"The Basics", equipment-wise

[Rsmacker]

I don't like the gas ones unless I'm sitting on top of a lighting truss doing a bodge, erm, repair. I don't know how the output heat is officially compared to electrics, but gas ones always seem pretty piss-weak. Definitely an emergency measure.

Stick with a decent electric, the temperature will be constant, and they may be less cumbersome than a gas one. I should have said in my earlier post that a decent Weller solder station can be a bit pricey, but you'll be OK with 25watt one with a nice fine tipfor cables, pickup leads etc, and a 40watt for vol pot cases, they are dirt cheap at Maplin or RS or equivilent.

[jdr94]

Agree with the Erlewine books.

yup i also used his repair book til it fell apart

[Vass]

Got the Erlewine book- To those who suggested it, thank you, thank you.

I will look at my guitar-playing & owning life from now on as "BE" and "AE", for "before Erlewine" and "after Erlewine". I can't believe how much info is in this book....plus a DVD demonstrating setup techniques. I flipped through it at one point thinking, "OK show me how to do THIS, Dan!" and sure enough I'd find what I thought of in there.

If the book is missing answers to a question I will likely never know it because I am unaware that the question even exists.

For anyone reading this- Order it today, even if you aren't hot for a project. Stick it on your shelf. When something comes up, pull it down. It's like a massive owners manual.

Thank you guys again- One of those, "I cannot believe I went all this time without this" type situations.

Vass

[slash]

It's a great book. Every guitarist should own it. If someone is thinking about buying it, it's $10 cheaper on amazon. I buy a lot of stuff from stewmac but if I can find it some where else it is typically cheaper there.