Has anyone 'antiqued' their tuners at home? I see there are brass and bronze aging solutions available to purchase. Is it a fairly straightforward process or is there the danger of messing up completely? Is there a homemade solution that will do the job? Thanks.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Do it yourself antique tuners
- Thread starter Lenbytown
- Start date
an easy way to 'antique' plated tuners and most guitar hardware is to put them in a tupperware type container and then put that inside a larger container, leaving the lid off the small container with the tuners.
Then pour some muratic acid ( swimming pool acid) in the larger container but not into the one with the tuners. You do not need a lot of acid...just enough to produce funes. Put the lid on the large container and check every half hour or so for the desired result you want. With this method you are aging the tuners with the fumes of the acid...not the acid itself. Rinse and reinstall.
Then pour some muratic acid ( swimming pool acid) in the larger container but not into the one with the tuners. You do not need a lot of acid...just enough to produce funes. Put the lid on the large container and check every half hour or so for the desired result you want. With this method you are aging the tuners with the fumes of the acid...not the acid itself. Rinse and reinstall.
For me, I wouldn't fool with muriatic acid. The antique guys use ammonia for darkening brass. Here's how I did it on some furniture hardware.
1) Remove the clear lacquer with acetone.
2) Suspend the hardware with a coat hanger (or, what would have been even better would have been to use plastic tie wraps) in a coffee can, a couple of inches above the bottom.
3) Put a small amount (like 1/2") regular "household ammonia cleaner" into the coffee can, close the can up.
4) Check every few hours and when it reaches the darkness you want, take the hardware out.
5) Clean the hardware again with acetone
6) Spray with clear spray lacquer in a can (available at the paint store or hardware store). Because it's just a small piece of hardware, and there are lots of variable surfaces, the level of finish from a spray can will be fine.
1) Remove the clear lacquer with acetone.
2) Suspend the hardware with a coat hanger (or, what would have been even better would have been to use plastic tie wraps) in a coffee can, a couple of inches above the bottom.
3) Put a small amount (like 1/2") regular "household ammonia cleaner" into the coffee can, close the can up.
4) Check every few hours and when it reaches the darkness you want, take the hardware out.
5) Clean the hardware again with acetone
6) Spray with clear spray lacquer in a can (available at the paint store or hardware store). Because it's just a small piece of hardware, and there are lots of variable surfaces, the level of finish from a spray can will be fine.
Matthew Tucker
Commercial User
- Aug 21, 2002
- 2,686
- 387
- Disclosures
- Owner: Bresque Basses, Sydney Basses and Cellos
Ammonia turns brass various shades of coppery brown but depends on the grade of brass. To get a really good control of the patina you can buy patina solution from artists modelling/sculpting supply shops.
Horribly poisonous chemicals probably, but tey make the job really easy.
Here's a set of brass tuners with the handles antiqued to resemble the old french steel handles.
Horribly poisonous chemicals probably, but tey make the job really easy.
Here's a set of brass tuners with the handles antiqued to resemble the old french steel handles.
