Chrome Plating Parts

Terry Huval · Post by **Terry Huval** » 27 Jul 2008 9:29 am

I need to get the top half of 3 Fender Trapezoidal pickups cleaned and rechromed. I also have various parts that could use similar treatment.

Do any of you have any recommendations where I get this done cost-effectively?

Thanks,
Terry

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 27 Jul 2008 9:55 am

The yellow pages for your area should show shops under "plating". Medium sized towns usually have a chrome plating facility.

Or maybe you could Google a shop on-line and get it done. Try a search for chrome shops etc.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 27 Jul 2008 10:55 am

Ask a motorcycle guy. They're very particular and know the best plating and polishing shops that will take on small jobs.

Terry Huval · Post by **Terry Huval** » 28 Jul 2008 5:08 pm

Thanks for the help. There are no apparent platers in our city, but there are some about 80 miles away. I'll also check with some of the local bikers I know.

Merci Beaucoup!
Terry

Fred Layman · Post by **Fred Layman** » 5 Aug 2008 7:08 pm

I would call the company to find out whether they do small jobs before driving any distance. I've tried shops but they only Chrome big orders, not the little orders. I like the suggestion about contacting the motorcycle people.

Iain Carmichael · Post by **Iain Carmichael** » 6 Aug 2008 2:04 am

Would rechroming affect the original, vintage quality, and hence the value of the instrument? I was thinking of getting the plates of my '37 Rick B6 done locally.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 6 Aug 2008 7:48 am

Iain,

Check out this picture.

It obviously has rechromed plates and PU magnets. To me, only and idiot would say this has lost one iota of its worth, since it was rechromed.

In a word, it is drop dead gorgeous in every way. It looks like a brand new guitar.

It is owned by fellow Forumite, Bob Stone. I liked this picture so much, I included it in a book I wrote on the Steel Guitar.

c.

Ron Dotson · Post by **Ron Dotson** » 7 Aug 2008 8:46 pm

Terry, check with your local Harley dealer they will know. I'm a biker and let me tell you, I am picky about my chrome. Nothing like steel and two wheels.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 7 Aug 2008 10:00 pm

only and (an) idiot would say this has lost one iota of its worth, since it was rechromed.

Actually... rechroming metal parts will diminish the value of a vintage guitar by about 20%.

I'm reminded of the guy who came into our store one day with his grandfather's 1920's National Tricone. He told us his buddy worked at a plating shop and he could get "a great deal" on chrome plating... half price. I tried to talk him out of it, but he said he didn't care about the Value of the guitar. It was a family heirloom and he wanted it to "look nice". So he had the Tricone rechromed... and ruined it. Cut the value in half. I wonder what his grandpa would have thought of that.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 7 Aug 2008 10:45 pm

I don't intend to be difficult, but I don't put a dollar value on my guitars. If I don't like how they look I do something about it. They are here for my personal use and enjoyment and I'm not going to detract from that by having a price tag on everything. I've given away more stuff than I've sold anyway.
I guess I don't understand why the value is so important. Love of the instrument is paramount to it's value in my view.
Of course if folks are collectors, it's a different story, and they must be aware of the market for buying, selling etc., and condition and originality would be a major factor.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 7 Aug 2008 11:25 pm

I agree with you Bill, about playing and loving a guitar. I have a couple of "player guitars" for gigs, and I keep patching them up, changing parts, etc. Whatever they need, they get. Those are my favorite guitars because I love their sound (Fender, Emmons, Valco), and I couldn't care less about their value. And I also have a couple of collector guitars that are all original and will stay that way. Those guitars live in my closet, which says it all!

In my reply, I was responding to the prior comments about Values. Someone stated that rechromed parts do not diminish an old guitar's value... well, that is simply not true. I guess the only issue is whether or not the owner cares about the value.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 8 Aug 2008 7:48 am

There have been lots of discussions about this in the past. I think everybody above is right, because the value is not written in stone but depends entirely on the buyer. If you sell to a player who wants a nice looking instrument to play, or even just to display at home, they may pay more for the nice looking upgraded steel guitar than they would for an unaltered beater. But if you sell to a picky collector or investor, any change, even obvious improvements decreases the value.

