Members Emory Posted July 21, 2017 Members Share Posted July 21, 2017 Living near beach in hot, humid & salty Thailand really does a number on hardware, besides blowing off strings in no time. I get corrosion on output jacks, pickup posts & screws, metal control knobs (like Gretsch) pit, tuning machines (Grover seem pretty resistent although posts and washers tarnish). TV Jones pickup coverss no problem, same G&L. Aluminum also can get pitted, like Bigsbys and goodies on my Vox git. Suggestions on some sort of pit retardant? Something short of dipping in coal tar? Coming back to USA next month, and would welcome solutions, even partial (I do wipe down metal after playing, btw). Hopefully TSA wouldn't take it out of my baggage on return trip...Thanks dear brain trust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted July 21, 2017 Members Share Posted July 21, 2017 Best you can do is keep everything oiled with light machine oil. I use 3in1 oil for stuff like that. You could try wd40 too. Wd40 is good at keeping moisture out, but it can build up over time into a gummy layer. That can be a problem for threaded parts, and parts that move like trem fulcrum points etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted July 21, 2017 Members Share Posted July 21, 2017 I'm the same. A tiny bit of hair clipper oil then I micro fibre so it doesn't feel oily. Seems to work, but I also keep them cased and try to keep the humidity as controlled as possible with a dehumidifier, so hard to know. The second hand guitars I've bought here all have issues with the chrome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted July 21, 2017 Members Share Posted July 21, 2017 I have old guitar that the chrome is just as good as the day I opened up the guitar, when it arrived at my house. However some of the newer guitar the chrome easily discolors. I believe that they are putting on the nickle and chrome plating thinner these days then they were some 30-40 years ago. A cost thing. Many many years ago I was at a motorcycle show an was given a product call Metal Gloss. If you have ever had a motorcycle with chrome parts on it, you know how difficult it is to keep that chrome looking shiny and new. It looks like this and can be purchased at the Metal Gloss site or on Amazon. The bottle should be enough for a lifetime. There's a sealer that goes with it. I do not have the sealer. http://master-formula.com/Metal%20Polish.htm https://www.amazon.com/Master-Formul...ds=Metal+Gloss [video=youtube;ujhGAh6uD7o] [video=youtube;GLjS4Ob2ZLc] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted July 21, 2017 Members Share Posted July 21, 2017 Just go with the flow. . Sell the corroded parts to the "relic crowd" as authentically aged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted July 21, 2017 Members Share Posted July 21, 2017 ^^^ No kidding. One mans junk is another mans treasure. I'd simply use paste wax on the hardware. Oil only works for a short period then either evaporates or wipes off. It doesn't look very good and is a dust magnet. Get some bowling alley wax, the real thick paste wax, put it on the hardware, let it dry to a white haze then buff it. Do several coats then do it every string change. It does make the metal fill sticky but its going to keep the moisture and salts from penetrating. Wax is used on cars to resist the elements) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted July 21, 2017 Members Share Posted July 21, 2017 ^^^ No kidding. One mans junk is another mans treasure. I'd simply use paste wax on the hardware. Oil only works for a short period then either evaporates or wipes off. It doesn't look very good and is a dust magnet. Get some bowling alley wax, the real thick paste wax, put it on the hardware, let it dry to a white haze then buff it. Do several coats then do it every string change. It does make the metal fill sticky but its going to keep the moisture and salts from penetrating. Wax is used on cars to resist the elements) That's a good idea. Paste wax is a common way for wood workers to seal the cast iron tops of their table saws, drill presses etc. and prevent rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted July 24, 2017 Author Members Share Posted July 24, 2017 Just go with the flow. . Sell the corroded parts to the "relic crowd" as authentically aged I have offered to take people's guitars with me over to Thailand. They'd relic up in a jiffy! No more sitting around waiting for the years to pass.... I've replaced all the pickguard screws in strats, teles, friends strats etc with stainless I got at hardware store last visit. Std chrome rust in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 26, 2017 Members Share Posted July 26, 2017 I don't think there's a lot you can do, other than wiping constantly. Gold hardware especially tends to ummm, "disappear" rather quickly,. and the more you polish it, the quicker it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted July 31, 2017 Moderators Share Posted July 31, 2017 Ban water and oxygen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted