Help with archtop rusting strings
Jazzoid
this problem.
I have a '49 ES175 that has had the pickup shimmed and a P100 coil put in
it. I know, I'll hear that's not the way to do it, but I just couldn't cut a
hole in this fine guitar. Besides, I'm not a "tone" guy and I think it
sounds great. Anyway, due to circumstances beyond my control, I was forced
to leave it in a case, in a closet for two long horrible years. When at last
I took it out, the high E and B strings had rusted and disintegrated almost
from the tailpiece halfway up the neck. The pickup screws under those
strings were built up with rust an eighth inch (.43 furlongs in metric)
high. Also, frets 17, 18, and 19, from the G string to treble end rusted.
The celluloid pickguard frickin melted (!!!) a spot about an inch across
(25.4 liters).
Any clue? I had bought the non-original case (sight-unseen) from Gibson
about 15 years ago. Brown if you can imagine, with a pink chartreuse
lining(that Elvis might've used) and a satiny fabric dental-dam kind of
thing that you lay over the top of the instrument before you close the case.
Suspecting said dental dam as the problem, since it stained it yellow, the
size of a large grapefruit, it was removed to a local haz-mat center, and
now if the guitar goes in the case, the strings are wrapped with a piece of
fabric top and bottom. And, it's still rusting strings!! Same ones. I've
changed brands, alloys, etc, wipe the strings down, done an exorcism,
everything I can think of. Well, actually, everything that a couple of my
luthier friends can think of. It's come down to this: I ain't putting it in
the case anymore. And, well, it still rusts strings. I use 12-52 flats,
several different brands, chrome, nickel, steel, whatever. I've tried
everything. If it were an active pickup I might understand it.
Anyway, I love the guitar, have owned it for 15 years, almost all in it's
present condition, and for the first ten years, this just never happened.
Any clues???
Thanks in advance,
Ron
---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.504 / Virus Database: 302 - Release Date: 7/24/2003
Stan Gosnell
news:JBLUa.8426$Hr.3...@twister.socal.rr.com:
> Any suggestions on this would be appreciated. Maybe someone
> else has had this problem.
>
> I have a '49 ES175 that has had the pickup shimmed and a
> P100 coil put in it. I know, I'll hear that's not the way
> to do it, but I just couldn't cut a hole in this fine
> guitar. Besides, I'm not a "tone" guy and I think it sounds
> great. Anyway, due to circumstances beyond my control, I
> was forced to leave it in a case, in a closet for two long
> horrible years. When at last I took it out, the high E and
> B strings had rusted and disintegrated almost from the
> tailpiece halfway up the neck. The pickup screws under
> those strings were built up with rust an eighth inch (.43
> furlongs in metric) high. Also, frets 17, 18, and 19, from
> the G string to treble end rusted. The celluloid pickguard
> frickin melted (!!!) a spot about an inch across (25.4
> liters).
Bingo. (Liters???) Celluloid (if that's what it is)
deteriorates over time, & can completely ruin a guitar. The
gasses it gives off are very corrosive. Get rid of the
pickguard, get a new one made from modern plastic or wood, & you
should stop the rusting.
--
Regards,
Stan
Steve Modica
contact and in the presence of humidity or sweat, one will sacrifice
electrons to the other (and essentially rust). Zinc is the most
sacrificial metal and so if the strings are zinc coated or contain zinc,
they will be the first to go.
Since the rust occurs even with the guitar out of the case, I have a
hard time blaming the pickguard.
What are the nut, bridge and tail piece made out of? Does the guitar
have any active electronics? Is your amp grounded correctly? Perhaps
the damage occurs while you're playing and the metal rusts afterwards.
Steve
Skip Moy
creating gas that causes corrison . For now I leave the gtr out on a stand
at all times.I will replace the pickguard soon.
Skip
Jazzoid" <nob...@home.com> wrote in message
news:JBLUa.8426$Hr.3...@twister.socal.rr.com...
Jay Wolfe
plastic 'guard, which are not prone to the gassing trouble from the
celluloid one's on the more expensive models.....however- they are
often interchanged as years go by. So, the typical gassing problem
associtated with cell. 'guards- mainly isolated to the area near the
'guard. Ugly stuff.
Living on a river bank in sub tropical Florida- I'm suspecting
humidity. Where do you reside? We have a massive central air
conditiong system,,...AND run a couple of portable dehumidifiers in
the areas where guitars are stored.
If we don't run these supplemental moisture removers- my guitars will
behave badly like yours. First thing I notice is a dullness on nickel
plated hardware,
then tarnish on strings. I've rarely seen bad rusting of strings
though.
None of the above occurs with our curent system.
I believe you may have an electrical problem too, like bad ground.
Best to have it checked.
Jay Wolfe, www.wolfeguitars.com
Jerry Carden
Skip's method (leave the guitar outside the case) is the only thing
you can do that will prevent a recurrence, aside from replacing the
pickguard.
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:40:31 +0800, "Skip Moy" <sm...@netvigator.com>
wrote:
joe bivona
> this problem.
>
original problem was caused by decomposition of the celluloid
pickguard, but the corrosion STILL occured AFTER I removed the
pickguard from the guitar. What became apparent was the fact that the
corrosive gas permeated the case liner, and continued to cause
corrosion. Changing the case solved my problem....