Rust on Pole Peices

[Andrew Lamprecht]

I bought a used guitar and there is a layer of rust over all the pole peices on the pickups... Is there a way I can get the rust off without ruining the sound or tone?

Or can I buy new poles, and if so, where can I buy them?

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

Steel wool?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

Q-tip & wd 40.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

I used a q-tip and peroxide and it got most of the rust off of the screws but i just don't want to mess anything up...

 

[cavpilot]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

Steel wool?

This is why you should take internet "advice" as being worth what you paid for it...

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

well, it would get the rust off without ruining the sound or tone

i'd say welcome, but did you just make your first post a shot at a regular..?
heh

 

[phil_104]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

This is why you should take internet "advice" as being worth what you paid for it...

0000 grade steel wool, applied very carefully, would actually do the job fine.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

well, it would get the rust off without ruining the sound or tone

i'd say welcome, but did you just make your first post a shot at a regular..?
heh

Ha ha, actually I can see why he did it - first time I read in one of Dan Erlewine's books about using steel wool for something I thought it sounded crazy. I didn't realise you could get really fine stuff. :1:

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

I dont get it. Using steel wool shaves off the last protection against rust. The rust comes back worse than ever.

I use an old tooth brush and WD 40

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

I dont get it. Using steel wool shaves off the last protection against rust. The rust comes back worse than ever.

I use an old tooth brush and WD 40

It was just an idea, hence the question mark after I'd said it.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

This is why you should take internet "advice" as being worth what you paid for it...

:bsflag:

While most use a pencil eraser, you can use steel wool without any problems if you use 0000 or at least 000 and clean up all the dust properly afterwards.

 

[mudpuppy]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

I would remore the poles before cleaning. If using steel wool, my main concern would be making sure that no little steel hairs get anywhere they can short anything out. Barkeepers Friend with a little water on a Q-tip would work great. If you want to prevent future rusting, you could try gun bluing from a sporting goods store, followed by WD-40.

 

[EFK]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

Sell the pickup as 'aged' for twice the $$$ and then buy a new one! hahahahahaha

 

[Vincent Vespa]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

I used CLR and a Q-tip and finished up with some WD-40. CLR - For all your calcium, lime, and rust removal needs!

I have no idea if the CLR can damage something, but it worked fine for me.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

I dont get it. Using steel wool shaves off the last protection against rust. The rust comes back worse than ever.

One thing with this - if it's rusted already...hasn't that "last protection" already gone?

 

[mudpuppy]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

One thing with this - if it's rusted already...hasn't that "last protection" already gone?

Something like WD40 will give you good temporary protection. Gun bluing followed by wd40 should last just about forever. Should look way cool too. Different alloys can vary quite a bit on how well they accept bluing tho.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

i would never use steel wool on my PU's... you get all the wool pieces and filings stuck to the PU... plus if any of that steel files end up inside the PU's windings it could cause some issues...

sitting there with masking tape trying to get the wool off the pole pieces don't make sense...

when i had some rust on an old PU i just used some 3-in-1 oil lightly on a rag and wiped it down... 90% of the rust was gone and the left over oil helped stop the rust

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

Much simpler solution:

Replace the poles with new ones.

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

Dremel with a wire wheel does the job quickly and clean, I use the same
wheel on my frets to polish them up.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Rust on Pole Peices

Steel wool will have it's debris stick to the pickup if you don't remove the polepieces first.