What kind of solder should be used when soldering guitar components?
Solder is a combination of tin and lead and has the capability of melting at relatively low temperatures. I ve always used a 60/40 solder that is 60 percent tin and 40 percent lead and becomes liquid at about 370? F. A 50/50 solder requires about 420? F. All solders when going from solid to liquid change into a plastic state at about 360? F as stated by Robert L. Shrader in the book Electronic Communication. The flux that is in the hollow of the rosin core solder helps clean the metal and allowing a better flow of the solder to the components being soldered together. Acid core solder can eventually eat away at the copper insulated magnet wire causing failure in the coil. Make sure the joints are motionless or the joint can crystallize or become a cold solder joint that can lose its holding ability. Never use an acid core solder that is commonly used for connecting water pipes and sheet metal together when doing home plumbing. The solder must have a lower melting point than the two meta
