The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm wondering why the manufacturers don't plate the aluminum end plates and exposed trim chrome?
It would sure hold up better and not need polishing as often.
(I'm in the metal finishing business, so I know it can be done)

I believe Mullen guitars have chrome-plated steel endplates. I've been playing a Mullen since 1998 and I've never had to polish the end plates. I just wipe off the finger prints.

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Lee, from South Texas

Hey Tony,
since you`re in metal finishing business I have a question for you.How do you polish aluminum?Can you use ,like, a buffer (for cars)?and do you need to use some kind of polishing products (cream,paste,liquid etc)?
Thanks,Damir

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http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne/damirzanne1.html

Tony,
Give us a rundown on how much it would cost to plate a set of end plates,that will be part of your answer.
As you know alloys are very finiky about pre plate prep,plus if you use steel to make parts it would add weight,also cost as much or more than castings to make and add the cost of plating etc etc etc.
Chas. help me out here buddy....

Bill Ford

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Does a steel sound any better if the end plates are polished?

<SMALL>Does a steel sound any better if the end plates are polished?</SMALL>

Richard, only if you are looking at it, while it is being played, truly.

Rick

Cost, most definately. I was shop foreman for a metal finishing company for several years, and I can safely state that a polished (mirror) finish chrome plating will cost (a fair amount) more than just polished aluminum.

But I will add that chrome would be much more durable and in my opinion prettier.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

To do it right would require about $100-$200 extra to be added to the cost of the steel. There must be a big vanity thing with steelers and their horns. Most of the steel shows I go to, as well as most of the road shows have a steeler behind a "like new" shiny guitar. The lead players (who make more money, have more job security, and get more sex and free drugs) usually play a guitar that looks like a 20-year old taxi cab.

Go figure.

One other thing I wanted to add was that chrome, when intact, is very appealing. But unlike aluminum, it can't be touched up or polished out when it gets a scratch. A moderate scratch would be there until you disassembled the guitar to make the repair/replate. Aluminum requires no special tools to restore the finish, just a little elbow grease! Also, chrome (being quite hard) might tend to "flake off" edges (corners) when the aluminum was dented. This would leave undesirable sharp areas which might snag clothing, or your skin. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 12 June 2002 at 06:19 PM.]</p></FONT>

In the world according to Chas, personally, I think that polished aluminum looks better than chrome especially if the headstock, changer and pedal board are polished aluminum. Granted, the legs are chrome, but I think that aluminum has a "softness" compared to chrome which to me is "hard", and at times harsh.

It's very difficult to get high quality chrome plating, post EPA, especially here in California. I'm sure that there have been a lot of advances in the technology over the past years, but as I recall, chroming aluminum is a lot more difficult than chroming steel. Cast aluminum, because of its porosity, has a lot of pits in the finish even after its been polished, so billet is better. So first it has to be polished and cleaned, then wants to be plated with copper and polished again, then it needs to be plated with nickel, which is a "leveler", and polished again, then it gets chromed. Polished aluminum just needs to be polished. Of course, chrome is more durable if you don't bang the soft aluminum, think M&Ms.

Polishing aluminum at home is relatively simple, hard cloth wheel spinning about 3450 rpm, tripoli or emery cake, then soft wheel with rouge. Be sure to cover up your face and have really good ventilation because it leaves a fine black powder that gets in all your pores. I look like I'm wearing a burka when I have to polish something.

We polish aluminum in my shop all the time. We have more of an industrial set-up, but the same principles can be applied for home use. Polishing aluminum is a two step process. First is the CUTTING which is done with an Airway wheel, which is 12" in diameter and 3" thick, made by stacking 3 together. It is sort of a bunch of rags sewn together in a Zig Zag sort of way. In a home shop, you could use a stitched wheel attached to a stationary grinder. We use Tripoli as the cutting material. The next step is the COLORING. This is done with a wheel that is not stitched at all and is quite soft. There are different rouges for coloring, depending on whether you want a satin finish or high gloss. In St. Louis there is a place called Parish-O company that specializes in polishing supplies. If you are at Scotty's convention in Sept. and really want to get what you need to get going, go visit them. As far as using a car buffer or something, I say forget it. You can clean up aluminum that has been polished with a substance called Simi-Chrome polish available at motorcycle shops. It is made in Germany and you just rub it on with a rag like car wax. Let it set for a little while, then rub like crazy with a soft cloth. It is amazing how you can restore a lot of tarnished aluminum with this stuff.

Tony,

The new MSA Millennium D-10 and S-12 have chrome endplates, chrome necks with 3D frets, chrome key heads and chrome roller bridges. In our opinion chrome is more durable and has better clarity than polished aluminum. No more need for Simichrome polish and dirty fingers.

Kyle
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Kyle Bennett on 09 June 2002 at 07:31 PM.]</p></FONT>

huh,can`t wait to see that new MSA,so far what I heard,it is going to be a great steel.

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http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne/damirzanne1.html

My opinion only. Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish is far easier to use than Simi Chrome polish. Cheaper too. Available at Wal Mart in Automotive in an approximate 2" high and diameter jar. I polish my tone bar with it also. The bar is so slick, I can hardly hang on to it. Endplates look like a mirror. Mother's also is a cream, with no abrasive particles in it.. About $4-$5.

My 76 MSA Classic has chrome plated endplates,still have a mirror like finish.I dont know if this was done at MSA or after it left the factory.All the metal on it is chrome plated except the pedal bar.


Wayne (Slick} Broyles<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by slick on 10 June 2002 at 04:42 PM.]</p></FONT>

The replies are certainly correct about the way to (professionally) polish aluminum, or any lustrous non-ferrous metal: use buffing compounds with a cloth buffing wheel.
The point is, this is very messy to do and can even be somewhat dangerous if the wheel gets caught on something. It will not work without a significant amount of pressure and speed of the wheel, but you have to be careful not to let the wheel slip.
Damir, you can do it yourself with an electric drill and a cloth buffing wheel. This should be used with tripoli type compound followed by red rouge type compound. I believe Sears sells a little kit with these accessories grouped as a package. If not, check out an industrial supply company like Grainger or McMaster-Carr.
I agree, it would probably add $2-300 to the list price of a steel to chrome plate all the aluminum, but the end plates could probably be done for about $50 each.