Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Hardware Change from Nickel to Gold


GoldDot

Recommended Posts

Absolutely gorgeous.

 

One of the (many) things I like so much about my (also tobacco sunburst) 345 (vs. my previous 335) is the gold hardware. I also have a Custom Shop Strat with gold hardware (and the L-5, of course). Nothing like a little gold to really dress up a guitar.

 

My wife jokes that my L-5 has more gold on it than she has in her jewelry box.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gold & that guitar go just like Peanut butter & jelly together.

 

Be sure to use some good polish on the gold. I use some metal polish made by Black Diamond for my Harley chrome & paint. Best I've ever found

 

Aster

 

BlackPearlProtectant.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gold & that guitar go just like Peanut butter & jelly together.

 

Be sure to use some good polish on the gold. I use some metal polish made by Black Diamond for my Harley chrome & paint. Best I've ever found

 

Aster

 

BlackPearlProtectant.jpg

 

Does this take tarnish off? Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, a gold hardware cleaning warning should be inserted here:

 

I know nothing about the above shown product, BUT I will tell you that "Mother's Alum and Mag Polish" that I use on the chrome and alum on my Harley WILL take the gold right OFF guitar hardware. My wife found out the hard way while polishing up a bandmates dobro (with a gold plated hubcap, now chrome) for a photo shoot.

 

I use no paste cleaner/polishers on my hardware, just liquid aerosol products. Anything with "rubbing compound" (grit) in it will take the gold right off. If it pumps or sprays from an aerosol container, it can't have any grit in it.

 

The gold plating on guitar hardware is VERY thin and VERY soft, and generally electro-plated over standard nickel/chrome parts. Therefore it really doesn't adhere very well either.

 

Be careful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Folks ... I appreciate your comments.

 

Now, I gotta get over this personal problem of "it's too pretty to gig with" ... what a dope ... I really hate cleaning my guitars; now I kinda have to. It's like my Harleys - I don't mind riding in the rain so, I figure momma nature'll wash 'em for me.

I sweat so freakin' much on stage, maybe that principle will apply there too???

 

On keeping that gold clean, FOR SURE you need to use the least abrasive polish out there. I'll try some of that Black Diamond stuff as that's the guitar string brand I used back in 1963 when I was learning to play and it's the same guitar string company that exists today! I use their strings on my National Style One Tricone. The polish I've been using the past 10 years to keep her mirror finish has been SIMICHROME from Germany. Gibson Pump Polish is the only guitar cleaner I've ever used in quantity (on all 5 Gibbies) and for fret oil, ya can't beat the old ancient Roche-Thomas premium fingerboard oil. Just my own successful chemical list [rolleyes]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, a gold hardware cleaning warning should be inserted here:

 

I know nothing about the above shown product, BUT I will tell you that "Mother's Alum and Mag Polish" that I use on the chrome and alum on my Harley WILL take the gold right OFF guitar hardware. My wife found out the hard way while polishing up a bandmates dobro (with a gold plated hubcap, now chrome) for a photo shoot.

 

I use no paste cleaner/polishers on my hardware, just liquid aerosol products. Anything with "rubbing compound" (grit) in it will take the gold right off. If it pumps or sprays from an aerosol container, it can't have any grit in it.

 

The gold plating on guitar hardware is VERY thin and VERY soft, and generally electro-plated over standard nickel/chrome parts. Therefore it really doesn't adhere very well either.

 

Be careful.

 

You couldn't be more KEEE-RECT on that one!!! Simichrome, & most others (Harley or Black Diamond White label) have abrasives in them as they are "cleaners" even if mild ones. Simichrome took the gold right off an Epi gold bridge in just a few wipes. I will say it's the damn shiniest nickel that looks like chrome now. This Black Pearl is zero abrasives (can be used on paint & windshield even (and I do). Been using on all my gold hardware for a few years now and NEVER rub hard on them either. A nice 100% cotton cloth, smooth in finish, is the ticket. The Black Pearl keeps finger acids from eating fingerprint tarnishes into the gold. Works great on the nickel chrome too BTW. Been great on my J-45 Custom, Gretsch's, & others with gold tuners on them. Excellent results.