I have always felt that old steel guitars are like old cars. A vintage car that has been meticulously refurbished to stock is worth more than the frayed and worn oil burner grammaw bequeathed to your nephew. Likewise, customizing the car with non-stock parts can make a street rod worth more than the old beater. But, we have to face the fact that collectors and investors are taking over the old instrument market. It is hard to tell how this will affect old steel guitars, which have much less a market than regular guitars. But we should all be aware of their seemingly ridiculously stringent rules. They pay much more for broken and worn original parts than for smooth playing and good looking updates. This is particularly important for early editions and certain classic models that become popular with collectors. The Ricky bakelite is certainly one of those. The run of the mill middle-aged steel guitar is in a gray area. At the present, it might be worth more upgraded for the larger market of players, and there might not really be much a market for it yet with collectors. So for a near future sale, upgrading might make sense. Who knows if or when it will ever become a collectible.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 8 Aug 2008 7:54 am

If you're going to re-plate something, learn the difference between chrome plate and bright nickel plate. Use the correct one. The old Grover "Butterbean" tuners one my 59 Madison Shobud were bright nickel plated, not chrome.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 8 Aug 2008 10:53 am

If a guitar has player worn looks and parts, I usually find that to be attractive, especially if the player was great. It adds value to my thinking, but maybe not always $ value.
If it's been abused by non players or neglect, then a redo is not out of line.
In the case of the pic Carl submitted, it looks great, but doesn't add or detract in the sound or playability, and in the case of a B6 or steels in general, not much affect in value up or down.
If you're talking vintage paint jobs of a Gibson or Fender steel, then the old Strat/Fender mania over every last original flake comes more into focus.

I once had the fortune of having my hands on David Kelii's quasi famous Epi 6 str. steel from his Hawaii Calls days, and altho it was in kinda rough condition from termites in particular, the owner had it restored to a more new appeareance, which to me took away a lot of it's charm/importance/provenance.

Years ago I got my then dream guitar, a Rick Fry-Pan for a mere $600 from a seller on Ebay after no bids @ $800, because it was painted blue!
I think all steels should be painted blue and then not be wanted. Call me.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 8 Aug 2008 11:12 am

The one I have is a 7, and it was painted green, with a brush! Couldn't wait to strip it !!

Steven Cearley · Post by **Steven Cearley** » 9 Aug 2008 6:09 pm

Here is a photo of my post war B6, someone had done a really bad job with texturizing the plates. I had them powder coated in high chrome and just picked up the plates this afternoon. Here is a before and after photo of the plates. The company that did the powder coating was a motorcycle shop specializing in powder coating and they charged me twenty five bucks.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 11 Aug 2008 4:40 am

Hi,

Normally, I would not refurbish a vintage guitar. This instrument was rescued from a life as a wall-hanger. It had no tuning gears, and I was not inclined to search for a set of originals. The decorative metal plate under the volume control was missing, as was the knob, and there was a dirt-dauber nest in the cavity. Since I had to get a new decorative plate made (I was not interested in searching for this very rare item either), I decided to have the dents removed from all the plates and get them re-chromed.

I'm happy with my decisions and enjoy playing a great sounding, nice looking instrument. And it's not for sale.

My 1956 Strringmaster D8 is all original. I may be selling it soon.

All the best,

Bob

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 11 Aug 2008 7:55 am

Bob,

I am exceedingly glad you did what you did. And I think it made a very wonderful instrument 10 times better. I could not care less about "collectors" and what turns them on.

Quality is what I am seeking. You took (evidently) an unusable vintage instrument, and turned it into pure gold as far as I am concerned.

If I was looking for a mint, vintage, pre war, 6 string bakelite Rick, there are VERY few in this world that would turn my head like yours did. IF any! So as a committee of one, let me tell you that, what you did was exemplary as far as I am concerned.

I am almost tempted to asking you if you would do this to my vintage 7 string rick, which is playable but is not in the best of shape. But I would not ask, since that is not proper.

And again many thanks for giving me the permission to use that awesome picture in the book I wrote.

carl

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 11 Aug 2008 12:08 pm

Thanks for your thoughts Carl. And thanks for including the photo in your book. Actually, the pink background (it's a massage table) helped a lot. Ditto for the soft light. I bounced an off-camera flash off a white plaster ceiling. And, it's a $1,200 lens.

Thanks for a copy of your book, too. I never knew a pedal-steel could have eight knee levers! That's a lot of hardware.

I briefly owned one dead mint vintage steel: a late 60s Fender DeLuxe 8. It was so pristine I hated to touch it--a terrible feeling. I sold it to the Campbell Bros. and Chuck had the same reaction.