.
You know it’s serious when the hair goes up,lol
Thank you this was super helpful. Somehow soldering just looked so complicated the old way, I didn't even want to bother changing my pickups. Now that I've seen this I'm definitely gonna look into getting some good/better pickups for my guitars.
I recommend getting you a soldering accessory I use frequently called Helping Hands sold by Radio Shack & Amazon. It has 2 alligator clips and a small magnifying glass all mounted on arms that pivot so you can move things where you need them when soldering. I use mine a lot assembling electronic kits for Ham radio. Radio Shack also makes a plastic type device about the size of a brick that has places cut into it all over it that will hold wires and many different types of connectors while you solder them. I believe it's called a solder helper.
When I start to work on my guitar or future guitar I will definitely try this. Thanks for the video
I have a soldering iron that I bought for a whopping $8.00 30yrs ago and it still works perfect.
Max, you're seriously the best!!! This thing's gonna be my birthday present.
Bought my first Wolf guitar because of this guy and really glad I did, it's a great guitar!
I appreciate all the awesome videos. Thank you.
I got one last year,makes it so much easier.they do burn up tips fast,order extras.
Just purchased one from Amazon UK. Thanks mate. ;)
I have never seen one of these before. Gotta have one now though. Also cool that you likened it to a MIG welder, being a professional welder/fabricator. Thanks Maxx, always enjoy your videos.
It's more like a flux welder, since it used rosin core solder, just like a flux welder....
Thanks for this. I bought a soldering station last year. It’s more trouble than it’s worth on small projects for the same reason.
Good to know!
Awesome video this is going to change my soldering game
Very cool! My dad had a version of this from the 60s.
This. Changes. EVERYTHING
I discovered those last year... They rock
That is very interesting🤔 Not long ago I found that for best results the solder usually needs to be applied to the parts directly, not to the iron. Wondering how this comes into play here🧐
"Tinning" is a valuable technique that most young'uns seem to overlook now-a-days.
This guys intro photo kills me ! 😂
That Wolf Axe is soo sexy from the back. Man, I want a neck-thru, 5-piece Walnut/maple neck, just like that!
Every guitar should be built like that - it's not only shredders who don't want a great big steel block heel that hinders anything above the 12th fret!
Ahoy-hoy! Me again! I want to rant some more!!
I frikken haaate the Fender block steel heel joint!! Who amongst has ever whacked the palm of their fretting hand smack against that steel spike corner when your ascending past the 12th...and gone, "Jolly good show! I enjoyed that great big spikey obstacle in the middle of my playing arc!" ??
And who amongst us has ever said or even thought, "I'm done with this neck., get Leo to send me a new one, on the double, so I can bolt it onto this body , and then go on with my shows..!"?
And we are stuck with bolt-on necks, complete with their square block heel being the norm in the guitar world. Sure there are set necks, and neck-thru s...and they are terrific...there are also bolt-on s that have evolved into contoured heel joints.... But the majority norm - thanks to Leo thinking we'd all want new necks sent to us while we're on the road 🙄 - are Fender style square, steel block heels. I *Haaate* them!
I prefer the old fashioned way as stated in many of the comments below. Make mechanical connections, use flux, and tin the wires and make a good hot solder connection. You can use clips and helping hands to hold things together. Use a fan as a cross current when soldering to blow the fumes away from you and solder outside or in the garage with all the doors open. You don't want to breathe the lead and tin fumes. A nice little handy device is a guitar string winder bit. It's a bit that fits in your cordless screwdriver/drill. It's cheaper and more durable than the battery powered motor driven string winders. Another nice item I love is DeOxit Contact Cleaner and DeOxit Gold Contact Preservative. They're great for restoring controls on just about anything or on anything that has experienced metal oxidation like connectors and jacks. They're pricey, but it's the best stuff I've ever used! 👍👍👍
I mostly do circuit boards as well as guitar stuff so I have a really nice iron, I just have a set of helping hands(alligator clips on little arms) to hold stuff while I solder
Glad you like yours Max. I got one and its terrible. The solder hits the iron too high up and is cold by the time it gets to the part. Total garbage and my guitar is now all fucked up.
Thanks. I need this thing because my neck pick up is dead. 😔
Relevant to my interests! Shredding and modding for the baller on a budget.
Watched your video, never heard of this product but ordered one on ebay for about $15 including FREE Shipping. Thanks!
For setting floyd rose bridges I use index cards to block the bridge.
Thanks for posting! I've been thinking about taking the plunge into learning to solder (quarantine projects, amirite?) and this is a great video.
Man that's pretty cool, looks like 1900 steampunk, great idea, may have to pick up one of those
Max love your videos. So weird that you posted this. Currently in class and taking a soldering/semiconductors course over the summer.
