cleaning chrome

[basswalt]

bad confession: i stopped playing and left my bass (a stingray)under my bed for a year. i guess the last time i had played it was at a gig and it was rode hard and put away wet. normally, i always wipe it down before putting it away, but i guess i missed some sweat, because now i've noticed some grime in the chrome. it's mostly in the bridge inside the springs and on the screws. it looks almost green. there's a little on the jackplate as well. any advice on how to get this stuff clean? i came to my senses again and have started playing again, so i want to get my baby back in fighting shape! help! please!

 

[giddy4geddy]

Welcome to the EBMM forum!

When things get that embedded (I'm guessing it's pretty ugly looking), I would lean toward dismantling the bridge hardware (without removing the bridge from the body) and clean the hardware piece by piece. There's a gamut of chrome cleaner out there to be had. I wouldn't worry about having to set up your bridge again.....heck, as long as your axe has been in hibernation it could probably use a good set-up again, and some proper TLC. Give that MM the home it deserves!!

I believe Jon (jongitarz) would have some better advice for you.

Chris-Atlanta (presently in Japan)

 

[basswalt]

chrome

thanks for the welcome and the advice, giddy.
it's not too embedded at this point. no one looking at it would notice, but i look close, you know?
that's pretty much what i was thinking, taking it apart and scrubbing piece at a time before having it re-set up. believe it or not, i don't think anything moved in a year of non-use. i took it out from under my bed and it was still in tune. i played a little, checked the intonation, and i can't see that anything's changed at all.
god, i love this bass.