Gold Hardware care?

[paleolith54]

OK, in anticipation of the inevitable "worthless without pics" memes:

http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/yy96/paleolith54/IMG_0444_zpstnikvbph.jpg (http://s781.photobucket.com/user/paleolith54/media/IMG_0444_zpstnikvbph.jpg.html)

Did some trading lately, picked up this 1991 (!) Cobra, which is even more incredible (to me at least) than any other Anderson I have owned or played. The feel of it is just staggering. Pretty darn heavy, though...

I've never been a gold hardware guy, but will probably adjust to it as it does seem to fit on this guitar(and of course it's easy to change if I don't). When poking around on the 'net, I've seen lots of advice around gold hardware saying it needs meticulous wiping after every use, that it degrades (cosmetically) quickly, etc. If true, this one must never have been played, as the hardware looks brand new. So...you guys with experience, do I need to do anything special with this one?

Thanks!

[Pietro]

It degrades. Period.

If you wipe it down often, it stays shiny and at the same time degrades quicker.

You either like the degradation (I do, although I don't currently have any gold hardware guitar) or you don't...

[tom]

different people's chemistry affects it very differently. some are very hard on it and ruin it very quickly, some don't. it is soft so more polishing means wearing it off faster.

[paleolith54]

different people's chemistry affects it very differently. some are very hard on it and ruin it very quickly, some don't. it is soft so more polishing means wearing it off faster.

Thanks guys. Tom, is it as easy as I think to swap out the hardware, or have some important dimensions or tolerances changed since '91?

[tom]

the potentail snag are the string bushings on the back. they are pretty tight, and i have seen them blow out wood when pressed out. might want to leave those in.

does it have grover tuners?

[paleolith54]

Here is the other one I've added, an '07 Atom (not CT). The color is "Fire", the only one I've run across.

http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/yy96/paleolith54/IMG_0446_zpsuwd5b8o8.jpg (http://s781.photobucket.com/user/paleolith54/media/IMG_0446_zpsuwd5b8o8.jpg.html)

http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/yy96/paleolith54/IMG_0445_zpssbvcgivf.jpg (http://s781.photobucket.com/user/paleolith54/media/IMG_0445_zpssbvcgivf.jpg.html)

[paleolith54]

the potentail snag are the string bushings on the back. they are pretty tight, and i have seen them blow out wood when pressed out. might want to leave those in.

does it have grover tuners?

Here you go, Tom. They are split-shaft.

http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/yy96/paleolith54/IMG_0447_zpshcca71qf.jpg (http://s781.photobucket.com/user/paleolith54/media/IMG_0447_zpshcca71qf.jpg.html)


http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/yy96/paleolith54/IMG_0448_zps1asiplqf.jpg (http://s781.photobucket.com/user/paleolith54/media/IMG_0448_zps1asiplqf.jpg.html)

[Pietro]

Here is the other one I've added, an '07 Atom (not CT). The color is "Fire", the only one I've run across.

http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/yy96/paleolith54/IMG_0446_zpsuwd5b8o8.jpg (http://s781.photobucket.com/user/paleolith54/media/IMG_0446_zpsuwd5b8o8.jpg.html)

http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/yy96/paleolith54/IMG_0445_zpssbvcgivf.jpg (http://s781.photobucket.com/user/paleolith54/media/IMG_0445_zpssbvcgivf.jpg.html)

I am in love with this guitar. It is gorgeous. Love the understated flame. That is all...

[Pietro]

btw, I "golded" a Hollow Cobra years ago and it worked great. I did, however, not bother with the back plate (it was a 4-bolt) nor with the bushings of course.

[paleolith54]

btw, I "golded" a Hollow Cobra years ago and it worked great. I did, however, not bother with the back plate (it was a 4-bolt) nor with the bushings of course.

Yeah, I will almost certainly leave it as is, just wondering about options. Thanks for the help, as always.

And yeah, I'm really taken with the Fire color too and the more subdued flame too.

[dsouza.b.a]

Funny, I was just participating in a similar thread on MyLesPaul. If you want the link let me know but I think the previous posters pretty much covered the topic. It depends on chemistry and excessive wiping may wear it down faster. Some people have recommended coating the hardware with clear nail polish. Others have said that becomes a tone sink if you do. The only time I ever did that is when some of my black OFR string clamp screws started getting rusty when I lived in the midewest at the end where the allen wrench goes, I clear coated those. Now that I am in the land of single digit humidity, that has been a non issue. I am also older and thus probably less anal :D

[paleolith54]

Funny, I was just participating in a similar thread on MyLesPaul. If you want the link let me know but I think the previous posters pretty much covered the topic. It depends on chemistry and excessive wiping may wear it down faster. Some people have recommended coating the hardware with clear nail polish. Others have said that becomes a tone sink if you do. The only time I ever did that is when some of my black OFR string clamp screws started getting rusty when I lived in the midewest at the end where the allen wrench goes, I clear coated those. Now that I am in the land of single digit humidity, that has been a non issue. I am also older and thus probably less anal :D

Thanks! I think I pretty much have the picture now, which is that it wears faster, wiping doesn't retard the process, and that it may look cool when worn down anyway. I think I'll probably just play it and let nature take its course.

Humidity: I used to live in Albuquerque, it was always interesting to see people suffer when the humidity climbed up to 30% or so.

[wolf]

Mine has gold hardware and after 12 yrs and countless gigs the tuners still look like new.
I replaced the trem last year and that's already showing signs of wear.
I'm not sure the new trem's plating is as good as the previous version but it sounds better so I'm not worried.

[pipedwho]

BTW, don't make my mistake: keep Brasso far far away from your gold plated hardware! :eek:

Luckily it was another guitar and not one of my TAGs. :)

[paleolith54]

BTW, don't make my mistake: keep Brasso far far away from your gold plated hardware! :eek:

Luckily it was another guitar and not one of my TAGs. :)

Ha! Will do, thanks.