Hi Max!!! I did know about these. cool hay. take care from your pal Helcat in Australia.
I use a plastic ice tray instead of cases or cups to keep small parts in while I work. sometimes I use a small metal bowl with a magnet glued to it.
I like the ending song
If I cant find a string height measure, I use a quarter at the twelfth fret to set the action (as my ball park) and I adjust the neck from there. Sometimes I use a dime at the third fret. When I don't have a radius gauge I like to set the saddle by first taping a gift card to the back of the neck on either side, over the twelfth fret, as it follows the radius of the neck because it is tight against it. Then raise the saddle until it doesn't sound like it is hitting the card. These things get me in the ballpark, and I adjust from there.
A review of the Black " EXPLORER" behind ya ??? Stay safe MAX!
This soldering iron gun is amazing I need to get me one thanks for this video
I look at soldering equipment all the time and I missed this iron! I will get one for amp building! I can hold those power supply capacitors in place while I solder them! Thank you so much for this info! Any time saving, low cost tools or accessories you find in the future would be welcomed. Love from NW Colorado. Thanxz
Nice one! Will it help me not suck at soldering?
To cut strings, I use a special pair of cutters meant for cutting bicycle brake lines.
Nice. Cheap. Effective. Good one Max! Thanks for the info!
yeah good vid max still wanna hear the wulf with the dual rail though
Great stuff, thanks Max.
Cool tool, informative video.While we’re talking, have you ever checked out Hard Luck Kings guitars?Another reasonably priced alternative.
I looked at those, but I bought a soldering station instead. I might have to look at one in the future.
Those irons that have the solder sucker built in look really useful for desoldering. Kinda like the reverse of the tool in this video.
Great Max! Thank you!
This idea was used years ago with wire feed welders, mostly for auto assembly.
Just ordered one
Can you make a video on how to change pickups. I can't really find any good videos, and I'd love to change my stock Jackson Hums into Emgs
Thank you.
Good soldering iron is a must. Cool vid Max.
Thanks Maxx
Guitar Max reminds me of if Matt Hardy played guitar. Always great videos
I have the same Ibanez S 470 man!,I love it 🤘🤘
" That couldn't have been told to me at the right time, was getting ready to putting new circuit board in my Wha and I was going to purchase a $ 80.00 dollar one but thank to you my friend that's not going to happen, Thanx's Brother " !!!
Informative video. Will have to give you some soldering lessons However. Keep the videos coming.
I need this when i work on my guitars ;)
Just getting into soldering on a Lagrima electric i'm revamping. Thx max
For a second I thought you said you had a Lasagna guitar.
Pretty cool gun!
Mine came with solder,two long pointed tweasers,and a solder sucker,for removing solder
Have you ever soldered a piezo saddle into one of you electrics? I’m thinking g of adding one in to my 335 but don’t know how to solder it in.
Awesome! Thank you very much.
I use Roach clips on wires, But that is a great Idea
You could demo a string change with the Ernie Ball PowerPeg. It’s electronic and way better than your traditional manual peg winder. It’s only $10 and there is another one that is around $25
Thanks for this !
“Again.” 😂 🔥
as for your three handed technique, if you have a clean and properly tinned iron you just put the solder first to the iron and transfer it with care.
You just found out about this? LOL
Anyway, it's good to know you can do your works easier now. Keep up the good work.
you will end up getting cold joints with that gun. its an old idea. you need to heat up the wire or pot then let solder flow into it. i just tin the wire first so it solders quickly. heat shrink is also good. u can also buy a third hand jig which holds parts so u can solder easily.
That last solder joint was cold for sure.
I like the old fashioned way too. 👍
Wow what a useful tool!!
Very well.done vid as always man! BUT one important question remains for me
....
What type of cookie!??
Apple cinnamon cookie!!
Awesome throwing my old one away
I hate to soldier. I use a butain with holder for shrink wrap. You could adjust the flame and it was so precise like a thin laser beam and it was quick. I bought it at radio shack. I wore it out and I can't find it anywhere.
Max, do you hear any difference with the dual rail in the neck compared to the standard HSH?
I always try to use a helping hands roachclip thingy for the wire holdage.
Have you seen the new 5 string bass, and semi hollow gtl from Glarry?
Yes Ha Ha!! Were has that thing been all my life. Do you know how many times I've tried soldering while scarfing down multiple cookie's. Dam now me want cookie.
Way cool, self feeding solder iron thats cordless also, that's even better than sliced bread, a good trick to prevent hair catching fire when soldering is to go for the "Kojack" look, or shave your head (for the youngsters in the audience).
I Love that Video.
Your Video are informative and entertaining and youre a coole guy.