Deteriorating Pick Up Poles

[LeftyLB]

I think I might have asked this before - but I can't seem to find the thread, so apologies.

I have noticed that the pick up poles are blackening very quickly as I am not the best for regularly cleaning my Ray.

I have tried using a gel based Chrome cleaner but the black marks remain and the poles also looked scuffed - this might be due to my heavy handed finger style over the pickup.

Any advice please?

Liam

 

[Rhys]

Can't help you, but i have the same poblem.
i seem to rember something about using a very very light grade sand paper on them, to get the rust off

But as James jamerson said:
dont clean off the dirt, the dirt gives it more funk....
(or something of the likes)

 

[bovinehost]

Don't use sandpaper! You'll sand off little bits of metal and guess what? Those pickups have magnets in them. And guess where those little bits of metal will go? And guess how unhappy you'll be later?

Pencil eraser will work, although a bit of rust on the outer surface of the pole pieces is no big deal and won't affect your tone.

 

[LeftyLB]

Thanks Bovine!

I was getting worried when I saw all these posts about buying Lemon Oil and Orange Oil and Banana Oil and all these other oils to lovingly clean and restore the neck etc.

It made me think that I was being a neglectful parent of my basses and then I noticed my pickup poll pots and felt a real slob!!!.

When I change the strings I normally just get an old rag and a can of furniture polish and give it good a wipe down!

 

[bovinehost]

If I were you, I'd ditch the furniture polish. That stuff contains all kinds of crap you probably don't want on your bass (waxes, petroleum byproducts, etc). Great for furniture - not so good for instruments.

Get you some Martin guitar polish. Lasts forever, works great, no funky stuff eating away at your finish.

I have a bottle of the EB stuff, too, but haven't tried it yet.

 

[jubjub721]

uhh bovine
light grade sandpaper will probably not do that much damage
an extremely light grade
i am some what of an ameture photographer and i use a light grade sand paper to touch up frays on matboard when im framing my pictures
i doubt it would take metal off if u used it gentaly
i say gentally
if u start to press to hard i would stick with bo
he has been right in the past

 

[skabassist13]

you could always turn it so the pickup poles are facing the floor and sand it then. then all the stuff would be on the floor. no worries at all.

 

[bovinehost]

Magnets. Those are magnets. So the tiny bits of metal won't fall, it will stick.

Well....if you guys want to use sandpaper of ANY grade, you go right ahead. As has been mentioned, a bit of oxidation on the pole pieces won't affect your tone, so I've never worried about it much (okay, once, a long time ago) and some people would even call it 'mojo' (not I).

But hey, it's your bass and replacement pickups aren't prohibitively expensive, right?

 

[LeftyLB]

Guys,

Thanks for your imput so far, but don't worry now.

As I could not get the black marks off, I just threw the Stringray in the bin last night and I am going to my local Guitar Store at lunchtime to get me a good quality bass that won't rust. I think a nice new Ibanez!

Thanks
Liam

 

[lowstrung]

Ha ha thars a good one. Threw it in the trash did ya. That will get them riled up.

 

[jubjub721]

BAHHH
yeah that sounds liek the best idea

 

[fifthorange]

hey bovine, how often do you clean your bass with guitar cleaner(the spray)?

 

[bovinehost]

I don't use guitar polish very often. Maybe once every six months or so, depending on how bad it looks. I just wipe 'em down with an old t shirt that's been washed without detergent about ten times and they spiff right up.

I haven't given it much thought, but it seems to me that fewer chemicals, even the ones designed to be used on instruments, is a better idea.

 

[fifthorange]

thanks. i think i should change my cleanning techniques then because your basses look very very good.