Relic on the magnets?

[Evilbiker]

Has any one done relic on the magnets? I have a customer that wants that on his P-bass 63" i´m going to wind a pickup for! Do i just put it in water??

[Possum]

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No, get some antiquing solution that will blacken nickel. I buy some stuff called Nickel Black from the jewelry/lapidary guys, works real well. Dump them in that stuff for a few minutes then assemble your bobbins wind, pot then wipe off any black that is overkill.....

[Sportbernd]

Try vinegar essence. Place you polepieces with the top on a vinegar soaked papertowel and leave it there over night.

[Possum]

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If you want to RUST the magnets, there is a good formula I found, but haven't tried it on alnico. Most vintage strat pickups I have or have seen the alnico just gets blackened, but not rusty unless the pickup is in real bad shape. But a good rust formula is use mostly hydrogen peroxide for the bulk of it, then add maybe a third distilled white vinegar and then some salt. Soak them in that they put them on paper towels wet and let dry overnite, that stuff will rust just about anything I think....

[David Schwab]

I have a '59 Jazzmaster, a '72 Mustang and a '74 P bass, and none of the magnets are rusted or tarnished.

So why would you want to do that? The only old instruments that look that way were not taken care of, and basically no one wanted them as collectible instruments.

[Evilbiker]

It´s on the customers request!?! So if he wants to pay for that and i take som more money for the pickup, i´m happy and he´s happy

[Possum]

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Some people want to pay extra for beat up looking pickups for their guitars they paid extra to look beat up. OK, I'll do that. For me the relic thing is a fun art form, here's a couple relic pickups I make....

[David King]

Did you strap the strat set to the bottom of your skateboard? That's looks pretty beat up.

[Evilbiker]

Something like that, thats what i´m going to do! Thanks!!!

[David Schwab]

Did you strap the strat set to the bottom of your skateboard? That's looks pretty beat up.

Don't you remember? He strapped them to his bottom!

[Possum]

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It was a simple process but real time consuming. Hurts my hands to make them so don't offer them unless I need fast cash on Ebay, which is real rare.

[greenfingers]

If you just want the magnets to blacken get some Aluminium oxidizer. dab a bit on the magnet with a cotton bud and wipe it off, thats it.

[Possum]

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Is that how you got "greenfingers." Thats a new tip, does it rub off? Why does it blacken alnico?

[greenfingers]

oops, i meant Aluminium oxidizer, Doh!

[Possum]

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Oh, darn, I just bought 50lbs. of aluminum oxide, what the f@#ck do I do now??? Just kidding. Yeah makes sense. Anything that will oxidize copper will work as well.