July 31, 2017 Members Share Posted July 31, 2017 Its the salt from the ocean spray that corrodes. I grew up on the Jersey shore. The mist from the ocean surf is carried inland and leaves a film of salt on everything. Many metals left outside rots out quickly. If it was only the moisture you were dealing with it wouldn't be so bad. The oxygen and salt, especially sodium chloride produces a electrochemical action. Metal ions dissolve in water and salt water conducts electricity which causes the corrosion to occur. Not much different from how an alkaline battery works. The metal is being electrically etched on the surface. The air of course comes into the house and does the same to all your metals. There's a reason why Brass and Copper is used as boat hardware. The salt doesn't eat away as quickly as it does on other metals. Another thing to note. Ever see how old guitar hardware? It will corrode the fastest where your hands come in contact. The salts from your hands cause the same kind of electrochemical corrosion. The only way to prevent it is to seal the surface from the air. That's why its important to use wax. Paste Wax has been used on cars for a long time and it does prevent the salt from etching metal surfaces. Poly's are being used allot now which seem to do a similar job. You just have to be sure the surface is clean before applying them or you could trap salts under it. Most waxes contain a cleaner that removes the old waxes and salts when applying a new layer. You just need to use a wax that contains no silicones or you can have fret board issues. Turtle paste wax has no silicones and is safe to use on guitars. Its contains mostly Carnauba wax which is the same wax used on most musical instrument finishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted August 6, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2017 I found "Gerlitz GNO No.1 Carnauba Guitar Wax" on Amazon. 4.5 stars with 94 reviews, no silicon, $6.95 for 3.2 oz. Think I will pick some up on my visit and see how it goes. Thanks everybody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted August 12, 2017 Members Share Posted August 12, 2017 I'm not quite Thailand but 70% humidity is regular for me. I don't really do anything per se, but what I've noticed is it really comes down to the quality of the parts used. For instance, the fret wire on my Carvin starts oxidizing or whatever it is....gets all rough feeling and has green spots. But on my MIJ guitars the fret wire doesn't do that for the most part. Sure it's not polished and shiny, but it doesn't seem to corrode in the same way. I can only assume Carvin is using really cheap fret wire. Some of my tuners and knobs are better than others etc. My higher end guitars seem to have nicer quality metal parts that are much more resistant. Input jacks are a problem almost all around though. They can corrode inside and have bad contact issues if they've sat unused for too long. I'll shove a Qtip in there with a small amount of gibson low abrasion metal polish if it's really bad. Seems to clear it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted August 17, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 17, 2017 Amen to soundcreation. You might want to pick up a jeweler's rouge polishing cloth to get that showroom shine on your frets. I also have some manicure buffs or whatever they are called, for more extreme cases. My Thai friend has a lovely US strat, wanted me to get him a new jack on my visit... I suggested we just clean out the corrosion, which we did, and works fine. Also have to do the cables. Whatever can corrode, will corrode is my view. Just got back to USA, my guitar wax is waiting, and will wait til I get back to Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 Ban water and oxygen Pretty much. Or block them, which is what applying oil or wax does - it creates an impermeable barrier that prevents oxidation of the metal parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 I'm not quite Thailand but 70% humidity is regular for me. I don't really do anything per se, but what I've noticed is it really comes down to the quality of the parts used. For instance, the fret wire on my Carvin starts oxidizing or whatever it is....gets all rough feeling and has green spots. But on my MIJ guitars the fret wire doesn't do that for the most part. Sure it's not polished and shiny, but it doesn't seem to corrode in the same way. I can only assume Carvin is using really cheap fret wire. Some of my tuners and knobs are better than others etc. My higher end guitars seem to have nicer quality metal parts that are much more resistant. Input jacks are a problem almost all around though. They can corrode inside and have bad contact issues if they've sat unused for too long. I'll shove a Qtip in there with a small amount of gibson low abrasion metal polish if it's really bad. Seems to clear it up. For electrical contacts, I'd recommend something like Caig DeOxIt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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