UberMetalDood
New member
How can you do a good relicing job with plastic and metal pickup covers without having to play your guitar for 20 years? How do they do it in the custom shops?
How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
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marcello252
Well-known member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
I made fake old plastic look from brand new white single coil covers rubbing the surface with iron wool and then applying a little tincture of iodine on for a minute, then brushing away the tincture with a cloth
I made fake old plastic look from brand new white single coil covers rubbing the surface with iron wool and then applying a little tincture of iodine on for a minute, then brushing away the tincture with a cloth
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
The humbucker covers on my jaguar look old. you know, those lines where the pickups stayed a little newer looking, etc, its from playing it for years.
sorry bro.
The humbucker covers on my jaguar look old. you know, those lines where the pickups stayed a little newer looking, etc, its from playing it for years.
sorry bro.
V
Varg
Guest
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
The plastic covers can apparently be soaked in cold tea for a while and it gives them that browny look.
The plastic covers can apparently be soaked in cold tea for a while and it gives them that browny look.
V
Varg
Guest
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
On the metal ones - I have a feeling my covers will NEVER end up that badly distressed way. I just dont have corrosive sweat.
My brother, on the other hand, had a go on one of my guitars I had just put a gold Epiphone pickup in (a dummy, I had just put it in for the look). It was a good gold colour. He played it for ten minutes and the gold plating was almost completely off the next day - dudes sweat is like freakin acid Im not joking. (I should say, there was a gold Duncan in there too, but that survived intact - just shows the quality difference even just in the plating).
Try and find someone with crazy sweat and let them play your guitars for a while.
On the metal ones - I have a feeling my covers will NEVER end up that badly distressed way. I just dont have corrosive sweat.
My brother, on the other hand, had a go on one of my guitars I had just put a gold Epiphone pickup in (a dummy, I had just put it in for the look). It was a good gold colour. He played it for ten minutes and the gold plating was almost completely off the next day - dudes sweat is like freakin acid Im not joking. (I should say, there was a gold Duncan in there too, but that survived intact - just shows the quality difference even just in the plating).
Try and find someone with crazy sweat and let them play your guitars for a while.
marcello252
Well-known member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
not so easy, it depends on the type of plastic, you can't stain with tea and coffee most of the common covers, I speak about my experience.
One thing you can do is to spray some transparent acrylic paint on the plastic, let it dry then dip them in coffee or tea, this way the system works
not so easy, it depends on the type of plastic, you can't stain with tea and coffee most of the common covers, I speak about my experience.
One thing you can do is to spray some transparent acrylic paint on the plastic, let it dry then dip them in coffee or tea, this way the system works
guitarkid
New member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
For the plastic: Soak it in very strong, cold coffee. (You can rough it up just a little with a scotch bright pad or steel whool before, if you want them to look a little bit worn)
For the metal: Rough it up with a scotch bright pad, steel whool, or some light grit sand paper and then soak it in a mixture of salt water. (May take a few days or even longer) After they have aged to the extent that you want, make sure and clean the parts off with gun oil, WD40, or some other kind, or else it will just continue to age even more. Or another way is to fill a large pot with a couple inches of vinegar and bring it to a boil. Then take a coffee cup, or something similar, and set it upside down in the boiling vinegar. Place the part on top of the cup and then put the lid on while it continues to boil. The fumes and vapors from the vinegar will age the metal. The longer you leave the part in, the more it will age. So just check on it often to see the progress. Be careful though, because the part will be very hot, and the fumes will make your house reek! Unless you have some sort of stove to do it outside. Lol
For the plastic: Soak it in very strong, cold coffee. (You can rough it up just a little with a scotch bright pad or steel whool before, if you want them to look a little bit worn)
For the metal: Rough it up with a scotch bright pad, steel whool, or some light grit sand paper and then soak it in a mixture of salt water. (May take a few days or even longer) After they have aged to the extent that you want, make sure and clean the parts off with gun oil, WD40, or some other kind, or else it will just continue to age even more. Or another way is to fill a large pot with a couple inches of vinegar and bring it to a boil. Then take a coffee cup, or something similar, and set it upside down in the boiling vinegar. Place the part on top of the cup and then put the lid on while it continues to boil. The fumes and vapors from the vinegar will age the metal. The longer you leave the part in, the more it will age. So just check on it often to see the progress. Be careful though, because the part will be very hot, and the fumes will make your house reek! Unless you have some sort of stove to do it outside. Lol
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guitarkid
New member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
Well in that case, just send your guitars to me and they will be completely aged in a week or less. I have crazy acidic sweat! Lol
Well in that case, just send your guitars to me and they will be completely aged in a week or less. I have crazy acidic sweat! Lol
marcello252
Well-known member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
It doesn't work for every kind of plastic, it depends on the polymer, mine have a plastic like steel, they were almost impossible to stain, the iodine tincture worked although
It doesn't work for every kind of plastic, it depends on the polymer, mine have a plastic like steel, they were almost impossible to stain, the iodine tincture worked although
UberMetalDood
New member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
I don't think the water or steam idea will work because the metal covers are welded onto the pickup. What if I used steel wool to rough it up a bit and then used a toothbrush lightly damped with salt water?
