Japanese Jag Special Tarnished Chrome - please help!!

teamboxer

Hi all,

Ive owned a JGS-78 Jag Japan Special (Humbucker model) for about 4 years now.

Having not played it for about 6 months (a crime I know) the other day I dug it out of the case to give it a go.

To my horror the 2 humbuckers and the Chrome (i assume its Chrome - is it?!) plates around the two sets of switches have turned a nasty black colour and have totally lost their shine. Strangley the plate around the volume and tone knobs is still shiny and hasnt totally lost its reflection although still has black/brown tarnishing to it. Ive tried rubbing it off with a soft cloth but it wont budge.

Has anyone else experienced this on any of their models before and if so whats the best thing to use to get rid of it and stop it happening again? Also, is it possible to buy replacement switch plates for my guitar and if so where should I look and what humbuckers are fitted? Ive checked ebay for parts and there is nothing.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Cheers

Adam

Fran

Its not chrome, i'm pretty sure that only AV and AVRI use chrome. Its more than likely stainless steel.

It sounds like the areas that have been affected could have been caused by a sweating hand, if you did'nt wipe your guitar down after that last time this could be the cause.

A general metal cleaner like 'Brasso' from your hardware store should bring the plate up sparkling.

purr

Zippo lighter fluid also works wonders on vintage finishes and such 😉

teamboxer

ok excellent.

thanks for that.

what about if I wanted to buy new plates for it? any clues where I should try?

purr

The internet.

teamboxer

i guessed that.

any ideas where?

Fran

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com

Spitfire

I seem to remember Rick saying they are stainless steel on jap guitars. You could try some fine rubbing compound.. or get them chrome plated.

Lou

65fenvox

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5565&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=40

Have a look about half down the page, "Handen's" post. His HH has this blackish chrome to it. Is that like yours was Teamboxer??

teamboxer

yea thats the exact same as mine.

I have since bought some brasso and the 3 switch plates have since come up perfect - and I have found a website that does the proper chrome type - all 3 for less than

Richie

You don't need to replace the entire pickup, just buy new covers for them. They're not that hard to remove and replace, and it'll be a hell of a lot cheaper than new pickups. You can probably get new covers on the site you've found the control plates on.

If you're set on replacing the pickups entirely however,they'll probably be Fender Dragster humbuckers, although I'm not sure where you'd get them other than hunting around on ebay.

teamboxer

ah i see, thanks for the info.

would these fit?

http://www.allparts.uk.com/catalogue/pr ... s_id=11698

i really am a dumbass, what does " neck 1-15/16", bridge 2-1/16" " mean??

Richie

That refers to the spacing width of the holes for the polepieces. On Fender guitars like strats the poles need to be slightly further apart than on say a Gibson. I don't actually know what spacing a Jag Special would have, someone else is best answering that for you.

Pedro

Jag specials are 'F'-spaced so different from gibsons. Not sure what exact measurements are tho - google?

The covers on my HH jag had massive blobs of solder holding them onto the bottom of the pickups, so required a bit of patient soldering-iron-action to separate.

BTW, Make sure you don't use brasso on any of the chrome - it'll wear through the plating.

65fenvox

Pedro said: Jag specials are 'F'-spaced so different from gibsons. Not sure what exact measurements are tho - google?
This is from a review of the HH special-
Bridge - The first of the major departures from the vintage design is the bridge. Gone is the rather dodgy-looking, flimsy vibrato arm to be replaced by a tune-o-matic style bridge and tailpiece that could've been nicked from the shelf down at the Gibson factory. Looks very sexy in polished chrome against the black finish of the body.

Pedro

yes but they're not gibson bridges. I bought a normal gibson spaced humbucker pup for the bridge and the pole pieces are now mis-aligned from the strings. Q.E.D, as they say.