If I Had A Nickel For...

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Too Many Notes
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Yeah, not money nickels. Nickel, the plating.

I have always preferred nickel plating to chrome plating, even though it tarnishes unless it’s polished. I like the warmer hue of it, and the fact that it doesn’t peel like chrome.

So I like that PRS uses nickel plating.

We just did some light fixup and paint to our place, during the course of which, some hardware needed to be replaced. At the store that had the nice stuff, it seemed like the hippest trend was nickel plated hardware, and “aged” nickel plated hardware.

It was all I could do to not say, “Great, let’s match my guitars!” ;)
 
Found this article looking for backing to something I already knew. Chrome Plating is Nickel Plating with the addition of a Chromium dip to give the Nickel a polished look, and added durability. If the plating process is done properly, the Chrome layer should not peel. If it is, you are polishing it too much.

https://blog.philadelphialuthiertoo...ickel-and-chrome-plating-for-guitar-hardware/

I did know that chrome is plated over nickel, because I’m a reformed car show judge, and chrome’s a car guy thing.

But I’ve had chrome peel without ever polishing it, and with polishing it a middling amount, and with polishing it a lot. Chrome frickin’ peels, and a lot can depend on environmental factors. Even “triple chrome plated” stuff peels. Worse, when chrome peels, the edges are sharp. I’ve cut myself a fair amount on it.

Looks great on cars and motorcycles, though.
 
I should also say I have nothing against chrome. It’s cool looking.

The purpose of the thread was really to say how surprised I was that nickel’s back in a big way in things like doorknobs and towel bars.

Last time I did this exercise, the world was all about brushed stainless, etc. But that was a long time ago.

“How long ago, Les?”

“I didn’t mention the part about ‘sometime during the last century’ huh?”
 
But I’ve had chrome peel without ever polishing it, and with polishing it a middling amount, and with polishing it a lot. Chrome frickin’ peels, and a lot can depend on environmental factors. Even “triple chrome plated” stuff peels. Worse, when chrome peels, the edges are sharp. I’ve cut myself a fair amount on it.

I agree it peels, and hurts and looks like crap when it does, but if it is done right, it is not "supposed" to do that. I am a car guy too, and ex Navy so I have polished my fair share of Brass, Bronze and Chrome. I also studied the finer point of electroplating for a Mechanical Engineering Degree that I never finished.
 
Real car guys MIGHT remember Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's contribution to the hot rod songbook....."Eefen it don't go, Chrome it!" (Predated PRS Guitars, of course).
 
I remember building plastic models of Big Daddy Roth’s hot rods when I was a kid.

Shoulda stuck to cars, not music.
 
Yeah, not money nickels. Nickel, the plating.

I have always preferred nickel plating to chrome plating, even though it tarnishes unless it’s polished. I like the warmer hue of it, and the fact that it doesn’t peel like chrome.

So I like that PRS uses nickel plating.

We just did some light fixup and paint to our place, during the course of which, some hardware needed to be replaced. At the store that had the nice stuff, it seemed like the hippest trend was nickel plated hardware, and “aged” nickel plated hardware.

It was all I could do to not say, “Great, let’s match my guitars!” ;)

I think you will appreciate this geeky story. My house was built in 1941 and still has several original (or vintage, at least) glass door knobs with brass bases. There was one odd duck which had a nickel base on one side and a terrible, cheap "brass" repro on the other side that kept coming off.

So I finally got around to buying a vintage brass set to replace it. I could've just replaced the crappy repro and left the one nickel knob, my wife didn't care, but I said I didn't want to mix brass with nickel. I had a chuckle at my hypocrisy. My wife didn't get it, so I showed her the hardware on my 594. She just gave me That Look and shook her head.
 
I could've just replaced the crappy repro and left the one nickel knob, my wife didn't care, but I said I didn't want to mix brass with nickel. I had a chuckle at my hypocrisy. My wife didn't get it, so I showed her the hardware on my 594. She just gave me That Look and shook her head.

Hahaha! I love it!

I get That Look quite often.
 
Not to be confused with The Look. That's the one you get when you're in trouble.

That Look is the one that lets you know you're being a dope.

I get The Look (which I sometimes refer to as The Eye-Daggers) when a new piece of gear arrives. As with you, I get That Look when she’s exasperated. Which is often. Very often.

Of course, I never think I’m being a dope, even when I am. ;)
 
I get The Look (which I sometimes refer to as The Eye-Daggers) when a new piece of gear arrives. As with you, I get That Look when she’s exasperated. Which is often. Very often.

Of course, I never think I’m being a dope, even when I am. ;)

I like to talk sh!t but, honestly I’m married to a woman like veinbuster’s wife... She’s always telling me to go ahead and buy stuff (as long as it’s not crazy expensive) I’m the one that wusses out and worries about money.
 
I like to talk sh!t but, honestly I’m married to a woman like veinbuster’s wife... She’s always telling me to go ahead and buy stuff (as long as it’s not crazy expensive) I’m the one that wusses out and worries about money.

My wife’s the family worrier. Someone’s gotta do it.
 
Not to be confused with The Look. That's the one you get when you're in trouble.

That Look is the one that lets you know you're being a dope.
Oh hell, don't forget "A look". You know, the one you get that stops you mid sentence that prevents that look.
 
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