joeymetro Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Hello everyone. What is the best way to polish the gold hardware on my Epiphone Ultra? I don`t want to wear off the gold coating. Does anyone have a good way to clean the strings? Thank you! I love this forum it is so informative! My Ultra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyelcrrt1281733995 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Gently. Seriously, gold isn't chemically reactive with most stuff, so your biggest worries are things with an added abrasive - and too much muscle power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeymetro Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Would Windex and a paper towel be all right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickblues1 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Just try warm water on a damp - not wet - soft cloth towel. Make sure you dry it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyelcrrt1281733995 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 best is one of those microfiber eyeglass cleaner towels - if it won't scratch plastic lenses... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerxst1281733995 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Wear gloves whenever you tune it... Or play it.... Isn't it really the acid in your sweat that corrodes it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifele55 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 +1 to not too much muscle power or non at all... just use a normal guitar polishing cloth and wipe down the goldwares and just wipe the strings after play. Had my custom for abt 10 months and no tarnish, but of course... I kept it in a hardcase when not playing. Oh, another note.. silica gels are a guitars best friend. Keeps out moisture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokestack Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Simple. Don't ! Essentially what Gary said. A gentle wipe with household spray polish to remove the grease and muck is all you you should attempt. The gold plating will wear off even quicker if you start rubbing away at it too much and too often. To be honest if you have a standard Epi with gold hardware and the guitar sees much real use...be prepared for it to pit and wear off quite quickly. You can then either live with it or replace the parts with something plated to a higher standard. Even the best gold plated harware will suffer in time. Gold simply isn't durable enough to tolerate the abbrasion of use for very long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Simple. Don't ! Essentially whatt Gary said. A gentle wipe with household spray polish to remove the grease and muck is all you you should attempt. The gold plating will wear off even quicker if you start rubbing away at it too much and too often. To be honest if you have a standard Epi with gold hardware and the guitar sees much real use...be prepared for it to pit and wear off quite quickly. You can then either live with it or replace the parts with something plated to a higher standard. Even the best gold plated harware will suffer in time. Gold simply isn't durable enough to tolerate the abbrasion of use for very long. Use it, enjoy it, keep it clean, and when the hardware starts to fade, log on to Stewmac's website and order up some more to make it new. That's my 2 cents worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeymetro Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 I am using it. I keep it on a guitar stand in my living room. It just attracts dust and finger dirt quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewie Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Obviously you guys haven't been around Epi Goldtone hardware very long. The elitist is the only one with gold plated hardware. There is nothing you can do to stop the gold coming off regular Epi guitars. Everytime you clean it you will lose some of the goldtone. I have had several and the Gold usually lasts a couple of years but really starts to look bad. I had a 2003 Custom and I used a metal polish on the pickups and all the goldtone came off. So I would not recommend that. I have a 2001 Sheraton and I have kept very good care of it and I pulled it out of the case the other day and I was amazed at how poor the gold is looking. And all I have used on that one is a soft cloth. I think that all you can do is live with the fact that the goldtone will wear off and either replace it with nickel or chrome or just regard it as a "relic". As far as keeping the strings clean, I use a cloth after every use and wipe each string individually and also wipe down the Frets. I find D'Addario strings last long without corroding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ifbyC Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 As mentioned before, just a SLIGHTLY damp lens cleaning cloth. Then dry and VERY lightly buff with a soft cotton cloth. Do not use any polish or cleaners. Once clean and dry, you can use some paste wax but be sure there are no cleaner/polishing ingredients. The Korean Sheraton 'old' plating is crap! I've had my hardware re-plated for under $100 a set. Here are some before/after pics: I had two Sherries re-plated and about to send off a third set. What you see in the 'after' pics are reflections. Here's another set: Edited to add: Yes I know, I had the bridge on backwards... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwpete521281734008 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Sell it and buy one with chrome hardware! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeymetro Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 That is Hot! My Ultra is kept out in the open in my livingroom on a guitar stand. My wife doesn`t complain about it being there. The Ultra gets played everyday. So when the plating comes off I will have to make a decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ifbyC Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 That is Hot! So when the plating comes off I will have to make a decision. Well' date=' just don't let it get this bad. This the upper right pup cover in the fourth pic. That's the condition it was in when I received the git. [img']http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/2ifbyC/Job%201/Sheratonoldcover.jpg[/img] This is the custom shipping box I made out of styro-poster board for sending off my sets for re-plating: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeymetro Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 That really came out nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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