How to age chrome hardware?

[The Riffer]

????

 

I want to age the chrome hdw. on my LP.

Where do I start?

[WRGKMC]

My first suggestion is to just play the thing for 40 years and have it happen naturally.

 

Second is to devalue the instrument by faking the natureal wear and soak it in acid and make it look ugly as hell.

[Belva]

First, remove it from the guitar. Then get some muriatic acid. Get a tight sealing container, large plastic ice cream bucket works fine. Put the muriatic acid in a small container and place it in the bucket, no lid. Arrange your parts around this container and put the lid on. Check in about a week. Make sure to wear rubber gloves, a respirator and have plenty of ventilation. The acid stinks and can cause burns if you get it on your skin.

[The Riffer]

 

My first suggestion is to just play the thing for 40 years and have it happen naturally. Second is to devalue the instrument by faking the natureal wear and soak it in acid and make it look ugly as hell.

 

 

Thanks for your opinion, Mr.Helper.

So you hang out in a DIY forum to make weak condescending comments?

[The Riffer]

 

First, remove it from the guitar. Then get some muriatic acid. Get a tight sealing container, large plastic ice cream bucket works fine. Put the muriatic acid in a small container and place it in the bucket, no lid. Arrange your parts around this container and put the lid on. Check in about a week. Make sure to wear rubber gloves, a respirator and have plenty of ventilation. The acid stinks and can cause burns if you get it on your skin.

 

 

Thank You. Will this method remove the chrome? I am interested in matching a pair of pickups I am getting that are aged. They are more dull and discolored than being stripped looking.

[Belva]

It won't remove the chrome altogether. But it will discolor and prematurely age the hardware. You're just speeding up the corrosion process. Also, flush with water after ageing. And add a bit of baking soda in the first rinse to stop the process. But, getting back to WRG's point, what if you later want to change pups again? You'll have done irreversible damage that won't look good with shiny new pups. I did exactly what you're planning for a customer recently. But I felt obligated to inform him of the consequences. He's happy. And if he wants to do something different later I'll have to charge him for installing new hardware.

[Dthraco]

 

???? I want to age the chrome hdw. on my LP. Where do I start?

 

 

In line with what others have already said...I would buy new hardware to age, so you can switch it back later if you chose.

 

But, seriously, the best way is to just play the thing. Doesn't take 40 years though, a good year of play without cleaning it will do the trick.

[The Riffer]

 

I't won't remove the chrome altogether. But it will discolor and prematurely age the hardware. You're just speeding up the corrosion process. Also, flush with water after ageing. And add a bit of baking soda in the first rinse to stop the process. But, getting back to WRG's point, what if you later want to change pups again? You'll have done irreversible damage that won't look good with shiny new pups. I did exactly what you're planning for a customer recently. But I felt obligated to inform him of the consequences. He's happy. And if he wants to do something different later I'll have to charge him for installing new hardware.

 

 

Good. Thanks for the info.

 

I have absolutley thought of the consequences of modifying the hardware.The guitar will never have chrome pickups in it. As long as I dont destroy the components then the discoloration will not be an issue in the future.

 

As far as buying seperate hdw to age, If in the future I have to have chrome hdw I will just buy it then.

 

Not cleaning the guitar to speed up the age process is not an option. I can't stand a dirty guitar.

[Belva]

I like the idea of getting a hardware set to do your ageing to. Unfortunately it's virtually impossible to accurately extrapolate the value of your current guitar in, say, 40 years. And, as many people know, a '57 Les Paul with all original hardware is worth tens of thousands more than one that has even one piece replaced. Budget restraints are also a concern, I know. I'm too broke to pay attention right now.

[WRGKMC]

 

Thanks for your opinion, Mr.Helper. So you hang out in a DIY forum to make weak condescending comments?

 

 

No not condecending just honest. Asking a doctor to make you look old and sick is like asking a good luthier to make your guitar look burnt out. A good doctor is going try to talk you out of it if hes any good at all.

 

In my case if someone really wanted the worn look I'd trade them actual aged hardware thats 10~20 years old for their new. I wouldnt in all honsety think its an even trade though.

 

I understand the whole aged thing but anyone who knows guitars and what vintage guitars look and sound like can easily tell the differences. Its not meant as condecending either, just honest.

 

I'm sure you would prefer to own an actual vintage guitar with that aging. Many of those vintage guitars could be bought for $50 and less when I was a kid. Most of them wound up looking like crap because they were badly abused. It was the older ones from the 50s that still looked like new you wanted to buy because you could buy them for $150 instead of $350 new. Its amazing when I see the same guitars selling for $20,000 now that you paid $150 back then. There were just as many junkers as keepers then if not more than there are now. Time does fly though. I bought my current Paul in 94 for about $1200 new and its already increased to $4500 last time I checked.

 

 

Anyway, I build guitars and make them look as good as possible. I also restore many high $ classic guitars to make them look new and well preserved. This maintains their maximum value for those who own them as a investment as well as a tool of their trade.

 

I do know how to make guitars look aged, finish and all, but its not something I do intentionally.

