Volume pot solder

[syr2012]

Hello all,

After my previous misadventure with a new volume pot, I've decided to break down and buy another one and do it right. For guitar pots, should I use any different solder than the rosin core (or whatever it is you use when installing pickups), or should I just try using the same as last time, but pile on a bunch more?

[Frank]

Thing to remember with soldering is to make to solder melt onto the pot, not just the soldering iron. Get the pot heated and keep testing with the solder until it melts and runs easily onto the metal case then solder the ground wires on. I use the same solder but I've got a bigger soldering iron that I use for connecting ground wores to pots and trem spring claws.

If you melt the solder onto the iron then try to drip it onto the cold metal case then the best you'll manage is a dry joint that fails very quickly.

[syr2012]

Thing to remember with soldering is to make to solder melt onto the pot, not just the soldering iron. Get the pot heated and keep testing with the solder until it melts and runs easily onto the metal case then solder the ground wires on. I use the same solder but I've got a bigger soldering iron that I use for connecting ground wores to pots and trem spring claws.

If you melt the solder onto the iron then try to drip it onto the cold metal case then the best you'll manage is a dry joint that fails very quickly.

Thanks, what's a good wattage in terms of a soldering gun to make sure that I don't fry the pot while doing this? I think mine's about 30 or 45 watts...

[HTH AMPS]

Thing to remember with soldering is to make to solder melt onto the pot, not just the soldering iron. Get the pot heated and keep testing with the solder until it melts and runs easily onto the metal case then solder the ground wires on. I use the same solder but I've got a bigger soldering iron that I use for connecting ground wores to pots and trem spring claws.

If you melt the solder onto the iron then try to drip it onto the cold metal case then the best you'll manage is a dry joint that fails very quickly.

Thanks, what's a good wattage in terms of a soldering gun to make sure that I don't fry the pot while doing this? I think mine's about 30 or 45 watts...

thats more than enough - just don't keep the iron on the pot for too long or you'll toast it.


its worth roughing up the pot surface with a stanley knife or something just to get the top surface off the pot - depends on the pot really as CTS pots solder fine without any prep.


* flow a little solder on the end of the iron
* heat the pot with the iron for a couple of seconds
* apply the solder to the junction of the pot and iron
* you should now have a nice flow of solder on the pot

[jpfamps]

My experience is that the CTS pots sold for guitars are much easier to solder to than the CTS pots sold for amps.

HAs anyone else observed this? (I try to avoid guitar repairs).

[HTH AMPS]

My experience is that the CTS pots sold for guitars are much easier to solder to than the CTS pots sold for amps.

HAs anyone else observed this? (I try to avoid guitar repairs).

actually, I've never used CTS pots in an amp - will have to try them out.

prepping the pot with a bit wire wool on the back should give you a nice surface to solder to