[msmith40]

I am also in the process of re-plating guitar parts for an Ibanez Les Paul copy made in 1977. (Black beauty, gold hardware, set-in neck. A NICE axe! I've owned it since March 1978.)

I'd already re-plated these same parts approx. 5-6 years ago. They looked great, but the plating began to wear off about 1 1/2 years later, mostly the pickup covers and bridge pieces. I was informed by a poster in this forum that I should've applied several layers, rather than one. I'll keep that in mind this time.

Removing the old plating: (The first time I re-plated) I had used a combination of very fine-grade sandpaper & fine grade compound purchased from an auto parts store. Meguiar's is the brand name that comes to mind........it's been awhile.

This time I used a Dremel and small buffing wheel with some Turtle Wax compound (in the round white & green container), and it worked pretty well. Just yesterday I tried something called Billet's metal polish, made for all polishable metals. (It comes in a small jar......and the word Mothers appears on the label.) I can't say enough good things about this stuff! It removed the old plating AND polished the metal real good! I applied it using a clean white sock as a glove. It took very little elbow grease, and I was amazed at the results. (Wear rubber gloves. A black residue appears when polishing and gets under your nails....in the grooves of your fingers.....and the smell lingers.)

Keep in mind that the end result will only be as shiny as the metal you're plating. The metal parts have to be shiny BEFORE you plate them.


Good luck!
Mike