Hardware Conundrum now sorted!

[Fat Rich]

I've nothing against gold hardware on some basses but I never think it looks good on a Fender.

Particularly if the rest doesn't match.

[Noisyjon]

Love the replies Guys and what a landslide vote!
I didn't want to let on too early but I was swaying towards waiting a bit longer and getting the chrome tuners on it but wanted you lots' opinion.

Thanks for the input,
Jon

[Bloodaxe]

[i][b]King Lear, Act V, Scene III - The British Camp near Dover...[/b][/i]

And my poor Fender is bugger'd! No, no, no life!
Why should a Warwick, a Fodera, a Ritter, have gilt,
And I no bling at all? Thou'lt come no more,
[size=6][b]Never, never, never, never, never![/b][/size]
Pray you, undo this travesty: thank you, sir.
Do you see this? Look on her, look, her butterscotch blonde body,
Look there, look there!

[i]Exeunt, persued by a rampaging mob[/i]

[Clarky]

Gold looks mighty purty ....

[attachment=69692:deliverance_1.jpg]

[danny-79]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1098654' date='Jan 22 2011, 01:54 PM']you can't beat a nice shiny bit of chrome or the cool patina that builds up on nickel-plated.[/quote]

Will second that, Ive got a Sigma SDR-41 acoustic, that has gold tuners on it, Ive had the guitar about 10yrs now, they suite the guitar well (only guitar that i have ever owned with gold an the last) its starting to look cheep now with it rubbing off, dulling etc so i say NO as well, especially as it wont match the rest of the bass !
But saying that gold does look good on somethings.
At the end of the day its your bass but if the tuners that are on it now are causing you tuning issues then just upgrade.

[henry norton]

[quote name='Daquifsta' post='1098640' date='Jan 22 2011, 02:35 PM']Is it likely that there will be chrome plating underneath the gold plating then? (I don't know the process: I've never gold plated anything myself) Because I would have thought it would just be the base metal under the gold, probably brass or something?[/quote]
Yes most all gold plate has to be gold on top of chrome because the gold is soooooo thin it needs a good, smooth, hard surface to sit on. That's the reason gold hardware costs more - it's not the price of the gold so much as the extra process the hardware has to go through, basically chrome plated then plated with gold on top. The amount of gold on gold plated hardware is absolutely miniscule.

[Noisyjon]

Well I contacted the seller on eBay with the Gold ones and... He's sold be a Chrome set for the same price - Get in!
Thanks for your input chaps.

Cheers,
Jon

[lettsguitars]

[quote name='henry norton' post='1098132' date='Jan 21 2011, 09:26 PM']Yeah a good hard polish with the Brasso will bring up the chrome plate underneath the gold a real treat. You might find a better price for Hipshot hardware on Ebay.com (as opposed to the .co.uk version - it's dependant on exchange rates, post and stuff like that but in my experience it usually worked out cheaper.[/quote]
really? 17% vat +shipping, only when i haveto ie; ordering hipshot tuners by the dozen! love it!

[noelk27]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1098580' date='Jan 22 2011, 12:46 PM']Mix & match finish hardware always looks sh!t. Besides, gold = tasteless, tacky & just plain naff anyway.

Jon.[/quote]
You're not a fan of the Matsumoku mix-and-match technique then, Jon? The brass or gold bridge, with chrome tuners, with black knobs and switches?

[Noisyjon]

So a quick follow up.
I got the tuners this morning and the seller de-valued them which meant they came straight through with no charges.
A nice, and unexpected, little bonus!

Now the serious bit of getting the tools out and having a go at changing the tuners.

Cheers,
Jon