Tarnish on the hardware

[leitaozord]

Hi guys. I have bought an epi LP Standard 4 months ago, and the hardware of the guitar tarnished. When I see It was horrible, and I tried to clean it with Silvo (it's a metal polish like brasso), the tarnish out almost completely, but in the bridge seens that is permanent. After this I try another polish like the one tha comes in the Vintage Reissue Guitar Restoration Kit that after what happens. It was the talk 2 us from epiphone that says for me to buy it, but nothing happens with the tarnish. I will put a pick of the tarnish. If anybody have an idea to solve this problem I will be grateful. Sorry for my bad english, I'm from Brazil.

 

[Pete B]

Don't worry about it, it's the plating worn down to the crappy zinc alloy underneath. If it plays well it's ok, if not get a better bridge.

 

Btw, Welcome to the Forums

[leitaozord]

Pete B

 

Thanks, the sound It's ok, nothing happens, it's just esthetic. If I could do anything it will be nice, but seens thats not possible. Maybe in the future I will put a gotoh on the guitar, and change the pickups too.

[leitaozord]

Every day it's worst the situation. If I don't clean every day the hardware, even if I not use the guitar, it's stay inside a gator case, the hardware starts to tarnish. The picu ups its what worst now. I don't know what to do. Seens to be a problem with the construction of the guitar. My luthier says thas the finish of my hardware is nickel, but looling to it dosn't seem to be nickel. And I think Epiphone never use nickel in the LP Standards. The only way I think is change the hardware and pick ups. I've already bought a new bridge in ebay, but I dont know if it's an original part or fake part.

[RaSTuS]

Corrosion and tarnishing will often happen at different rates for different people, some have more acidic perspiration (sweat) than others, it will also happen quicker in high humidity environments than low humidity ones.

[leitaozord]

Here in Brazil this time of the year it rains too much, and my guitar it was in my wardrobe. I have played it 3 days before I see the tarnish on the bridge, when I see it was terrible, so I use Silvo metal polish and remove great part of the the tarnish, but some places like the picture don't remove. After this I take the guitar out of the wardrobe, buyed a case and put the guitar in it. But even with the case, with silica gel inside, the hardware still tarnishing, so I clean it always, but some places it's already permanent like the picture. And another thing, it's the last guitar I have, it was a SG G400, and never, never a thing like this happen. I think the hardware it will tarnish all. It's possible to change only the pickup cover in the epiphone pickups? Because when it's all tarnished, I will change this parts. Thanks for the help.

[fretter]

"Tarnish on the hardware...." Whew! I thought we were talking erectile dysfunction. :unsure:

[brianh]

Here in Brazil this time of the year it rains too much, and my guitar it was in my wardrobe. I have played it 3 days before I see the tarnish on the bridge, when I see it was terrible, so I use Silvo metal polish and remove great part of the the tarnish, but some places like the picture don't remove. After this I take the guitar out of the wardrobe, buyed a case and put the guitar in it. But even with the case, with silica gel inside, the hardware still tarnishing, so I clean it always, but some places it's already permanent like the picture. And another thing, it's the last guitar I have, it was a SG G400, and never, never a thing like this happen. I think the hardware it will tarnish all. It's possible to change only the pickup cover in the epiphone pickups? Because when it's all tarnished, I will change this parts. Thanks for the help.

In a high humidity environment oxidation is inevitable. Silvo only makes it worse because it is an abrasive and rubs off the plating even faster exposing the base metal. The correct non-abrasive cleaner is Acetone, but only if you remove the parts from the guitar - Acetone will damage poly finishes and plastic parts. At this point your best option is to buy new high-quality replacement parts - Tonepros or equivalent.

[StratoAgile]

Hi guys. I have bought an epi LP Standard 4 months ago, and the hardware of the guitar tarnished. When I see It was horrible, and I tried to clean it with Silvo (it's a metal polish like brasso), the tarnish out almost completely, but in the bridge seens that is permanent. After this I try another polish like the one tha comes in the Vintage Reissue Guitar Restoration Kit that after what happens. It was the talk 2 us from epiphone that says for me to buy it, but nothing happens with the tarnish. I will put a pick of the tarnish. If anybody have an idea to solve this problem I will be grateful. Sorry for my bad english, I'm from Brazil.

 

I like tarnished hardware. Age 'em up.

[2turbos]

Corrosion and tarnishing will often happen at different rates for different people, some have more acidic perspiration (sweat) than others, it will also happen quicker in high humidity environments than low humidity ones.

Rastus you are right about acidic sweat. I used to be a pro team bike mechanic and one of our riders would completely rust out a steel Cinelli bike frame every year!