Tarnish on bridge and knobs- clean it or no?

[Byzcat]

So, I've had my Ibanez SR-300 for a few months now, and her knobs and bridge are starting to show tarnish.

Thing is, I like it. The finish on the bass is Iron Pewter, which really amounts to a metallic black, and I think the tarnished grey looks good on it. Others might not agree, but I figure, my bass, my business.

What I'm wondering is, will this become a problem down the road? I mean, tarnish is oxidation, and oxidation is, well, rust. Right now, it's a cosmetic issue, and like I said, cosmetically it looks good.

So far, the frets are showing no sign of oxidation, and I know that fret rust can affect the sound of an instrument, but what about the bridge? Will the tarnish on the bridge saddles affect the tone? Will it eventually eat into the metal and affect the function?

I'm going to be changing the strings soon- I've got a set of D'Addario chrome flatwounds on order, and I'm going to be doing some care and feeding while I've got the strings off, and I'm wondering, should I clean the tarnish off as well? I'd like to let it go, 'cause I think it looks cool, but if this is going to cause actual damage to the instrument, I don't want to let that happen.

[Oren Hudson]

If you like the looks, leave it - HOWEVER - oxidation/rust will eventually lead to the plating chipping or peeling off. The saddles won't affect tone, but should be kept clean and even a little lubed for proper function. I personally like my stuff clean. If you still like the look, find some spray paint in the "tarnish" color and and give them a light coating. Then, if need be, you can strip the paint off some time later and prevent other problems.

[Byzcat]

Hmmm...

Hadn't thought about the plating chipping, suppose I should have, it's such an obvious eventual result of oxidation. I wonder how long I have until that starts to happen. Months? Years? And does spray paint even come in "Tarnished Chrome"?

Seriously, I like the tarnished look. If there's a way of halting the process so that the surface will be tarnished, but the oxidation doesn't go any deeper, I'd like to know.

Also, what should I be using to lube my bridge saddles? 3-in-1 Oil? WD-40? Astroglide?

[Oren Hudson]

More than likely, years, although a lot has to do with the quality of the plating on the piece. You may be surprised at the different paint colors out there. I've used a hammered aluminum/chrome type paint to make new parts look less new. Best to take a knob with you and find what you need.

Lots of folks like graphite. Some even say to take a pencil to it. I don't suppose something like 3 in 1 would be bad. Just clean up surrounding areas afterward.