I want to age my Grover locking tuners assistance required!

[AussieDave]

Hi All!
This is my beloved 2012 standard. I’ve upgraded all the electronics and pups and I have the great Creamtone aged upgrade coming. This will leave me with way too shiny Grover’s.
Does anyone know how to age grovers
without affecting the functionality. I want to dull them a bit.

Thanks
Dave

 

[NHTom]

I just did a set of schaller strap locks by VERY lightly using a scotch brite pad. It took the shine off and gave them a slight satin look.

That said, it was just a strap lock.........so not too much attention to detail......just knocked the shine down a bit to not be so "blingy" on the reliced guitar they were on.

NHTom

 

[Roxy13]

Most use vinegar. Just beware that while they are in there they won't look as aged as they do when you then take them out, rinse them and let them dry. I'm not sure I would actually let tuners sit in vinegar. Maybe wipe it on.

But, I would check them after just a few min to see if they are where you want them or if you need more.

 

[Subterfuge]

I used 10% cleaning vinegar, as opposed to the 5% grocery store swill, followed by an over night soaking in a very strong tea solution (tannic acid) of course home made relicing usually ends in disaster, you are not happy, you over do it etc .... that Creamtone hardware by the way is awesome ... good eye ....

 

[Caretaker]

First make sure they are nickel.
WEAR GLOVES and goggles.
Muriatic acid(available at any pool supply store) in a small bucket. Just enough to cover the bottom.
Suspend the tuners(tied with fishing line, etc), to a stick across the top of the bucket.
Or on a platform. You ant the fumes to do the work. Not submerged in the solution.
Cover the bucket with a cloth or lid.
Check every hour to see how far it had aged.
It works quickly so keep checking.
Also, you don`t want the acid to affect non metal parts.
Rinse in a dishwashing liquid and water solution.
This works for any nickel parts.

 

[Rick]

I'm almost certain those are chrome and not nickel. I have non-locking Grovers on my J-45 that started to dull within about a year. The locking ones on my 2014 Standard are as shiny as the day I bought the guitar (in 2014). I don't think you can age them if they are chrome.

And I've looked all over for nickel or aged nickel LOCKING Grovers and can't find anything like that anywhere.

 

[1allspub]

Yes your factory Grovers are chrome. They won’t age the same as the aged nickel you have incoming from CreamTone. Best to just replace them with an aged nickel set (either purchased aged or age them yourself).

 

[tigger]

So what I do is first take one of the 3m pads to remove rust and lightly sand/scratch all surfaces. Then I take a bigger plastic box with lid and a smaller one. Put a little vinegar into the vessel, close it and microwave it for a few seconds so that the vinegar becomes hot. Take it out, quickly open and put the small vessel with hardware into it and close again. Open after few minutes to check and repeat if oxidation isn't sufficient.

If you skipped the scratching/sanding step, oxidation will start from a few places and will look really ugly.

 

[AussieDave]

Thanks everyone for your responses!
Yep the Grover’s are chromed so will the vinegar technique work? I too have looked for aged versions joebguitar.
None to be found sadly.
Tigger will your method work on chromed parts? Am I using the vapours from the vinegar or immersing them in it?
Thanks
Again

 

[tigger]

I'm afraid the vinegar method won't work on chromed parts, only nickeled And you'd be using the vapor, not immersing them.

 

[Rando375]

Appears Grover is now producing the 502 in nickel finish - locking configuration

NEW - Grover LOCKING TUNERS 3x3 for Gibson® Les Paul® SG ES 18:1 - 502N Nickel

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014323&icep_item=382341619428

 

[jhol111964]

Would some locally applied muriatic or hydrochloric acid not etch chrome? Maybe look into etching techniques for chrome. Also, I've used heat from a small LP torch, with some coloration showing up. I'd definitely not submerge them, for fear of washing out or contaminating the lubricant inside, and causing corrosion.

 

[AussieDave]

Thanks for the info. I had not seen nickel versions before. I have a friend who has a sand blaster at his work used for watch cases. Might work for my purpose. Otherwise I may get these nickel Grovers and use the vinegar method.

 

[AussieDave]

Hey Jhol111964
That is a concern about function of the mechanism after aging. I was wondering what lubrication is used and where. Even if i sandblast I worry about the sand beads and I would use an ultrasonic cleaner after which may also cause issues.

 

[tigger]

Also do note that aging in acids will give Grovers the look of well-worn tuners made in 1759. They are normally of somewhat newer vintages and chrome makes them look rather clean and shiny unless the layer actually starts peeling..

 

[1allspub]

I’ve tried Ferric Choride on chrome (my preferred method for nickel aging, much better and faster than the vinegar fume method which I have also used in the past). Didn’t work.

Your best option is just to replace the chrome tuners with nickel and age them (or buy aged nickel). Chrome can be aged, but it never looks like aged nickel and won’t match your other aged nickel parts. Time to bite the bullet and get some nickel tuners. Swapping tuners literally takes seconds.

 

[Rick]

Appears Grover is now producing the 502 in nickel finish - locking configuration

NEW - Grover LOCKING TUNERS 3x3 for Gibson® Les Paul® SG ES 18:1 - 502N Nickel

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014323&icep_item=382341619428

NICE! This must be a pretty recent thing. I remember looking not long ago and couldn't find the locking ones in nickel.

 

[1allspub]

Here ya go.
http://www.mylespaul.com/threads/aged-grover-102-n-3x3-tuners.407140/#post-8622824

(If you don’t want to buy some new ones and age them yourself.)

 

[JeffH66]

NICE! This must be a pretty recent thing. I remember looking not long ago and couldn't find the locking ones in nickel.

Me too. I have 4 guitars with locking Grover and the only thing I dislike is the chrome finish. FWIW, I use the 106 model locking tuners, as I don't care for the thumbwheels. I looked at Grovers less than 2 months ago and didn't find and nickel models on their site. Thanks for the heads up on nickel Grovers.