I don't think the water or steam idea will work because the metal covers are welded onto the pickup. What if I used steel wool to rough it up a bit and then used a toothbrush lightly damped with salt water?
MisterE
New member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
How much would you charge for a bottle of sweat. LOL.
How much would you charge for a bottle of sweat. LOL.
guitarkid
New member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
Oh ok I see, I was thinking that you were just aging the cover already off the pickup.
That might work, just as long as you make sure you don't get any salt water in the pickup, because that could be bad. Lol But its worth a shot. Also, I would probably go with a scotch bright pad or light grit sandpaper instead of the steel whool, since it is still on the pickup. Just so that you don't take a chance of getting metal shavings from the steel whool stuck in the pickup, the mag, or the windings.
EDIT: You would be trying this at your on risk though.
Oh ok I see, I was thinking that you were just aging the cover already off the pickup.
That might work, just as long as you make sure you don't get any salt water in the pickup, because that could be bad. Lol But its worth a shot. Also, I would probably go with a scotch bright pad or light grit sandpaper instead of the steel whool, since it is still on the pickup. Just so that you don't take a chance of getting metal shavings from the steel whool stuck in the pickup, the mag, or the windings.
EDIT: You would be trying this at your on risk though.
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guitarkid
New member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
HA! Make me an offer. LOL!!
Oh all right, I was just going off the covers that I have aged. Thanks for the tip!
HA! Make me an offer. LOL!!
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
The fumes of Hydrochloric acid are supposed to do a good job. Place your parts in a small plastic container, and put that container into a larger one with a small amount of acid in the bottom. Seal the larger container and let it sit for 20-30 mins.
The fumes of Hydrochloric acid are supposed to do a good job. Place your parts in a small plastic container, and put that container into a larger one with a small amount of acid in the bottom. Seal the larger container and let it sit for 20-30 mins.
UberMetalDood
New member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
Got it, thanks.
I don't want to mess with any poisonous fumes. I'll try the salt water idea though.
Oh ok I see, I was thinking that you were just aging the cover already off the pickup.
That might work, just as long as you make sure you don't get any salt water in the pickup, because that could be bad. Lol But its worth a shot. Also, I would probably go with a scotch bright pad or light grit sandpaper instead of the steel whool, since it is still on the pickup. Just so that you don't take a chance of getting metal shavings from the steel whool stuck in the pickup, the mag, or the windings.
EDIT: You would be trying this at your on risk though.
Got it, thanks.
I don't want to mess with any poisonous fumes. I'll try the salt water idea though.
marcello252
Well-known member
Re: How to relic plastic and metal covered pickups?
I don't know if I've correctly understood, but the idea of using salt water with the cover still attached to the pickup doesn't seem that good, the water will surely penetrate inside the cover and it may oxidate in the long time the coils wire insulation enamel causing some short.
There are some enamels used in decoration hobbies that are used to oxidate metals, try that one (you have to stay away however from the pickup exposed screws)
I don't know if I've correctly understood, but the idea of using salt water with the cover still attached to the pickup doesn't seem that good, the water will surely penetrate inside the cover and it may oxidate in the long time the coils wire insulation enamel causing some short.
There are some enamels used in decoration hobbies that are used to oxidate metals, try that one (you have to stay away however from the pickup exposed screws)
guitarkid
New member
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