DaveMuadDib Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 Nope, I'm not talking about alchemy Basically I've got a squier vm jaguar and I'm in the process of giving it gold hardware, but for better or worse, the stock chrome control plate seems like it's going to need to be recoloured rather than replace (long story). What's the best way to do this? Is there a spraypaint that will be durable, stick to shiny chrome, and look vaguely gold and shiny? Or would I be better off painting it? I don't want to go down the electroplating road if at all possible. Thanks! (if anyone knows where to get replacement tuning heads with the smaller-than-fender trapezoid screw spacing on the back, it would be appreciated! Everything else is sorted!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 (edited) Metallic paints won't look right at all, unless you don't mind having a control plate that doesn't look like actual metal (in which case no problem). Best thing I can think of would be to use a yellow-tinted translucent spray paint. Getting it to stick might be a problem since you couldn't do the usual roughing up before spraying. Electroplating is the only really good way of doing this, gold leaf can look ok if you're really good with the application but it won't be durable at all. Edited September 26, 2010 by LawrenceH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 What's the story? I'm fairly sure there'll be another way, depending on what it is. I can get them made, but might not be economic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 If your handy, why not buy a piece of gold plastic sheet used for making scratchplates etc and make one out of that? It will then be shiney and gold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMuadDib Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='969056' date='Sep 27 2010, 12:57 AM']What's the story? I'm fairly sure there'll be another way, depending on what it is. I can get them made, but might not be economic.[/quote] Well, the situation is like so (kinda complex to explain!): The VM Jaguar has a concentric pot for each p'up, and quite uniquely, the bottom tone knobs click as they turn, while the smaller volume knobs on top rotate smoothly as standard. The potentiometers themselves are completely normal. So to achieve this clicking mechanism, there is a metal disc beneath both of the knobs, one half of which is welded to the control plate, the other half of which is slightly raised. There is also a tiny raised dome in the middle of this half of the disc. The large tone knobs have a series of holes underneath, dotted equally around the circumference. So the dome interacts with the hole in the knob, providing the clicking mechanism! (You might think that the knobs would be non-replaceable, but luckily the large unique tone knob is black, so it's only the top one that I need to replace, and I've done so already!) Phew! So if I were to replace the control plate and wanted to maintain this mechanism, I would either need to relocate the metal discs (impossible, and I don't want to damage the old hardware), make new ones (rather implausible) or bypass this nice clever clicking mechanism (undesirable). But it looks like the latter might have to be the solution! How uneconomic would a replacement control plate be? I'm a rather poor student Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMuadDib Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='JPJ' post='969208' date='Sep 27 2010, 10:20 AM']If your handy, why not buy a piece of gold plastic sheet used for making scratchplates etc and make one out of that? It will then be shiney and gold [/quote] Not a bad idea, you know! I've got plenty of copper tape to shield the underbelly too! It probably wouldn't give me that true mirrored metallic finish though, but I'll definitely look into that option. Now I'm at uni, I might be able to bribe the design department to cut it for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMuadDib Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='LawrenceH' post='969055' date='Sep 27 2010, 12:54 AM']Metallic paints won't look right at all, unless you don't mind having a control plate that doesn't look like actual metal (in which case no problem). Best thing I can think of would be to use a yellow-tinted translucent spray paint. Getting it to stick might be a problem since you couldn't do the usual roughing up before spraying. Electroplating is the only really good way of doing this, gold leaf can look ok if you're really good with the application but it won't be durable at all.