Buffing gold plated hardware

[Shotgun]

You know how the gold colored finish always wears off, and leaves chrome looking spots where it has worn? Is there any reason why I can't take a part that used to be gold but now is gold/chrome, and buff it down to just chrome?

I have a Gibson 57 Classic Plus pickup that used to be gold: I think when I get home from Turkey Day I'm going to try to polish it down to just silver. Or better yet, maybe swap the adjustable pole pieces for silver ones, and slap a chrome or nickel cover on it....

Keith

[jazzman]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

That is a big problem with gold. And black too. Too bad there wasn't a way to mold them to color. This reminds me, I know someone who worked for a plating company. He took his chrome Floyd and plated it black chrome. It looked real good. That place used to do all kinds of wierd colors. I saw some small pieces of something (don't know what it was for) all done in purple chrome. A Floyd would be cool in purple chrome. I saw the whole process. They used acid to prep the metal and some strange process to make the chrome stick to it. I wanted to do my old Floyd blue but he had to sneak to do stuff. I didn't want a rush job.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

If you have a Dremel tool, you can get the little buffing wheel and polish compound kit and clean the gold off in seconds. The only thing that you should be aware of is most often gold plated hardware is plated nickel underneath as gold plating doesn't adhere well to Chrome.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

And we all know what nickels look like after a while!

Maybe a nice patina though if kept well...

Then the nickel wears off... Aagghh

[Shotgun]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

Thanks, Jim, I was wondering what it was underneath. I do have my trusty dremel, and lots of buffing wheels / cones / etc. - I hadn't thought about using it.

Cool, guys, I'll do that. I figure it isn't going to look much worse than it does right now...

Maybe I'll post some before and after pics.

Keith

[Jackson-Charvel]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

Any idea what it would cost to plate say a Floyd Rose? I guess you'd have to completely disassemble the unit and take a good inventory to make sure all the parts are there when you get it back in pieces. Not sure if it is cost inhibitive for just one trem or if you could pull like 5 trems and other hardware to be plated for one price. I don't know of anyone that does that work here in Florida where I live.

[Shotgun]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

JC I know people in Florida I trust that say they work with great plating and anodizing shops, but I am told (?) that volume is the key to getting affordable prices. Lots of other folks here can tell you better than I can, but I think it would just cost to damn much to just do a handful of parts.

Where in this big honking state are you?

Keith

[mm2002]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

Due to the costs of time, equipment, and chemicals it would cost the same amount to do 1 FR trem, or a batch of 100. This is why it's not cost effective to do small runs.

[Shotgun]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

Thanks, Jim - worked like a charm. Looks great, sounds great... less filling!

Anyway, thanks.
Keith

[shredmonster]

Re: Buffing gold plated hardware

I always wipe mine off with a gold polish rag after playing.

I have only had one gold hardware guitar for over a year now and I have absolutely no marks or tarnish.

I just have a cheap gold polish rag from Walmar.