Black Chrome vs Black Hardware Help?

[glpg80]

am i crazy for wanting to get rid of black chrome hardware?

i need opinions on what experiences others have had with black chrome, or whether i'm just being overly sinical here. im not usually one for asthetics - but having all black chrome hardware before, i know that my sweat fades it with use (my prestige trem is starting to fade and pit where i rest my hand) - it makes me shy away of the black chrome on my new ESP M-II.

im thinking about replacing it with all of solid black hardware, selling every last bit of black chrome on it (floyd, trem, nut, keys/tuners, etc)

i know guys prefer the look of black chrome, and also that some people's acidity does not pit or fade black chrome, but my sweat does

let me know what everyone thinks or whether i should just shut up and play it?

in this regard, does anyone also know where i can get solid black gotoh DELUXE tuners? thats what this guitar is drilled for, but i cant seem to find them anywhere. even stew-mac does not carry deluxe models.

any help and opinions would be much appreciated.

 

[Code001]

Black chrome started when countries abroad started clamping down on anything that could be potentially toxic. "Deluxe" is just some random naming scheme ESP gives their tuners. You'll want the exact model number, which will be SG(insert random letters and numbers here).

http://cid-1721be48c8410eae.skydrive.li ... OH2010.pdf

Edit: GOTOH SG360-07R

http://www.espguitars.co.jp/original/m2/m2_dx.html

 

[EXPcustom]

Black chrome is just some BS "green" bullshit they try to shove down our throats. They started putting it on the ESPs like the Jeff Hanneman sig models but his real ones have black hardware.

So black hardware FTW!

 

[Vrad]

Chrome also sounds different than Black... I shit you not...
Chrome is brighter.

 

[glpg80]

Chrome also sounds different than Black... I shit you not...
Chrome is brighter.

is the snake oil $5 a bottle or $8?

ill take 2!

i have heard this before but i dont know if anyone has actually tested it before and the difference actually being recordable in difference. it would seem that the nickle plating wouldnt matter that much compared to a string change?

 

[Vrad]

Chrome also sounds different than Black... I shit you not...
Chrome is brighter.

is the snake oil $5 a bottle or $8?

ill take 2!

i have heard this before but i dont know if anyone has actually tested it before and the difference actually being recordable in difference. it would seem that the nickle plating wouldnt matter that much compared to a string change?

You know I'm not into minute details like this, but this was interesting. I thought I was going nuts man... Chrome sounds more like a Fender trem. Black is darker. They both resonate about the same. Just sound different. I tested it. I have 2 charvels. Both have OFR's, one is chrome and one is black. The guitars are identical. The swamp ash has the black floyd. The basswood has a chrome floyd. The basswood with the chrome floyd is brighter. The differences in the tone between bridges is distinctly metallic. The chrome has a more metallic 'ping' to it The black is more neutral for lack of a better word.

Besides.. Chrome is cheaper... LOL!
So the snake oil thing goes out the window there...

It's worth a test, but it's a pain in the ass. You'd have to have the same guitar and pop the floyd off and put a different one one. Then restring. It can be done, but I doubt it would make an audible difference in a recording...

It's one of those things you'd consider beyond the asthetics or cost when assembling a guitar I guess. This is the stuff that makes up the mojo in a completed instrument. On it's own, it might not mean much. I dunno, just an observation.

 

[rupe]

You know I'm not into minute details like this, but this was interesting. I thought I was going nuts man... Chrome sounds more like a Fender trem. Black is darker. They both resonate about the same. Just sound different. I tested it. I have 2 charvels. Both have OFR's, one is chrome and one is black. The guitars are identical. The swamp ash has the black floyd. The basswood has a chrome floyd. The basswood with the chrome floyd is brighter. The differences in the tone between bridges is distinctly metallic. The chrome has a more metallic 'ping' to it The black is more neutral for lack of a better word.

Did you then swap the Floyds and restest? If not, there are too many variables to attribute the added brightness to the chrome Floyd alone at this point.

