[ ]
From: Ross
Remote Name: 76.101.10.136
Date: 07 Mar 2007
Time: 09:20:19 -0500
Luthier’s Blog 3/7/07 Yesterday‘s discussion was a continuation of my list of things I don’t understand about current fretted instrument design. Here are some more. 7. I don’t understand why all hardware is not made of stainless steel. Gold plating is not thick enough or hard enough to withstand regular handling. When it wears or chips away, corrosion often attacks the baser metal underneath and bubbles what plating remains. Nickel dulls quickly, and eventually permanently unless an EXTREMELY rigorous maintenance schedule is maintained. Chrome is much better, but can easily chip and flake if the underlying metal is aluminum or pot metal. Even chrome plated brass is not immune to flaking, and steel screws and allen bolts in this material corrode when a galvanic action is induced through perspiration or the presence of other kinds of moisture. Removing rusted or corroded height adjustment screws from strat style bridge saddles is a very common repair nightmare, often requiring replacement of the original pieces. Stainless steel parts can be brightly buffed to an attractive finish, and offer the possibility of much extended service life, more than offsetting the increased manufacturing costs. 8. I’m pretty sure the integrity of the classical literature would not be compromised with the addition of fingerboard side dots. The technology for these has been around for some time. These eight are the first concerns I have about instrument design. There will be more later. Ross Teigen 7:48 am