Chrome vs nickel hardware sonic test

[Eddie]

I was bored today and decided to perform a little A/B test to see the sonic differences in the two platings. My test went as follows:

The nickel plating on my Les Paul sounded fat, full, and thick with a ton of sustain and a lovely growl.

The chrome plating on my strat's hardware sounded much thinner and a little more sparklier, but not even close to the sustain and fullness of the nickel.


Conclusion:

To my ears, nickel is a far superior plating to chrome at least sonically. Next I will include the gold plating on my custom.

Hope this helped!

[kdm]

[Wiking]

Keep em coming, lol.

What about strap lenght? Always wanted to know.

[Shawn Lutz]

tough to tell sarcasm these days so I honestly don't know if this is a satire thread or not. With that out of there not an accurate test. If you want a fair test use the Les Paul with a nickle bridge, used the same guitar same amp same everything setting and then swap the bridge to chrome

[Who]

I don't know what is sillier, the fact that you did this test in April in Florida (humidity is all wrong, for sonic tests), or the fact that you did the test without changing to plating-matched cables.

Just running the two through the same cables isn't gonna do it.

Another thing: Science has shown, the main reason the results of this test are so hard to get correct:

- You (of course) can't run the tests on two different guitars (too many variables, as Shawn pointed out)
- If you swap the parts onto the same guitar, you run into all the tone-problems of re-using the same screw-holes. EVERYONE knows that the screw-holes on Gibsons are single-use (which is why original/un-modified is so desireable).

Please tell me that you at least ran the test before noon, and pointed the headstock angle 13 degrees higher when testing the nickel, to compensate for the specific-gravity of the elements.

[Eddie]

perhaps the best way is to bind the two guitars together making them one cohesive unit and trying the test again.

[BillB1960]

[Who]

Would introduce too many harmonic-imbalances, due to the covalent bonding.

Eddie, You've been on MLP for four years, but you're acting like you don't even understand basic Gibson-physics!

[MTwang]

I have nickel on my Tele, do you think that will help me with the straplocks?

[Who]

Straplocks on a Tele?! Teles CAN'T BREAK, so I see no purpose for straplocks on them.



Oh wait, maybe you're trying to protect the floor from getting broken.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Who

Would introduce too many harmonic-imbalances, due to the covalent bonding.

Eddie, You've been on MLP for four years, but you're acting like you don't even understand basic Gibson-physics!

You're right. I'm overthinking this like a rookie. Now I'm ashamed...

[joedonner2001]

So as the gold plating wears off, I guess the guitar's tone will gradually improve. There is light at the end of the tunnel for the gold hardware lovers.

Can you please also thoroughly test different toggle switch tips? I'd like someone to confirm my findings that the cream ones make the guitar sound more creamy and the black ones improve sustain.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by joedonner2001

So as the gold plating wears off, I guess the guitar's tone will gradually improve. There is light at the end of the tunnel for the gold hardware lovers.

Can you please also thoroughly test different toggle switch tips? I'd like someone to confirm my findings that the cream ones make the guitar sound more creamy and the black ones improve sustain.

I'm on it!

[Murfdog]

I performed a similar sonic test between solid and weight relieved guitars. I chose an '09 R8 for the solidbody and a Gibson J-200 for the chambered guitar. The solidbody had much more sustain, and produced a much more organic overdriven tone. The J-200 had very little sustain and squealed horribly when plugged into the overdrive channel. I concluded that chambered guitars are inferior.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Murfdog

I performed a similar sonic test between solid and weight relieved guitars. I chose an '09 R8 for the solidbody and a Gibson J-200 for the chambered guitar. The solidbody had much more sustain, and produced a much more organic overdriven tone. The J-200 had very little sustain and squealed horribly when plugged into the overdrive channel. I concluded that chambered guitars are inferior.

That's the caliber of research I'm talkin' about!

[Malikon]

I hope pickguards were removed from both guitars before testing.


to be fair.

[Satch0922]

Did you "Top Wrap" the nickel or chrome tailpiece?

[HOT-BRIT]

after conducting extensive testing, I have always found that the gold hardware gives a much richer tone

[joedonner2001]

Originally Posted by Satch0922

Did you "Top Wrap" the nickel or chrome tailpiece?

Not necessary, depending on whether the jackplate is plastic or metal. Unless it has been aged. And unless you're testing on a Les Paul Classic, and depending on the greenness of the fretboard inlays.

Everybody knows that.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by joedonner2001

Not necessary, depending on whether the jackplate is plastic or metal. Unless it has been aged. And unless you're testing on a Les Paul Classic, and depending on the greenness of the fretboard inlays.

Everybody knows that.

It was a Les Paul Classic, but it was a 1991 model so no green inlays

[geddyleefan]

I've noticed some tonal differences in certain stopbar and bridges when theyre made of different metals. Nickel being full and sustaining and chrome being rather thin but with some bite to it. But thats just what I've heard after years of owning multiple LPs with different stopbars and bridges

[Eddie]

Nickel ages better which is probably why it sounds better. Old looking stuff always sounds better!

[MeKevin]

Eddie, how do you get the nickel to stick. I'm assuming glue of some sort. Does it matter if I don't plate mine?

[Dino Velvet]

I found that changing to the amber switchtip produced a cornucopia of sounds that had both bloom and sustain.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by MeKevin

Eddie, how do you get the nickel to stick. I'm assuming glue of some sort. Does it matter if I don't plate mine?

1950's baseball card gum. Stuff is getting rare though!

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Dino Velvet

I found that changing to the amber switchtip produced a cornucopia of sounds that had both bloom and sustain.

The switchtip is often overlooked. I have amber on all of mine except the strat. I bet that's another reason the lesters sound so much fuller!

[Who]

Eddie, I'm not sure if you realize this, but instead of "nickel", if you spend the extra 20 cents and go with "quarter", you can get a whole new world of tone and sustain.

[Eddie]

Man, that's an idea! I might just stick about three fiddy inside my control panel!

[tampa898]

I hear the Uranium 238 hardware really is the way to go. Iridium 192 is next and Cobalt 60 coming in behind that. Nickel and chrome are not where it's at these days.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by tampa898

I hear the Uranium 238 hardware really is the way to go. Iridium 192 is next and Cobalt 60 coming in behind that. Nickel and chrome are not where it's at these days.

I'm old school! Great advances though!