Cleaning Bridge parts

[TallPaul]

I have an 05' fender jazz Bass with a little rust on the bridge parts, whats the safest way to clean this off?

[santucci218]

i do this a lot at work actually when people bring in old stuff that they want to look new. I disassemble the entire bridge and fill a cup with groove juice. Its a liquid made to polish up cymbals for drummers. leave it in there for 15 minutes. give it a little stir every now and then. After i take them out i wipe them all down with a toothbrush. If there is still a lot, i go to the buffing wheel i have, but you may not have access to
one of those.

[Steveaux]

Originally Posted by santucci218

i do this a lot at work actually when people bring in old stuff that they want to look new. I disassemble the entire bridge and fill a cup with groove juice. Its a liquid made to polish up cymbals for drummers. leave it in there for 15 minutes. give it a little stir every now and then. After i take them out i wipe them all down with a toothbrush. If there is still a lot, i go to the buffing wheel i have, but you may not have access to
one of those.

That's a handy tip. Thanks.

[202dy]

1. Disassemble bridge.
2. Soak bridge parts in CLP or Lime Away.
3. Rinse well with cool water.
4. Dry.
5. Put a light coat of oil on the parts to prevent rust.

Lime Away contains the active ingredients used in Naval Jelly. They remove rust.

N.B. These chemicals are caustic. They will burn the skin. Do not get it in your eyes. Wear goggles and gloves.

[TallPaul]

Is there any harm in using a product like wd40 for cleaning bridge parts?

[ForestThump]

WD40 works just fine.

[banditcosmo]

what's the main cause of a rusty bridge ? Today I was looking used MIM Fender Precision at GC for $250 that has a rusty bridge as well as a tiny bit on the upper frets. I decided to pass on it because of the rust. Does the rust come from too much moisture ?

[ProfGumby]

Rust does come from moisture. And that can be from the bass being in a humid environment or from a sweaty bassist.

Mostly though, rust forming on a bridge pretty much comes from, well there is no nice way to say this, it comes from neglect. There are a myriad of products out there to clean and protect metal. And Lord knows there are plenty specifically for guitars and basses.

The best advice is to prevent the rust from wiping down an instrument and using some form of protectant on the shiny metal parts. Just be sure said products do not or will not eat the finish on the instrument or otherwise damage it.

And not only should you consider rubber gloves when using such stuff, but eye protection too.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by TallPaul

Is there any harm in using a product like wd40 for cleaning bridge parts?

WD40=Water Displacement, 40th attempt

It is not a cleaner.
It is not a lubricant.
All it does is protect a part from being contaminated by water for a period of time.

If you use as a cleaner, rest assured that it is the abrasive action you use that does the cleaning, not the chemical.

[Pilgrim]

Exactly. WD40 is NOT a rust preventative.

A car polish (not wax) with mild abrasive will also remove rust. A guitar wax or other preservative polish should be applied periodically.