Hopefully this makes my first statement a littel more understandable to you.

[Belva]

I myself don't understand the whole relic thing. A true relic has a story behind every ding. "I was bangin' this groupie on stage after a gig and the guitar was too close......"

[The Riffer]

Points taken fellas.

 

But so many assumptions are being made. I never stated if it was Gibson custom shop guitar or a 129 dollar epi special.

 

I really should have known better than use this forum for anything but grandstanding. I simply asked for opinions and techniques of how to do it. Except for tele, all I've gotten is opinion on why I shouldn't. So much for a help forum. Sheesh.

 

I'm out.

[PanaDP]

If you're going for vintage, swap the hardware to nickel. Once that's done, it will naturally tarnish pretty fast.

[mrbrown49]

 

If you're going for vintage, swap the hardware to nickel. Once that's done, it will naturally tarnish pretty fast.

 

 

That's a good idea. Chrome parts don't age that nicely IMO. Nickel gets better looking with age.

[Belva]

 

I really should have known better than use this forum for anything but grandstanding.

 

We see people wanting to do unholy things to expensive guitars all the time. Frinstance, painting an American Standard Strat. That makes even my skin crawl! If you have a less expensive guitar then the sky's the limit.

Be clear what you have and you won't get the standard lectures designed to keep the uninformed from doing something really stupid and killing resale value. A guitar aint an '06 Mustang that can easily be returned to original.

[El-Lardo]

Carefully push it up your urethra. Leave it there for a couple of days...you'll be amazed...the patina will be awsome.

[WRGKMC]

Below chrome is steel in many cases. Remove it and it will turn to rust. If thats what you want go for it. The nickel tarnish is what happens to vintage hardware Pana mentioned. Noones jumping on your case here, You can do what you want. I mentioned in my first statement to use acid which was the answer you needed, so whats your problem?

[Silvervox]

Check a local pool store for a product called "Acid Magic". It's the same pH as muriatic acid, but doesn't have the fumes and is much less dangerous to work with (It'll burn you if you leave it on your skin, but it takes a while, unlike the regular stuff). It'll age your hardware the same way as muriatic acid. Usually goes for around $6 a gallon.

[The Riffer]

 

Below chrome is steel in many cases. Remove it and it will turn to rust. If thats what you want go for it. The nickel tarnish is what happens to vintage hardware Pana mentioned. Noones jumping on your case here, You can do what you want. I mentioned in my first statement to use acid which was the answer you needed, so whats your problem?

 

Your answer was vague to say the least. I don't have a problem. Your problem is that you come off as a arrogant , judgmental asswipe.

[The Riffer]

 

Check a local pool store for a product called "Acid Magic". It's the same pH as muriatic acid, but doesn't have the fumes and is much less dangerous to work with (It'll burn you if you leave it on your skin, but it takes a while, unlike the regular stuff). It'll age your hardware the same way as muriatic acid. Usually goes for around $6 a gallon.

 

Thank You. I'll look at that.

[Tomm Williams]

Riffer

 

Customtele gave some pretty good advice that should help with what you're doing. I tried the same thing with a Epi LP standard "just because". It turned out OK but nobody would have been fooled. It's hard to duplicate fretboard wear but you asked about aging the hardware so maybe the rest of it is not a concern to you. You could also experiment with exposing the parts to heat like a butane torch but be very careful, it could easily warp your parts.

Maybe sometimes opinions come across a little edgy but if you've read much of what WRGKMC has to say, it's usually good advice. There are a lot of folks in this thread who build customs and it pains us to advise someone on how to beat up a guitar. However it's your guitar and if that's what you want, I'm sure you'll get some tips on how it's done but I don't think anyone here knows Tom Murphys secrets (Does anybody?) TW

[The Riffer]

^

Thanks. Yeah, I'm not trying to relic a whole guitar, nor fool anybody. I am putting a high end aged pickup in a newer cheaper guitar. I simply want to have more "conceptual continuity" as Frank would say...

 

Butane torch, huh? hmmmmm......

 

I also read about guys using pcb etchant to artificially age hardware. I have a bottle of that, I'm contemplating trying that first.

 

Again, if I destroy a part, oh well. It wouldn't hurt the guitar to get an upgraded bridge and stop bar anyhoo.

[Tomm Williams]

On that torch thing, I'm talking about quick passes from at least a foot away. Not holding it in place till it glows but you probably understood that.

I learned this from a gunsmith who built antique period firearms. Looked fairly good. TW

[WRGKMC]

If you know a good auto repair shop. Take the parts there and ask them to lightly sand blast it. Not enough to completely remove the finish but to give it that worn nickel look.

[The Riffer]

^ That is actually a reasonable idea to me. Sandblasting is a part of my job, and I can do that myself. I've thought of frosting it , similar to what I do to glass to give it that soft, opaque appearance. I use so little pressure, that you can actually sandblast your hand with very little discomfort. I could possibly do this technique, then find a paint that is close to the color of the pickups I am getting to add a patina look to the parts. But I think you may be onto something there, Thanks.