I have a Squier Strat and some time ago replaced the electronics with a solderless kit. I want to put the guitar back to its original condition but Iāll need to rewire it.
When I removed the old electronics, I just snipped the wires near the lugs on the pots. If I want to resolder, can I just heat the connections on the lugs and pull the old wires off, or do I need to remove all the old solder?
Iāve never soldered anything before so Iām expecting this will be a learning experienceā¦
Iād say, watch a few videos on you tube to see how to do it. You Tube University to the rescue! Most likely when you heat the old solder to attach a wire, the little piece of wire left on the tab will loosen and fall off. Be sure to see what kind of soldering iron they use in the videos, so it doesnāt get too hot. You may need a way to adjust the temperature so it doesnāt get too hot, such as a temp control for making stained glass.
I donāt solder so good myself.
But,
Hereās a video (guess I should say article) by one of the members here who āknowsā how to solder. He wrote up a real good tutorial about how to solder.
Perhaps that can give your some insight.
Hi David,
You donāt NEED to remove the old wires, but it is very sloppy to leave it. Refer to the link @HappyCat left. I talk about unsoldering and cleaning up in that tutorial.
for what you mention, you do have a high risk of tiny wires sticking out all over. Stranded wire is typically used over solid. That means that the cut ends will be short enough to unbundle and go in all directions when you reflow the solder joint. Some can fall and lay across places you do not want them. You really should clean it off, strip just enough insulation off the clipped wires, and then resolder.
If you get into it and get stuck, leave a picture and tag my name so I can give you my advice on your trouble spot. Iām happy to offer what I know.
A āsolder suckerā is a useful tool for this sort of job.
Cheers,
Keith
Seymour Duncan has some really excellent video resources related to this.
Seymour Duncan How To Install Pickups Videos | Seymour Duncan
Theyāve got a whole section about āhow to solderā with great information. Keep in mind, once you sign up (itās free), the information is released over time. Intro vids first. Then you can watch the stuff about how to solder. And then after that you gain access to the rest.
I have done a lot of soldering. The most important thing is cleaning the parts to be soldered. We now use citric acid powder mixed with water for a non toxic cleaning flux. Would be good to use new but very thin solder. Set it up so nothing can move while the solder is cooling. If it does you will get whaāts called a cold joint -dull grey. The joint needs to be very shiny. We use irons that have variable temperature. Not hard, practice a little on something else first Alan
First, right on wanting to do it your self. This is the way and super stoked you want to learn it and work on your own guitars.
I do my own work and learned on junk parts and other electronics long before i played guitar.
Yeah, this for sure and even the copper braided solder absorbent. I use both.
Good advice and tbh this is what I would do.
Find some scrap wire and some other things and just go to town doing some basic soldering.
Its easy to find some broken old electronics. Maybe in your closet, garage, attic or even at a yard sale or the free section of craigs list. Take apart and go to town. You can even buy the super cheap learn to solder projects kits for as cheap 6 USD and they go up in cost the most stuff but you can do it super cheap, even free which I recomend. There is so much E-waste.
Getting even just a small amount of practice or experience with a few contact soldering contacts will make a big difference.
Desolder a couple of componants and wires.
Resolder 2 joints in the morning and then solder 2 joints at night. Then solder two joints in the afternoon it will make it seem alright. 
Going right at your electronics of your guitar the very first time soldering is going for it, but you could burnout components like potentiometers it too hot. Its worth a little practice.
Iām not an expert by any means but I have learned (the hard way) to have a good soldering station with a tip that gets very hot very quickly so that thin wires and other components take to the solder quickly without overheating the insulation.
Great article, thank you.