Nickel or Chrome?

[paologregorio]

Hi all,

I'm looking to replace some gold hardware on a guitar of mine with either nickel or chrome; I rather like chrome myself, since it doesn't dull over time and need to be buffed out the way nickel does. (I recently removed all of the tuners on my 391s and buffed them all out with polish on a buffing wheel during a string change-I know-I'm weird about that stuff).

What's the deal with nickel anyway? It's an older type finish, correct? Meaning, Manufacturers used nickel first, then later started offering the components in chrome? I would gather that a lot of the folks here like nickel for that "vintage mojo", yes? What are the relative advantages of one over the other? All I can think of is that chrome doesn't really dull, but it can pit after awhile if not cared for properly, while nickel dulls, but is maybe not so prone to pitting and can be buffed out? Am I correct in the latter assumption? I had nickel knobs that I ignored to the extent that they still pitted, so I had them replated in chrome! Sacrilege? Probably. In any case, the pit was so deep on one knob that when it was buffed out before chroming, the G arrow (Gretsch knob), was made rather shallow I ended up buying another set of Chrome knobs.

Oh, another question; on gold hardware, is the plating underneath nickel? If I buff it like mad on a wheel with some compound, will I have shiny nickel hardware when I'm finished?

Comments from anyone in the know about this would be greatly appreciated.

[kiramdear]

Let me offer a general opinion. I haven't looked into it lately:
I believe the better tuners are all solid nickel at heart. The plating is added, either chrome or gold, in a layer over that. It's like choosing a natural finish solid wood as opposed to one or other applied veneer. They all have advantages and disadvantages as you pointed out, but in the end it's a purely esthetic choice. It would take a lot of elbow grease to buff away the plating quickly in a natural looking way, in my opinion, but might add a vintage look if the gold was rubbed away in just the right places, just partially. One can lightly bead blast the gold off completely (ask your plater) and expose the nickel underneath, then re-plate in chrome, (or not, and just polish), but it might be more expedient to get real nickel or chrome factory replacements if possible.
As for nickel or chrome, my personal choice is nickel finish because it's solid metal and looks good as it ages, I really enjoy the darkening that goes on in the crevices, that tarnishing, and the highlights where it is rubbed. One can quickly remove the tarnish with brasso or silver polish if desired. Whereas when chrome or gold plating starts to go south, it's not a pretty picture
I know you'll make the right choice, Paul

PW might know how to cleanly remove plating, short of bead blasting Oh, Paul....

one more thing: sometimes they plate things to cover up ****** metal underneath. You can find gold, chrome, OR nickel plating over zinc, pot metal etc. Close examination is the only way to say what's going on if you don't know.

[ken_j]

Depending on the part the nickel may be plated and not solid. Example a cast stop bar tail piece for a Gibson. The best chrome plating is triple chrome. The three steps of triple chrome plating is copper, nickel and then chrome with a lot of polishing between steps. If you buy nickel parts they may just omit the last step of chrome plating. If done cheaply it may omit the copper too.

[scott_s]

Nickel FTW. Nickel develops a patina; chrome pits.

- Scott

[jingle_jangle]

I'm fairly new to the game, Kira, but I have never run into solid nickel anything relating to guitars. I suppose way back in the early 20th century, there must have been some stuff made out of nickel-silver, but where strength is a concern I don't think it would perform.

Nickel is generally plated now, over brass or steel. If you want a good-quality chrome job, the way to go used to be copper/buff, nickel/buff, chrome. Triple-plating like this is now a premium thing due to cost of labor and chromium (which was a major Rhodesian import when that country was called "Rhodesia").

I like the look of nickel very much. It's a warm reflection that, because of its softness, patinas beautifully. But it and chrome each has its place in the appearance end of things.

Strictly speaking, Scott, what pits is the substrate, although I have seen good chrome spiderweb over time, as the nickel under it oxidizes. Hard to believe, but even chrome has pores!

I do wish I knew more about metallurgy, though. I suppose I'll pick it up over time.

[kiramdear]

Well, there I am wildly off the mark again I should leave the technical topics to the experts.
Brass or steel are indeed your likely solid metals under the plating, which can be multi layered. I was maybe thinking about German Silver, which is actually a nickel-steel alloy, quite pretty and strong enough for dinnerware use. So your nickel finish is one of three plating options over mild steel (likely) or brass, thanks Paul W. If I found solid brass under the plating I would be inclined to polish that up and watch it patina, but with steel if you rub through the plating it's not attractive looking . I'm just not much on plating, for the pitting that you and Paul mentioned. Guess I'd re-plate in nickel.
I'll go back to lurking now.