Cleaning Pickups, Bridge

[fingerwalker]

How does everybody here clean their chrome electric guitar hardware, such as pickups and bridges? Mine are starting to tarnish a little. Guitar polish isn't quite cutting it.

Thanks, all.

[BT55]

Originally Posted by fingerwalker

How does everybody here clean their chrome electric guitar hardware, such as pickups and bridges? Mine are starting to tarnish a little. Guitar polish isn't quite cutting it.



Thanks, all.

Use chrome cleaner and polish.

[Steve DeRosa]

Something I learned when I started messing around with banjo 30+ years ago - nickel is even harder to keep clean/untarnished than chrome - is to regularly wipe down high-contact areas with Nevr-Dull (available at most hardware/auto-parts shops). This stuff was developed during WWII for military use (and it smells like it - wear a pair of exam gloves and work in a very well-ventilated area), and it's about the best thing I've found for even heavily-tarnished plating (those Marine DI's want it clean, and they want it right now - DO - YOU- HEAR - ME... ) - break off a small wad, treat the area in question and let it dry for a minute or two, and wipe it down with a soft paper towel (leaves no residue and won't get inside your pickups or bridge saddles like liquid polish)...

[clintj]

For repair/restoration on customers' guitars that want it, the above recommended Nevr-Dull works great. I'd never do that to anything truly vintage, though. Bright, shiny nickel on a well worn amp or guitar looks odd.

For my guitars, I wipe those parts down with a soft cloth and let the patina happen as it sees fit.

If you've got parts in need of serious tarnish removal and polishing, a Dremel with a buffing wheel and compound will mirror polish it quickly.

[ChrisN]

I bought a Gibson kit that had guitar polish, fretboard cleaner, and liquid metal cleaner polish.

Most used electrics metal parts are beyond gross. I take pics to see where the saddles are, then completely disassemble the bridge, remove saddles, screws, clips, remove any stop bar, remove any screws holding the stop bar, remove the pickups (leave attached and covered), then clean all with the metal cleaner, after which I use some metal wheel polish (for cars) (Mother-something) and, if needed, I use a dremel polishing wheel lightly for stuff that's tough. If it's etched, it's etched - nothing I can do there, but the above gets the rest clean.

[fingerwalker]

Very helpful, all. Thank you!

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by fingerwalker

Very helpful, all. Thank you!

I forgot to add that, after cleaning/polishing, I put a coat of non-abrasive carnuba car wax (pure) on everything I cleaned/polished (except the screw threads) to seal it up and prevent future corrosion. I lube the bridge screws with light oil, and use synthetic grease on the adjuster wheels and stop piece screws. I'm not talking about Fender-type screws-into-wood - those I would not lube. I'm talking about LP/Gibson-type large screws/wheel-adjusters into those metal receptacles that are set down into the wood.

[fingerwalker]

Thanks, Chris. I was actually wondering whether a coat of wax would help slow future tarnish. Much appreciated!

[Pnewsom]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

I bought a Gibson kit that had guitar polish, fretboard cleaner, and liquid metal cleaner polish.

Most used electrics metal parts are beyond gross. I take pics to see where the saddles are, then completely disassemble the bridge, remove saddles, screws, clips, remove any stop bar, remove any screws holding the stop bar, remove the pickups (leave attached and covered), then clean all with the metal cleaner, after which I use some metal wheel polish (for cars) (Mother-something) and, if needed, I use a dremel polishing wheel lightly for stuff that's tough. If it's etched, it's etched - nothing I can do there, but the above gets the rest clean.

I'm guessing that you're not that into Reliced instruments?

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Pnewsom

I'm guessing that you're not that into Reliced instruments?

"Relic-ing" I can take or leave (leave, mostly, and I wouldn't pay for it), but fungus-growth sweat corrosion over 10 years (the green puffy stuff), not for me. I'm surprised I've received a couple of used electrics in that condition. I'd never have listed them before cleaning them up. Even a dealer sent me one like that. If the metal's pitted/shot because the PO didn't take care of his stuff, that's life, but clean it up and price it fairly. Don't make me have to de-DNA a used guitar.