I brought my shiny new Telecaster bridge cover to my friend's shop and used his enclosed sand blaster with glass bead media driven by a compressor with those gloves for your hands... I got excellent results stripping the gloss off the new mint chrome and it took all of five minutes. And then I used your muriatic acid fumes in a plastic container with a lid method for about an hour. I wish you could see my results...!!! The new bridge cover and the existing switch cover plate are a dead match, you couldn't tell that they were not the same.
you gotta scuff the chrome up first, some wet n dry will work , before you get to the acid stage., it can't easily penetrate the chrome without a good scuffing first good luck
Yer I would have left the Bigsby out after the first inspection it looked good then and more consistent with how tarnished the chrome bits are ever likely to get. The Bigsby looks now like ...well someone put it in acid.
And then you should get a nice even relic finish on everything. I have a few builds with etched copper parts, and copper plated parts, (controls plate, bridge, screws). I even copper plated an old Floyd Rose I've been using since the 80s. Definitely gives the guitars a much richer look. I'm starting my next build, Explorer type, which will have all relic nickel hardware. You can use PC Board etchant, (ferric chloride), after scuffing the chrome surface with Scotch Brite and then apply etchant directly to the scuffed surface and wipe and rinse.
Nice job. Very interesting. I'm not a fan of relics, but here it makes perfect sense. Really like your channel, always interesting and informative. Thanks for charing. Keep it up.
How did the acid affect the bearings on the Bigsby's roller bar after oiling? I did this with one of my builds, but didn't do it to the tuners. I was worried the acid would affect the smoothness of the moving gears.
Apparently one could put in 2 identical parts and have radically different results depending on one being nicely cleaned and polished and the other with plenty of fingerprints. could be a way to personalize (ID) equipment :)
For all those not in the USA Muriatic Acid is sold as Hydrochloric Acid, I've used this technique and it works well, just be careful its highly corrosive!
carl leech I tried using the hydrochloric acid method but didn’t get good results, it was on gold plated hardware and I remember leaving it for days with hardly any difference to the finish. I must have been sold something completely useless.
Thanks for the video. Very helpful. I get exposing the parts to the fumes, and rinsing... but what do you do to ensure the parts which you will touch often are actually free from the chemical? Would think that after the relic'ing is to your liking that you need to clean them with something. If so, what do you clean them with and how?
I managed to get the chrome off with your method. Now I´m down to the copper plating and I want that off too. How do I go about it? Another round in the acid fumes? Thanks!
I never understand why they always put the items on a tray floating over the acid. A) You're putting yourself at risk of having it splash and B) the tray could be knocked over. Why not put the acid in the tray and put the items flat on the bottom of the container. There shouldn't be a significant difference to the effect by doing this but it's safer and a better idea overall
Aloha; Cool vid, again. A Question, pls. So I've got a collected' item, a SD pup that I'd like to relic the nickel cover of; instead of subjecting the pup guts to M.A. vapor, can it be wiped directly onto the nickel pup cover? Thx, & im gonna hit you up for the paint job on this relic Kramer I'm putting together!
Scuffing up the pick guard with sand paper and rubbing in some brown shoe polish might work. I’ve seen someone achieve decent results using this method.
Bigsby is Nickel plated Aluminum. Using Muriatic Acid on those is overkill and tricky. If exposed to fumes for too long, it'll go through the Nickel and start to pit the Aluminum. Smarter choice would've been to use Etchant liquid (Ferric Chloride) on the Bigsby. Two minutes of light wiping and it's done.
funkystudiocat . Have tried a few methods to age hardware but haven’t tried the etching solution so will give it a go. Glad I saw your comment, thanks.
Guy: the Bigsby has chrome rollers; a nickel handle and an alloy frame. I’m sure he was unaware of that fact. Hence, three different effects. There’s no truly effective way to age chrome, other than time.
Totally wrong folks. Dont bother doing it this way. Take steel wool (medium grit) and pre scratch all chrome parts. Put a dry bowl with your parts in a larger plastic container that has 1/2" acid. Cover. Check parts every 20 min till satified. RUclips is where anyone can post anything.
