How to remove tarnish

[runnerlk]

Hi I have a H-575 that has tarnish on the tailpiece and pickup cover. I think they are chrome, but not sure. how can I remove the tarnish. I attached a couple pics.

 

Thanks

[DetroitBlues]

While I'm sure there are a lot of remedies you can buy from a music store, but I have a highly unusual one that is extremely effective on Chrome...

 

 

Use ketchup. Sounds crazy, but the natural acids in the tomatoes and the gel of the ketchup make for a non abrasive tarnish remover. I know it works because I used it to polish up the chrome on a 1970's Kay Banjo last year. Took all the tarnish off and made the parts look new. Be sure to clean the excess off because you don't want ketchup to dry on those parts or even worse, get on your guitar.

[DaveW]

I have had success with the following products:

 

simichrome polish, see:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BGOC0W/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000FGICHM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1KCC2ZKT5YPFXVEW42H8

 

or an auto paint machine glaze, for example see:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00091QU8G/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00079LVW0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1B1HKBHNN2ABG5MXR77Q

 

I use Cargroom royal machine glaze for restoring chrome.

 

Both of these products contain very mild abrasives, but if you use either, start out with a hand application using a soft cotton cloth to guage their effectiveness before going to more agressive abrasives.

 

If the mild polishes dont work, polish it using a cotton buffing wheel, and replate it. Caswell is a good choice for small parts, see:

 

http://www.caswellplating.com/

 

I have had great success plating chrome and gold using the Caswell kits.

 

Worst case bring it to a professional chrome plater.

 

Good luck.

[runnerlk]

Thanks, I had heard about ketchup somewhere. Will give it a try.

[tulk1]

While I'm sure there are a lot of remedies you can buy from a music store, but I have a highly unusual one that is extremely effective on Chrome...

 

 

Use ketchup. Sounds crazy, but the natural acids in the tomatoes and the gel of the ketchup make for a non abrasive tarnish remover. I know it works because I used it to polish up the chrome on a 1970's Kay Banjo last year. Took all the tarnish off and made the parts look new. Be sure to clean the excess off because you don't want ketchup to dry on those parts or even worse, get on your guitar.

Yeppers!! Ever heard the song One Toke Over the Line? Brewer and Shipley; sort of local heroes back in the early '70s. One big hit, several smaller hits. Anyway, they told me about using ketchup on their guitar strings. Couldn't afford to buy strings every other day - touring really doesn't pay squat. So, they used ketchup to get the grime and dirt out of the strings. Shined 'em like new.

[donnie]

I'd give Nevr-Dull a try. I use it extensively on my Harley's and the supposed to be bright parts on old amps and it's never let me down.

 

Have to keep it hidden from the wife though or she'll use it up on dumb stuff like silverware.

[DetroitBlues]

I'd give Nevr-Dull a try. I use it extensively on my Harley's and the supposed to be bright parts on old amps and it's never let me down.

 

Have to keep it hidden from the wife though or she'll use it up on dumb stuff like silverware.

 

Just give her a bottle of ketchup and tell her its a top secret ingredient of motorcylcists everywhere...

[paulg510]

While I'm sure there are a lot of remedies you can buy from a music store, but I have a highly unusual one that is extremely effective on Chrome...

 

 

Use ketchup. Sounds crazy, but the natural acids in the tomatoes and the gel of the ketchup make for a non abrasive tarnish remover. I know it works because I used it to polish up the chrome on a 1970's Kay Banjo last year. Took all the tarnish off and made the parts look new. Be sure to clean the excess off because you don't want ketchup to dry on those parts or even worse, get on your guitar.

[paulg510]

Okay, I wonder if the ketcup thing would work on tarnished gold plate as well...?

[golferwave]

Yeppers!! Ever heard the song One Toke Over the Line? Brewer and Shipley; sort of local heroes back in the early '70s. One big hit, several smaller hits. Anyway, they told me about using ketchup on their guitar strings. Couldn't afford to buy strings every other day - touring really doesn't pay squat. So, they used ketchup to get the grime and dirt out of the strings. Shined 'em like new.

