weird solder was used on my guitar and i cant heat it up... what is it?

[cap217]

I bought a guitar with upgraded electronics and pots. I bought it a long time ago and never opened it up as I have too many guitars to keep track of. Anyways, I took the back off and it looks like silver grey solder. Very dull looking. I can't heat it up to do anything with it. It just gets sticky.

What is it and what can I do to remove it?

[Structo]

Where do you live?
It may be lead free solder which is the bollocks............

[EADGBE]

Probably silver solder.

[Baxtercat]

My Dad once had a 'tube' of solder, came out liquid or gooey, like glue. Maybe that stuff?

[Bob Pollock]

I'd guess silver solder. It will require more heat to flow.

[fumbler]

Ran across that myself once. I used my special soldering iron (80 Watts I think) that I normally only break out to solder to heavy tremolo claws. That did the trick.

[empty71]

What's the wattage of your soldering iron?

[cap217]

very low... whatever the lowest you can get at radio shack! And when I try to clean the tip it comes off silver so that would make sense. What wattage do I need? There is a mess in here. I would have a lot to clean up and I honestly dont know how to clean up solder. I bought a sucky thing from radio shack but it doesnt work well at all.

[cap217]

I just found this thread:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=859060

He says he uses silver solder... well that has a shine in the pictures. What I have in mine is dull, flat looking. No shine.

[spitshineguitars]

I've seen regular rosin core have a dull grey look....It has to be the low wattage of your iron. Get a higher wattage iron and some braid. Also, make sure your tip is clean and tinned. They guy might have applied it with a dirty iron. When I first started soldering a few years ago, my joints were ALL dull looking!

[Drak]

Can you post a pic of the offending cavity and it's contents, I'd like to see what you're referring to if possible.