So I need help with replacing a pot...

[Cursed Lemon]

Okay, I have absolutely NO soldering knowledge whatsoever. I need to replace a pot in my Schecter 007 Elite that's gone bad. Can anyone basically provide me with an idiot's guide to soldering, preferably on the subject of guitar pots? I'm looking at the one in my guitar and thinking, "well, I'll just memorize where they are, solder some other things for practice, and voila", but somehow I don't think it's that simple.

[Chad_Rushing]

It pretty much is that simple. Just make sure you've got good, solid connections, and that your wires are where they're supposed to be.

[magno]

Are you sure the pot is totally dead?
I've seen, or heard pots come back to life with a few squirts of some magic spray my IBM techie friend gave me. It's called Deoxit D100 made by Caig Laboratories.
If you do have to replace it make sure you use the best most appropriate soldering iron you can afford, and try not to overheat any components.

[Chad_Rushing]

Or just take the thing in to your local music shop. They'll generally do it for you for next to nothing if they're decent at all. The one here is incredible for stuff like that.

[sparqee]

Originally Posted by magno

If you do have to replace it make sure you use the best most appropriate soldering iron you can afford, and try not to overheat any components.

Wise words.

You might also search YouTube for "soldering tutorial". I end up soldering something once every couple of years and I'm always confounded by how it is never as easy as I expect it to be.

Oh yeah, remember to breath. It takes longer than you can hold your breath (without passing out).

[Cursed Lemon]

Originally Posted by Chad_Rushing

Or just take the thing in to your local music shop. They'll generally do it for you for next to nothing if they're decent at all. The one here is incredible for stuff like that.

I want to learn to do it myself though, there's so many things in the music world that need soldering. 8[

[Cursed Lemon]

Originally Posted by magno

Are you sure the pot is totally dead?
I've seen, or heard pots come back to life with a few squirts of some magic spray my IBM techie friend gave me. It's called Deoxit D100 made by Caig Laboratories.
If you do have to replace it make sure you use the best most appropriate soldering iron you can afford, and try not to overheat any components.

Well, it's crackling and all that and won't stay working when I hit the strings with any sort of force. I already bought a new pot for it anyway.

[Chad_Rushing]

Most of the time when you take it in to a music shop, they'll show you what to do. At least the one here does. I spent an hour and a half playing around with soldering on someone else's guitar while the owner was working on it. Was fun and informative. And it made my brain hurt.

And told me I'd rather spend my time on other things... Of course this guitar was set up in very strange ways, and that complicated things a bit. Ah well...

[BillyShears]

Originally Posted by Cursed Lemon

Well, it's crackling and all that and won't stay working when I hit the strings with any sort of force. I already bought a new pot for it anyway.

Sounds like its just dirty. Spray it like magno said and give it a few turns a few seconds after you sprayed it - that should break up the dirt that is on the track. If you have bought a pot make sure its a log and not linear (you probably already knew that). As far as soldering, yes I'd practice on a few scraps first just to get the feel for it. Make sure you don't apply too much heat for too long (you'll know if you do ) and that the join looks shiny otherwise if it is grey and dull looking you may have a cold solder join which will eventually fail - usually in the middle of recording a difficult guitar part.

If you want to get into soldering, I'd invest in one of those soldering station things (whatever they are called). The ones that have a little unit where you can adjust the temp and have a holder for you to put the iron in. If you got what I meant from that dodgy explanation - go for it, they are definitely worth it. Also make sure the tip of the iron isn't too big, you want it almost like a pencil.

[Vulconizer]

Originally Posted by Chad_Rushing

it made my brain hurt.

Kids, this is why you never get the soldering iron near your head...



By the way man, I'm liking the spiffy new sig.