Gold Hardware

[Armitage]

While most people (except many guitarists it seems) know that gold doesn't tarnish, it does rub off pretty easy, and the material underneath can then show through... and tarnish, or worse.

I've been moving a lot of gear around lately... and noticed something... some still look like new.

I had a different tech for a bit, (he disappeared, no one's seen him, the rumor he's in jail), and he "took care" of some of my guitars with gold hardware and they still look great. Usually, I just replace a few parts when the gold wears down to the point it bugs me (some people love the worn look). I always have extra Grover tuning buttons, Schaller bridges and tail pieces and a few Gotoh too, to swap in... and that's expensive, and besides there's nothing actually wrong with the old parts. And if you have collectible vintage guitars, you want them stock yet looking cool when you sell them...

I had thought about having a jeweler re-plate parts, but just assumed it'd be expensive and never looked into it.

But he had a small plating kit of his own, and it was fairly inexpensive, like $100-200. He made it clear, it won't be as good/thick as a jeweler will do, so if it took 3 years to wear down to that point before, it might only last half as long... or less, get'm before they actually corrode, and it'll look like new today. And it did, and still does. And after re-plating the stuff, he put on Flitz Faucet and Fixture Wax (a white carnauba and beeswax formula) and it's holding up really well. Now lets be clear, I'm not playing nearly as much as before, but I can clearly pick out the guitars he did, vs the ones he didn't.

Anyone else done this?

[velorush]

I'd be really interested, too.

My Gibby Howard Roberts' gold still look great for a 20 year old guitar, but it hasn't been played that much. If I had some way of keeping the gold up I might be more apt to take it out more often. Hadn't considered a faucet wax.

Watching this thread...

[zenmindbeginner]

I'm looking into it. The smaller inexpensive kits have you sort of brush it on instead of dropping it into a liquid which is a distinct advantage with plating tuners and delicate bridge parts like Floyd Saddles.

It's my understanding that you can re-plate with these without stripping the gold off and plating onto the bare nickel.

[guitaround]

Hi,

It might sound "funny" and this won't help metal parts that have already lost their finish but I have been putting for years a thin layer of pure vaseline over all metal parts (gold or not) of my guitars and they haven't rusted at all.

It made them look a bit dull but they shine again after a bit of rubbing with a clean cloth. I just reapply after each string change. Probably a metal grease would work as well (like RIG).

Regards

[aknapp]

Hi,

It might sound "funny" and this won't help metal parts that have already lost their finish but I have been putting for years a thin layer of pure vaseline over all metal parts (gold or not) of my guitars and they haven't rusted at all.

It made them look a bit dull but they shine again after a bit of rubbing with a clean cloth. I just reapply after each string change. Probably a metal grease would work as well (like RIG).

Regards

It may sound "funny", but it works...Porsche recommends using vaseline to protect the anodized aluminum rim on the stock Fuchs wheels. What funny are the looks I get when people see the jar of vaseline in the glove box!