Fralin baseplate installation

[Dave Merrill]

It has been a while since this post started so this may not be useful information for this situation now. However, I went down the soldering station road earlier this year. I started building some pedals and needed a better iron. I ended up with this one below. I was also looking at the Weller and found better reviews on this one and it isn't much more money. I can tell you this thing is a legit monster. I have soldered everything from components on PCBs to the backs of pots as well as to the trem claw in a guitar and it did all of these things very well. I can't give this thing high enough praises. It just works all the time. I would recommend this over the Weller. Weller has had some quality issues as of late.

Amazon product ASIN B00ANZRT4M

Interesting, thanks for the info, but you're right, too late, already bought the Weller.

I've deferred the baseplate install for now, got involved in the Vigier I bought here; there's a thread about it. It's a good guitar.

Haven't figured out if I'm going to keep my EJ too or not. Probably won't do the baseplate mod if I'm going to let it go, just leave it stock for the comfort of potential buyers.

 

[Andy Eagle]

I use a 25watt Antex for everything. I had a big thermostat dial-able thing at the shop but you absolutely don't need it for guitar work. The thing that makes the difference is high quality multi core fluxed solder.
This is my favourite;

Yes it's lead but if you have this you can do perfect soldering with almost anything.

 

[State of Epicicity]

I wish I had noticed this thread much earlier. I also use the Hakko FX-888D, and that thing is amazing. I use lead free solder because I'm paranoid, plus I have a tiny fume extractor that Io connect to an aluminum foil duct hose with twist ties, that in turn gets twist tied to a window fan set up to pull air out of the room.

The "get in, get out" mantra is so right. I also used to use a 25W, and I burnt pots that way, probably because I use lead free, which heats at a higher temperature. The thing I picked up from watching many soldering tutorials is mainly to plan every move. I go through it all mentally before I do it, and I have a set of helping hands I found dirt cheap at Micro Center to make the connections cleanly.

For me it was definitely a learning process, especially how not to allow tips to oxidize, but it's so valuable to me because I've tweaked my wiring so often.

I'm glad you got a good station. I've heard much praise about the Weller ones.

 

[JasonE]

I use a 25watt Antex for everything. I had a big thermostat dial-able thing at the shop but you absolutely don't need it for guitar work. The thing that makes the difference is high quality multi core fluxed solder.
This is my favourite;
View attachment 127212
Yes it's lead but if you have this you can do perfect soldering with almost anything.

I use either 60/40 or 63/37 for everything. Another key is the flux percentage. The stuff I have been using is 1.8%. I am using .6mm and .8mm for most things now. Anything bigger is harder to work with when soldering components to PCBs.

 

[Andy Eagle]

I use either 60/40 or 63/37 for everything. Another key is the flux percentage. The stuff I have been using is 1.8%. I am using 6.mm and .8mm for most things now. Anything bigger is harder to work with when soldering components to PCBs.

Agree but the Locktite Multicore and a 25 watt basic Iron will work for anything on a guitar.

 

[Rex]

Agree but the Locktite Multicore and a 25 watt basic Iron will work for anything on a guitar.

This, with one caveat: use a chisel tip if you’re soldering to pots and humbucker plates and such. With pencil tips, it’s hard to get enough heat transfer.

 

[ruso]

I use a 25watt Antex for everything. I had a big thermostat dial-able thing at the shop but you absolutely don't need it for guitar work. The thing that makes the difference is high quality multi core fluxed solder.
This is my favourite;
View attachment 127212
Yes it's lead but if you have this you can do perfect soldering with almost anything.

Lead > Lead Free.

 

[Dave Merrill]

This, with one caveat: use a chisel tip if you’re soldering to pots and humbucker plates and such. With pencil tips, it’s hard to get enough heat transfer.

Yeah maybe, but melting the wax on that Fralin baseplate is somewhat different than soldering anything.

My pretty likely guess is that it melts at a lower temperature than solder, but you need to do it over a significantly wider area. I was mostly going by what Lindy said, with his 70W iron, IIRC.

A higher wattage thermostatted iron seems like a good approach for general guitar and amp soldering. Hopefully the smaller tips and thermostat will work for the fine perfboard sort of stuff I used to do a lot of too.

We'll see.

 

[Rex]

Yeah maybe, but melting the wax on that Fralin baseplate is somewhat different than soldering anything.

My pretty likely guess is that it melts at a lower temperature than solder, but you need to do it over a significantly wider area. I was mostly going by what Lindy said, with his 70W iron, IIRC.

A higher wattage thermostatted iron seems like a good approach for general guitar and amp soldering. Hopefully the smaller tips and thermostat will work for the fine perfboard sort of stuff I used to do a lot of too.

We'll see.

Understood. I was referring to soldering, as you noted. I have no experience with pre-waxed baseplates, so I have no opinion. Wax can be melted with hot water, and it may just be that the 25-watt iron will be just fine for that.

 

[Andy Eagle]

The only things people would even claim to need more than 25 watts is spring claws and they are fine as long as they are not screwed to the guitar or have the tab cut in the middle. The other is removing pickup covers. if you use the single sided razor method the 25 watt is still good. You do however need more power for lead free solder .