Can u make aged black hardware? Thinking of putting a stopbar tail piece tune o matic type bridge on a explorer but i want a more metal destressed look .
This is pure hack. Didn’t know the difference between nickel and chrome, WAY to strong of an acid and those bearings in the Bigsby (actually, the entire Bigsby) are ruined.
I brought my shiny new Telecaster bridge cover to my friend's shop and used his enclosed sand blaster with glass bead media driven by a compressor with those gloves for your hands... I got excellent results stripping the gloss off the new mint chrome and it took all of five minutes. And then I used your muriatic acid fumes in a plastic container with a lid method for about an hour. I wish you could see my results...!!! The new bridge cover and the existing switch cover plate are a dead match, you couldn't tell that they were not the same.
Thanks for the demonstration BigD. I am still learning about the different methods to relic guitar parts. This will help with one of my future builds.
you gotta scuff the chrome up first, some wet n dry will work , before you get to the acid stage., it can't easily penetrate the chrome without a good scuffing first
good luck
the bigsby is nickel. works well with the acid. the other parts are chrome plated and that's why it looks weird. chrome doesn't age as well as nickel.
Hey thanks! This is really good to know!
I think you need to sand slightly the chrome plating first on those parts.
Yer I would have left the Bigsby out after the first inspection it looked good then and more consistent with how tarnished the chrome bits are ever likely to get.
The Bigsby looks now like ...well someone put it in acid.
I had some very unique results scuff sanding, wiping down with 1:4 diluted ferric chloride, then coating in mustard for about 8 hours
And then you should get a nice even relic finish on everything. I have a few builds with etched copper parts, and copper plated parts, (controls plate, bridge, screws). I even copper plated an old Floyd Rose I've been using since the 80s. Definitely gives the guitars a much richer look. I'm starting my next build, Explorer type, which will have all relic nickel hardware. You can use PC Board etchant, (ferric chloride), after scuffing the chrome surface with Scotch Brite and then apply etchant directly to the scuffed surface and wipe and rinse.
Nice job. Very interesting.
I'm not a fan of relics, but here it makes perfect sense.
Really like your channel, always interesting and informative.
Thanks for charing. Keep it up.
+Will Kupers thanks!
Way cool brother. I've never de-chromed with acid before. I'm going to have to add that to the list of "try this."
How did the acid affect the bearings on the Bigsby's roller bar after oiling? I did this with one of my builds, but didn't do it to the tuners. I was worried the acid would affect the smoothness of the moving gears.
Are you knocking off the chrome layer first with some Scotch Brite pads? You have to bring it down to the nickel layer.
Apparently one could put in 2 identical parts and have radically different results depending on one being nicely cleaned and polished and the other with plenty of fingerprints. could be a way to personalize (ID) equipment :)
For all those not in the USA Muriatic Acid is sold as Hydrochloric Acid, I've used this technique and it works well, just be careful its highly corrosive!
carl leech I tried using the hydrochloric acid method but didn’t get good results, it was on gold plated hardware and I remember leaving it for days with hardly any difference to the finish. I must have been sold something completely useless.
WHAT?! THIS LOOKS FUCKING AMAZING
thanks!
That looks fantastic, it really does look 40 years older than is actually is
Very convincing! How pure was your acid? The max I can buy commercially is 30% over here in The Netherlands. Will that still work?
Sweet!! Nice job!! And the rust on the Bigsby tailpiece just adds to the Aging effect! :-)
Great job on the relicing. Curious how the tuners turned out?
I’m going to relic some tuners for a les Paul project that I have going.
Did you lightly scuff with steel wool before?
Seems like that would take off the shine just fine if that’s really all one wanted to do.
Amazing. A true craftsman. (That Bigsby really looks, and apparently is, "rough" My Brother)
thanks buddy, hope all is well!!
Thanks for the video. Very helpful. I get exposing the parts to the fumes, and rinsing... but what do you do to ensure the parts which you will touch often are actually free from the chemical? Would think that after the relic'ing is to your liking that you need to clean them with something. If so, what do you clean them with and how?
I was them after with water and then wash down with oil.
Thanks very much for this!
