Black Hardware
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
Black Hardware
Just got done going through the ordeal of not only replacing the "R" tailpiece on my 360-12, but dealing with black hardware, too. I got a lot of help from some familiar names and ended up replacing the "R" with a trapeze tailpiece and having all of the parts involved painted black (just pulling together the parts was an ordeal in itself). I'm not sure if this might be a subject of interest, but if anyone is curious, I've found an excellent and durable coating that transforms chrome parts to a matching black (or any other color). And I would be willing to share my experience with anyone that it might help, either here or individually.
Yes. I went to a powder coater that I've used for race car parts and special finishes in several high end homes. He uses Cardinal paints, they're one of the two big suppliers in the USA. You shouldn't have any trouble finding a local painter that uses that brand.
There are almost two dozen blacks available from Cardinal, but we settled on what is called 40%. We almost used 60%, but it seemed a little too shiny. The "grading" starts at 100%, which is so glossy it looks like black chrome (lots of possibilities there). Then it goes down to 0% (in 20% increments) which is flat black. 40% is used in a lot of commercial and industrial applications like bike racks, excercise equipment, etc. The guy I used shoots this color two or three times a month and was willing to add my pieces to his next shoot. He didn't charge me but said that if he would have, it would have been around $20. That was for a trapeze tailpiece, a bracket and a handful of screws. Otherwise if you are in a hurry, it'd be the minimum set-up of around $75. Keep in mind that it's the set-up that drives the cost so let the other guy pay for it. While you're at it, have them repaint your bridge cover or some spares.
He thought that other painters would do the same as long as there was little or no prep required. The tailpiece I got from Don Adamek was not chromed but so well made it was ready to go. The chrome bracket I finally got (who'da thought there would ever be a nationwide shortage of trapeze tailpiece brackets, and just when I needed one) was ready too as any new chrome piece would be.
I'm not sure what Rickenbacker used on their pieces, but it was most certainly powder coat and the match is almost perfect. If you can find your replacement piece in chrome, you can end up with a black one for a little effort and a small fee. It seems that unless somebody has a stash of black hardware somewhere, it's probably your only option. I, for one, was not ready to go to chrome. And at the risk of scathing replies, I do like the trapeze tailpiece a lot better. For both looks and function.
There are almost two dozen blacks available from Cardinal, but we settled on what is called 40%. We almost used 60%, but it seemed a little too shiny. The "grading" starts at 100%, which is so glossy it looks like black chrome (lots of possibilities there). Then it goes down to 0% (in 20% increments) which is flat black. 40% is used in a lot of commercial and industrial applications like bike racks, excercise equipment, etc. The guy I used shoots this color two or three times a month and was willing to add my pieces to his next shoot. He didn't charge me but said that if he would have, it would have been around $20. That was for a trapeze tailpiece, a bracket and a handful of screws. Otherwise if you are in a hurry, it'd be the minimum set-up of around $75. Keep in mind that it's the set-up that drives the cost so let the other guy pay for it. While you're at it, have them repaint your bridge cover or some spares.
He thought that other painters would do the same as long as there was little or no prep required. The tailpiece I got from Don Adamek was not chromed but so well made it was ready to go. The chrome bracket I finally got (who'da thought there would ever be a nationwide shortage of trapeze tailpiece brackets, and just when I needed one) was ready too as any new chrome piece would be.
I'm not sure what Rickenbacker used on their pieces, but it was most certainly powder coat and the match is almost perfect. If you can find your replacement piece in chrome, you can end up with a black one for a little effort and a small fee. It seems that unless somebody has a stash of black hardware somewhere, it's probably your only option. I, for one, was not ready to go to chrome. And at the risk of scathing replies, I do like the trapeze tailpiece a lot better. For both looks and function.