 

Brewer & Shipley were one of my favorites back in the day. I think I wore out a copy of "Tarkio Road". Thanks for mentioning them. I think I'll go online and try to find some of their stuff.

[Kuz]

Yea, the Ketchup might work BUT with all the new cleaning products for tarnish.......WHY would you want a guitar that smells like Ketchup?????

 

I'll leave the ketchup and mustard for that matter, for my hot dogs!

 

Just my .02

[cwthompson]

Hi I have a H-575 that has tarnish on the tailpiece and pickup cover. I think they are chrome, but not sure. how can I remove the tarnish. I attached a couple pics.

 

Thanks

 

I have exactly the same tarnish on my H575 tailpiece. I wonder how common it is? My H575 is a 2006 model with the "H" tailpiece. I haven't really found a solution yet but I am thinking of getting it re chromed locally. Does anyone know if it can be chromed without removing the black plastic insert?

[DetroitBlues]

When using ketchup, you only need to use a small dab on a papertowel, then clean the parts of using an alcohol wipe so it doesn't get any electronics wet...

[DaveW]

Tomatoes, the primary natural ingredient in ketchup, contains naturally occurring citric and malic acids. Ketchup producers may add small amounts of ascorbic (vitamin C) and / or acetic (vinegar) acids to stabilize the product. All of these are organic acids, which are weak compared to inorganic acids such as sulfuric or nitric, however, organic acids are long - lived, and they can remain trapped and active in microscopic scratches on anything you rub the ketchup on, even after you think you wiped it all off. These organic acids do not evaporate off when traces of the residual ketchup dries out.

 

Any acid is the enemy of most metals, especially iron (steel), which is the base metal of all guitar hardware, with a few exceptions. All plating like chrome (Chromium), gold, and nickel does not completely cover and protect the underlying steel. Active acid will continue to work on the iron slowly, and eventually cause pit corrosion, which cannot be plated over successfully, and can only be removed by grinding, polishing and replating, or replacing.

 

I would not recommend using food products or any acidic product for that matter on metal tarnish, as organic acids will eventually make the tarnish or corrosion worse, and perhaps irrecoverable. Best to stick with products that are formulated to remove tarnish by design and not to attack the base metal.

 

By the way, moisture from your hands contain oils, salts and organic acids that you leave on the guitar parts during playing. That's likely how the parts got tarnished in the first place, by not wiping down the guitar after playing. I wax the chrome parts on my guitars (once a year seems to work for me). I use a microfiber cloth to clean up after playing - you can get them at the supermarket, and they don't scratch the finish or plated parts.

 

I hope this helps, good luck.

[DetroitBlues]

Tomatoes, the primary natural ingredient in ketchup, contains naturally occurring citric and malic acids. Ketchup producers may add small amounts of ascorbic (vitamin C) and / or acetic (vinegar) acids to stabilize the product. All of these are organic acids, which are weak compared to inorganic acids such as sulfuric or nitric, however, organic acids are long - lived, and they can remain trapped and active in microscopic scratches on anything you rub the ketchup on, even after you think you wiped it all off. These organic acids do not evaporate off when traces of the residual ketchup dries out.

 

Any acid is the enemy of most metals, especially iron (steel), which is the base metal of all guitar hardware, with a few exceptions. All plating like chrome (Chromium), gold, and nickel does not completely cover and protect the underlying steel. Active acid will continue to work on the iron slowly, and eventually cause pit corrosion, which cannot be plated over successfully, and can only be removed by grinding, polishing and replating, or replacing.

 

I would not recommend using food products or any acidic product for that matter on metal tarnish, as organic acids will eventually make the tarnish or corrosion worse, and perhaps irrecoverable. Best to stick with products that are formulated to remove tarnish by design and not to attack the base metal.

 

By the way, moisture from your hands contain oils, salts and organic acids that you leave on the guitar parts during playing. That's likely how the parts got tarnished in the first place, by not wiping down the guitar after playing. I wax the chrome parts on my guitars (once a year seems to work for me). I use a microfiber cloth to clean up after playing - you can get them at the supermarket, and they don't scratch the finish or plated parts.

 

I hope this helps, good luck.

 

You have organic acids in your hands... That's why parts tarnish to begin with...