I'm looking to get that rainbow look like on a motorcycle exhaust - something safe for a harmonica coverplate. Any ideas??
I managed to get the chrome off with your method. Now I´m down to the copper plating and I want that off too. How do I go about it? Another round in the acid fumes? Thanks!
so did you go 1/2 hour, another 1/2 hour, then another hour? Or did you go 1/2 hour, 1 hour, 2 hours? Just was not sure
I never understand why they always put the items on a tray floating over the acid. A) You're putting yourself at risk of having it splash and B) the tray could be knocked over. Why not put the acid in the tray and put the items flat on the bottom of the container. There shouldn't be a significant difference to the effect by doing this but it's safer and a better idea overall
This looks amazing. Is it safe to do this with chrome plumbing fixtures? I want to steampunk / vintage-ize my bathroom on a budget :D
you look amazing
Can you do this with old style open-back grover tuners?
Aloha; Cool vid, again.
A Question, pls.
So I've got a collected' item, a SD pup that I'd like to relic the nickel cover of; instead of subjecting the pup guts to M.A. vapor, can it be wiped directly onto the nickel pup cover?
Thx, & im gonna hit you up for the paint job on this relic Kramer I'm putting together!
+SLAMSTERDAMN you could tape off the pieces you don't want aged with masking tape and a plastic bag that might work? Or pop off the cover.
THX my friend; looks like I'm not doing the relic after all, but thx for the suggestions!
Looks dope, I like it
Very original look, but it really good.
Pretty sure the Bigs ins't chrome, and guessing your knobs are nickel...thus the extremes in aging.
@bigdguitars can you show how to age pick guards the Professional way? Meaning the non coffee way lol
Scuffing up the pick guard with sand paper and rubbing in some brown shoe polish might work. I’ve seen someone achieve decent results using this method.
I hope the acid didn't ruin the bearings on the bigsby.
+9999plato I re oiled the bearings. Should be good
Bigsby is Nickel plated Aluminum. Using Muriatic Acid on those is overkill and tricky. If exposed to fumes for too long, it'll go through the Nickel and start to pit the Aluminum. Smarter choice would've been to use Etchant liquid (Ferric Chloride) on the Bigsby. Two minutes of light wiping and it's done.
BIGSBY IS ALUMINUM MEAtball... chrome has to be rough sanded or its just gunna shine!!!
Try etching solution it works faster and looks more authentic. Best wishes to all
funkystudiocat . Have tried a few methods to age hardware but haven’t tried the etching solution so will give it a go. Glad I saw your comment, thanks.
would it help to lightly scuff sand the chrome pieces before hand?
+Thomas McCowage I have seen folks do that before. Either way...
Way too much for the Bigsby !
Guy: the Bigsby has chrome rollers; a nickel handle and an alloy frame. I’m sure he was unaware of that fact. Hence, three different effects. There’s no truly effective way to age chrome, other than time.
What happen if I put a Gibson Humbucker pickup in muriatic acid?
David Barrientos DO NOT PUT THE PICKUP IN THERE!!!! IT WILL RUIN IT!!!! Take the nickel cover off, there will be two solder joints on the bottom.
the bigsby is nickle that's why, the rest is chrome...nickle relics better than chrome
Totally wrong folks. Dont bother doing it this way. Take steel wool (medium grit) and pre scratch all chrome parts.
Put a dry bowl with your parts in a larger plastic container that has 1/2" acid. Cover. Check parts every 20 min till satified. RUclips is where anyone can post anything.
james Jumpin which acid? Any acid?
No need to buy acid. Just use the bottle of CLR in your kitchen.
Does clr work on chrome? What kind of effect does it give? Do you need to sand first?
u might want to call that a Splintercaster
Can u make aged black hardware? Thinking of putting a stopbar tail piece tune o matic type bridge on a explorer but i want a more metal destressed look .
I haven't tried it
This is pure hack. Didn’t know the difference between nickel and chrome, WAY to strong of an acid and those bearings in the Bigsby (actually, the entire Bigsby) are ruined.
You should have disassembled the Bigsby first. What an amateur job!
There's always one...