[/quote] Electroplating is definitely an option, the others are seemingly less-so. But it is expensive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='DaveMuadDib' post='969311' date='Sep 27 2010, 12:00 PM']Well, the situation is like so (kinda complex to explain!): The VM Jaguar has a concentric pot for each p'up, and quite uniquely, the bottom tone knobs click as they turn, while the smaller volume knobs on top rotate smoothly as standard. The potentiometers themselves are completely normal. So to achieve this clicking mechanism, there is a metal disc beneath both of the knobs, one half of which is welded to the control plate, the other half of which is slightly raised. There is also a tiny raised dome in the middle of this half of the disc. The large tone knobs have a series of holes underneath, dotted equally around the circumference. So the dome interacts with the hole in the knob, providing the clicking mechanism! (You might think that the knobs would be non-replaceable, but luckily the large unique tone knob is black, so it's only the top one that I need to replace, and I've done so already!) Phew! So if I were to replace the control plate and wanted to maintain this mechanism, I would either need to relocate the metal discs (impossible, and I don't want to damage the old hardware), make new ones (rather implausible) or bypass this nice clever clicking mechanism (undesirable). But it looks like the latter might have to be the solution! How uneconomic would a replacement control plate be? I'm a rather poor student [/quote] Any chance of a photo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 There's always the Blue Peter route - sticky back plastic! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gold-Effect-Fablon-Type-Self-Adhesive-Vinyl-/130327591000"]Plain Gold[/url] or [url="http://www.choiceful.com/disprod.php?pId=76685"]Glitter Gold[/url] A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMuadDib Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='LawrenceH' post='969344' date='Sep 27 2010, 12:25 PM']Any chance of a photo?[/quote] Why, soitenly! [attachment=59974:27092010001.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMuadDib Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='Alien' post='969806' date='Sep 27 2010, 06:11 PM']There's always the Blue Peter route - sticky back plastic! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gold-Effect-Fablon-Type-Self-Adhesive-Vinyl-/130327591000"]Plain Gold[/url] or [url="http://www.choiceful.com/disprod.php?pId=76685"]Glitter Gold[/url] A[/quote] Ordered - I'll give it a go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='DaveMuadDib' post='969855' date='Sep 27 2010, 06:49 PM']Ordered - I'll give it a go![/quote] Hope that works, but if not then that looks replicable if you knew someone handy with tools. Is it just cheap pressed steel washer-type things? Could punch something similar into a washer of suitable diameter, bend the washer around a former then glue it to the plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Could totally make the washer thing, Center punch a washer, bend it and spot weld. Easy if you have a spot welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMuadDib Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='969920' date='Sep 27 2010, 07:36 PM']Could totally make the washer thing, Center punch a washer, bend it and spot weld. Easy if you have a spot welder.[/quote] Oooh, you might very well be able to help me!! :-D I would love to have a perfect gold reproduction of my controlplate, complete with clicking mechanism! Bear in mind it's a fairly weak metal and it has some give to it, as it has to shimmy up and down to provide the clicking motion. I'll be in touch with you soon with a scan as soon as I can, might be a few days though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Thinking a bit more, would have a spot weld mark on other side, might go further than the knob. Flatten off and then plate it and ya golden though. Or solder instead of spot weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMuadDib Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='970037' date='Sep 27 2010, 09:10 PM']Thinking a bit more, would have a spot weld mark on other side, might go further than the knob. Flatten off and then plate it and ya golden though. Or solder instead of spot weld.[/quote] After further inspection (read: fiddling) the washers are not actually affixed to the control plate at all - they're just being held down by the pot nut! DOH!! Just a simple 1:1 control plate it is then!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 [quote name='DaveMuadDib' post='970093' date='Sep 27 2010, 09:42 PM']After further inspection (read: fiddling) the washers are not actually affixed to the control plate at all - they're just being held down by the pot nut! DOH!! Just a simple 1:1 control plate it is then!! [/quote] Ha ha that's hilarious! I actually thought to myself 'that's funny doesn't look welded to me' but dismissed it immediately. Be interested to see how this turns out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMuadDib Posted September 28, 2010 Author Share Posted September 28, 2010 (edited) [attachment=60048:jaguar_c...ol_plate.jpg] [attachment=60049:jaguar_c..._plate_2.jpg] Edited September 28, 2010 by DaveMuadDib Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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