Aftermarket Chrome to Gold Plating?

[ebonalley]

Can anyone recommed where I can have gold plating put on a chrome J-bass control plate. I just bought a medium scale essex and want to change the hardware to gold but the control plate is 7/8 normal size.

[Rick Auricchio]

Gold is typically plated over a layer of nickel. A chrome-plated piece is going to have to be replated with nickel first; I don't know if that's possible over the chrome, or whether they'd have to somehow strip it to the nickel layer, then plate the gold. Or go down to bare steel and plate both nickel and gold.

At least the control plate is flat, isn't it? A bridge would probably be very difficult to strip.

Sounds way too expensive.

[ebonalley]

Thanks Rick, that's some good info. Back to the drawing board.