Skip to content
Notifications
Clear all

Soldering Irons

16 Posts
8 Users
0 Likes
2,802 Views
(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

I'm going to need one of these when I come to remove the frets on my fretless guitar project. I'm also probably going to need one for various other guitar-mod plans I have (I wanna learn how to do this, otherwise it'll be a huge drain on my finances). But I have no idea what to look for. I've used them in school, but since the teacher handed it to me, I never bothered to question makes/models/power/etc.

Here's the store I'll most likely be buying from and a bunch of solderingirons they have available http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=soldering%20iron&source=15&SD=Y

Any pointers on what to look for in general, and any advise on which soldering kits you think are the best value on the page linked to above would be greatly appreciated. I don't wanna waste cash, so I'm hoping to get some useful tips before I spend. Thanks! :mrgreen:

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
Quote
(@twistedlefty)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 4113
 

I'm confused, at the risk of looking even more so, why do you need a soldering iron to remove frets?
as far as attaching pup wires etc, a 30 watt iron should work fine.

do a search, as there was a thread that covered this quite well a while back.

#4491....


   
ReplyQuote
(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

kewl, will do.

in my quest to go fretless I was informed about a site called unfretted.com where they have a step by step guide to making a fretted guitar fretless, and it said you need a soldering iron to loosen the frets before you remove them, so's you don't remove huge chunks fof your fingerboard along with them.

Edit: I'm hoping that I can buy one soldering iron to do this task and to use on guitar-parts and related stuff.

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
ReplyQuote
(@twistedlefty)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 4113
 

kewl, will do.

in my quest to go fretless I was informed about a site called unfretted.com where they have a step by step guide to making a fretted guitar fretless, and it said you need a soldering iron to loosen the frets before you remove them, so's you don't remove huge chunks fof your fingerboard along with them.

ahh verry kewl , thanx for the info

#4491....


   
ReplyQuote
(@redsoxrush2112)
Active Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 9
 

hey hows it going im kinda new here.

i have a 15 watt iron for small light workl 30watt for everyday and a 45 watt for the bigger stuff. when i took frets out i used my 30watt seemed to work ok. just be careful the heat doesnt transfor to the wood to much or it could crack. and if there is glue under the frets and it heats up it will smell pretty bad. i learned the hard way :oops: just my two cents hope it helped. the first time i took frets out it was a horrible exepernce. ruined the neck (it was a junk neck tho) just go slow :)


   
ReplyQuote
(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

oooooo, huge thanks redsox! I'll go with a 30W iron then, and upgrade/downgrade later if I need to. just didn't want to get one that's too low and then spend hours trying to do the job, to no avail, lol. I'm practising on a cheap yamaha pacifica starter guitar, then working my way up to the good stuff if I feel competent doing so.

and wlecome to the forums! hope you keep posting and find this place useful! :mrgreen:

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
ReplyQuote
(@mmoncur)
Estimable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 168
 

You can also get variable irons - I have a Weller soldering station that cost about $50 and can adjust from about 15W-40W.

You always want to use just enough heat to do the job, so with this one I can get just the right temperature.

A $10 30W iron from Radio Shack will do just about everything, though.


   
ReplyQuote
(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

thanks for that. I'm in the UK and will probably be getting mine from Maplin early next week. I'll take a look on their website and see what range they have - if htere's a variable iron that doesn't cost the earth I'll go with that, I think. Just glad to know what kind of power I should need as a maximum figure. Didn't wanna get one that wasn't powerful enough, only to wonder why it failed to do the jobs I need it to do, lol (image of Scrybe sitting with for a week with soldering iron inhand wondering why the frets still wont budge).

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
ReplyQuote
(@tinsmith)
Prominent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 830
 

I just looked through my Stewmac catalog & didn't see any heating irons for a fret job. I don't remember it in the repair manual I have either.

http://www.stewmac.com/


   
ReplyQuote
(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

I recently was coerced into paying $130+ for my daughter's new hair straightener. Whilst explaining I was feeling used, a friend told me "Never scrimp on straightening irons. It's the law!" Details that may or may not be obvious: The friend is female, and the magic straightener is a Chi. So anyway ... I will make the same claim about soldering irons. Do some research, then buy the best quality you can reasonably afford. Weller temp control pen models are lab workhorses for a reason: They do the job well, and come at tolerable prices for those who know what's what. If you can afford $90 to $150 USD for Weller WTCPS solding station, go for it. You won't be sorry, as it will make the job much easier, provide superior results and last many years with proper care. Also consider getting several different tips in various shapes, sizes and (fixed) temperatures -- but avoid the highest temp tips, as they self-destruct quicky.

Weller is not the only brand that will do, but most of what RS carries in its own brand of small irons are use-once, get frustrated and discard models. Those who have never use a good soldering iron will probably blame themselves for the marginal results, but the RS iron usually bears a lot of the blame. (Really experienced solders can make most of this stuff work with extra effort -- noobs don't need the aggro.) The exceptions in the RS line are some of the specialty irons: butane powered and battery-powered "cold-heat" irons. But only because these have special -- but usually very limited -- applications. The so-called "cold-heat" iron might work well for fret removal, as one can pulse it on-off quickly. But it sucks for electrical soldering; so don't by it for that unless battery power and safety are your concerns. At about $20, it might be worth a try for de-fretting.

-=tension & release=-


   
ReplyQuote
(@steve-0)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1162
 

If you're looking for a soldering iron for just a one time job, then I would think a cheap 30 watt iron would be reasonable. However, I think if you plan on doing alot of soldering or guitar modifications then you should really invest a bit more in it. I currently work as an electrical technician and I have one of those variable soldering irons, I have used both the cheap soldering irons and the more expensive types and I have to say that if you solder on a daily basis then a really good soldering iron is really a great investment.

Like gnease said, you can use the cheaper models and acheive good results. But I just think it's alot easier using the more expensive models.

It's kind of like playing guitar: sure, I'd love to have a $20,000 vintage Gibson SG to play some AC DC covers, but I can acheive similar results with a little bit more work and my used Epiphone SG that I paid $200 for.

Steve-0


   
ReplyQuote
(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

thanks guys, having looked several times on maplin's site and others, I think I'm gonna go for this one - http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=98133&doy=7m2 what do you think?

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
ReplyQuote
(@steve-0)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1162
 

Looks good, I paid about the same price for mine:

http://www.abra-electronics.com/products/catalog/Soldering-Station-With-Rotary-Knob-p-1909.html

which is also 48W, 150 - 420 degrees celcius, so I think you picked a good one.

Steve-0


   
ReplyQuote
(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

cheers Steve-O 8)

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
ReplyQuote
(@danlasley)
Noble Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2118
 

One hopes you have read slejhammer's article:

https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=627


   
ReplyQuote
Page 1 / 2