 

[Vrad]

You know I'm not into minute details like this, but this was interesting. I thought I was going nuts man... Chrome sounds more like a Fender trem. Black is darker. They both resonate about the same. Just sound different. I tested it. I have 2 charvels. Both have OFR's, one is chrome and one is black. The guitars are identical. The swamp ash has the black floyd. The basswood has a chrome floyd. The basswood with the chrome floyd is brighter. The differences in the tone between bridges is distinctly metallic. The chrome has a more metallic 'ping' to it The black is more neutral for lack of a better word.

Did you then swap the Floyds and restest? If not, there are too many variables to attribute the added brightness to the chrome Floyd alone at this point.

No I didn't... but you'd hear what I'm talking about if you played the guitars back to back. It's not change in the fundamental tone. I can't describe it. It's just more metallic-sounding. Almost like as if you're playing a strat (with a humbucker) with a vintage trem. What else would contribute to that other than the bridge right? The only differences between the bridges is the plating. The only other thing I can think of is the black OFR is alot older than the chrome OFR and maybe the metal used changed a bit over the years.

 

[rupe]

You know I'm not into minute details like this, but this was interesting. I thought I was going nuts man... Chrome sounds more like a Fender trem. Black is darker. They both resonate about the same. Just sound different. I tested it. I have 2 charvels. Both have OFR's, one is chrome and one is black. The guitars are identical. The swamp ash has the black floyd. The basswood has a chrome floyd. The basswood with the chrome floyd is brighter. The differences in the tone between bridges is distinctly metallic. The chrome has a more metallic 'ping' to it The black is more neutral for lack of a better word.

Did you then swap the Floyds and restest? If not, there are too many variables to attribute the added brightness to the chrome Floyd alone at this point.

No I didn't... but you'd hear what I'm talking about if you played the guitars back to back. It's not change in the fundamental tone. I can't describe it. It's just more metallic-sounding. Almost like as if you're playing a strat (with a humbucker) with a vintage trem. What else would contribute to that other than the bridge right? The only differences between the bridges is the plating. The only other thing I can think of is the black OFR is alot older than the chrome OFR and maybe the metal used changed a bit over the years.

You could be right, and probably are...a swap would be cool to confirm it though

 

[Vrad]

You know I'm not into minute details like this, but this was interesting. I thought I was going nuts man... Chrome sounds more like a Fender trem. Black is darker. They both resonate about the same. Just sound different. I tested it. I have 2 charvels. Both have OFR's, one is chrome and one is black. The guitars are identical. The swamp ash has the black floyd. The basswood has a chrome floyd. The basswood with the chrome floyd is brighter. The differences in the tone between bridges is distinctly metallic. The chrome has a more metallic 'ping' to it The black is more neutral for lack of a better word.

Did you then swap the Floyds and restest? If not, there are too many variables to attribute the added brightness to the chrome Floyd alone at this point.

No I didn't... but you'd hear what I'm talking about if you played the guitars back to back. It's not change in the fundamental tone. I can't describe it. It's just more metallic-sounding. Almost like as if you're playing a strat (with a humbucker) with a vintage trem. What else would contribute to that other than the bridge right? The only differences between the bridges is the plating. The only other thing I can think of is the black OFR is alot older than the chrome OFR and maybe the metal used changed a bit over the years.

You could be right, and probably are...a swap would be cool to confirm it though

I would love to do that... If for nothing more than sanity check...
It's just a pain in the ass... LOL!

I remember taking the chrome bridge out of the packaging when I first got it... and the saddles would shift around and it made this same clanky sound.. I thought it was interesting...

 

[Sixtonoize]

Smoked Chrome wears off pretty easily.
I take care of my gear, and there's a LOT of wear on the bridge of my Loomis...it was brand new a year ago.

For looking cool, I vote smoked chrome.
For anything that will see regular use, I vote black 11 times out of 10.