 

This Black Diamond is a newer product engineered & made right here in Iowa. It's a polymer treatment, no silicone, or any abrasives. The Black Pearl won't clean ANY rust or pitting off. That's reserved for their 1st product made White Diamond. That will polish aluminum on the bikes to look a dead ringer for nickle chrome plate. Try some of that too ON THE BIKES ALUM. ONLY!!! GREAT STUFF TOO

 

On the Tarnish question, I had some prints on my Gretsch gold tuners. VERY lightly coated & rubbed in a gentle way and it was gone. Think it cleaned it more "chemically" than "abrasively" if you know what I mean. Looked totally new again. AGAIN, BLACK PEARL ONLY on the gold stuff.

 

Aster

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got a Deluxe myself. "The Ace of Spades" I call him. Love it. Went totally "old Classic" Hydro-Glide look with his appointments. Also, love the RCK 105th Annie & the Sporty Roadster 1200 too! Would like a new Indian Chief, but I don't think I can get away with 4 bikes w/o my wife making me get rid of one. And that ain't a gonna happen right now.

 

Ride safe & order you up some of the Black Pearl Protectant & if ya have any alum to clean up to a mirror shine, some White Diamond too.

 

HHH (Health, Happiness, Harley's)

 

DeluxeDeckedOut.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got a Deluxe myself. "The Ace of Spades" I call him. Love it. Went totally "old Classic" Hydro-Glide look with his appointments. Also, love the RCK 105th Annie & the Sporty Roadster 1200 too! Would like a new Indian Chief, but I don't think I can get away with 4 bikes w/o my wife making me get rid of one. And that ain't a gonna happen right now.

 

Ride safe & order you up some of the Black Pearl Protectant & if ya have any alum to clean up to a mirror shine, some White Diamond too.

 

HHH (Health, Happiness, Harley's)

 

DeluxeDeckedOut.jpg

 

[thumbup] Ah, you've got such GOOD taste indeed. See ya on the HD Forums if you belong to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The gold on Gibson's hardware rubs off easily after only a few months of giging. I freaked out when this happened to my '67 ES-345. I got clear nail polish and applied it on areas where it might wear out....47 years later, the nail polish still protects the remaining gold.

 

I've got other gold plated Les Pauls, but now, I'm not too concerned about it. I figure if it wears off, it cool by today's relic culture.

 

BTW, I don't know if it's really gold...is it?

 

Damn, I thought this was a HD forum... so here's one of mine:

 

P5250099.jpg

 

 

 

 

Pan head I built in '67...

panheadbluex.jpg

 

Another one I built in '69, a Honda 750 engine in a '57 HD frame...

honda5.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the tip on my beloved Simichrome! National Guitar Company used to plug it as the least abrasive of all the cleaners for their German nickel Silver finishes. It's kept mine up like new! I've yet to clean any of my new gold on the 335 but I will wait until I get a tester of that Black Diamond stuff.

WAZ UP WIT DA Harleys???

It's like the prerequisite to owning a 335???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why it SHOULD be a prerequisite to owning a cool Guitar period!! [biggrin]

 

For Electrics, I don't have a Dot, just a few Casino's, Gibson SG, Ric's, Fenders, & Gretsch's. Yours is a real beauty and could make a person "Need" just one more.

 

A good guitar and a good bike hold one thing for certain, ONE IS JUST NOT ENOUGH. [thumbup]

 

And on the Simichrome, don't get me wrong. It has PERFECT results on the right tasks. Very needed product just like "Flitz" and many others. Often, ya just gots to have a little abrasive to get the job done.

 

Aster

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Simichrome works great on even the most tarnished nickel and chrome, but keep it away from gold. The gold coating is very soft and thin. I just try to keep my paws off the gold hardware on my guitars. Recently one of my CS LP's model year 2000 (the one in my avatar) started showing signs of tarnish on the gold Grover pegs even though it was just sitting in its case. The rest of the guitar was fine. I had a couple other guitars in to my tech for setups and I asked him what he uses to clean gold. He advise me to use Simple Green and a soft cloth. I went home and sprayed some on the pegs and let it sit for a couple of minutes, then wiped it off with a soft cloth. They came out looking like new. I had a couple of other gold pickup covers with fingerprints on other guitars and the Simple Green worked great also. Just make sure your cloth is very soft and perfectly clean and don't rub too hard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...