Author Topic: Cleaning the sustain block/bridge/tailpiece (Read 287 times)

funkyjazzjunky · « **on:** October 04, 2013, 12:43:05 PM »

I have some grime that has migrated to areas I would never have expected dirt to reach. Any advice on cleaning the big hunk of brass?

sonicus · « **Reply #1 on:** October 04, 2013, 07:13:40 PM »

Hi .
As needed ,___I remove the block & bridge from the instrument and with an old toothbrush scrub with dish soap and dry everything off completely with a hair drier. Next , I apply FLITZ Polish and scrub with a toothbrush and then rub it out with a clean rag and buff it all out until the aesthetic effect of the shine is satisfying enough to warrant it a done job, Tight spaces can be buffed with Q-tips. Be careful in avoiding damage with dremel power tools if that is what you choose to use.

Before disassembly be sure to take good measurements of your adjustments so that reassembly will not be a guessing game of chance.
This is how I do it ________

[moderator's edit: spelling error corrected]

(Message edited by davehouck on October 05, 2013)

lbpesq · « **Reply #2 on:** October 04, 2013, 11:49:17 PM »

I think Sonicus meant to type Flitz polish. It's what Alembic recommends and sells. After I polish my brass, I rub on a little Alberto VO5, which is an old hairdressing product that comes in a toothpaste-like tube. It helps to keep the brass looking good for longer.

Bill, tgo

sonicus · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2013, 02:12:07 AM »

Yes ___ Flitz it is ! Thanks

funkyjazzjunky · « **Reply #4 on:** October 07, 2013, 06:43:37 AM »

Alberto VO5? Are you picking on me or does that really work?

tubeperson · « **Reply #5 on:** October 07, 2013, 06:51:36 AM »

James Jamerson would have told you to leave the grime in as it adds the Funk.

lbpesq · « **Reply #6 on:** October 07, 2013, 07:48:04 AM »

Alberto VO5 - No BS. Rub a thin coating on, wipe it down and your brass will stay shiny longer. And I'm not the only one around here who uses it.

Bill, tgo

sonicus · « **Reply #7 on:** October 07, 2013, 07:58:36 AM »

I can add testimony that it is my opinion that the VO5 really does seem to have a protective effect to slow down levels of oxidation on the bare brass. It seems to work on ferrous metals as well . I have also used it on my hands. Of course it works well on hair as it's original purpose of application.

(Message edited by sonicus on October 07, 2013)

bigredbass · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2013, 11:01:13 PM »

Yep, VO5. I picked this up actually in a 'Hints from Heloise' kind of thing to keep newly polished silver shiny longer, and they included brass or copper-plated dishware as well.

It's utterly organic, won't mess up any known finish or electronics, and as the above witnesses have stated, it works. It will NOT, however, remove dung spatters after you 'slap the #$^&' out of your strings . . . . .

J o e y

lbpesq · « **Reply #9 on:** October 08, 2013, 08:42:52 AM »

It will NOT, however, remove dung spatters after you 'slap the #$^&' out of your strings . . . . .

Try Brylcreem for that ... a little dab'll do ya!

hehehehe

Bill, tgo

xlrogue6 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 08, 2013, 09:24:30 AM »

Another good way to keep your unfinished brass shinier longer is furniture polish (I use a lemon Pledge knockoff, the smell goes with the lemon oil on the fingerboard) that contains wax. Got this tip the last time I disassembled and cleaned my bridges and was really surprised at how much longer they're staying shiny.

funkyjazzjunky · « **Reply #11 on:** October 09, 2013, 11:03:30 AM »

Well I have it apart and used both Flitz (for the bridge & tail-piece) and Brasso for the block. No idea how I am going to reassemble it this weekend (thankful for Joey's Post)

bigredbass · « **Reply #12 on:** October 09, 2013, 10:14:55 PM »

Since you're usually going to be changing strings at bridge-cleaning time, it really helps if you take a digital or phone pic b e f o r e you get started.

I also measure how high it's sitting on the elevator screws (each side) and the relative positions of the saddles along their travel: You're probably going to have to fine tune the saddle position to synchronize the harmonics with the fingerboard length, but it's faster if you put them back afterwards about where they were before you started. It's then a lot faster to zero them in rather than start with them pushed all the way to one side or the other, even if you're going to a different string set.

It's a bunch of work field stripping the bridge, polishing, etc. Don't forget to put just a bit of lube on the threaded rods for the saddles. Having blocked out the measurements before you started really speeds up re-assembly.

I was so proud of myself the first time I did it, looked like 'new money', great. Got it all strung up and finished and . . . . I'd put the saddles in b a c k w a r d s . . . . I felt just like Charlie Brown when Lucy yanked the football at the last second !

J o e y