Side Position Marker Cleaning

[jimbo]

Hi all,


Does anyone know of a technique or a tool for cleaning the brass side position markers?  The ones on my Distillate are quite dull and difficult to see and I'd like to brighten them up but I'm very wary about spoiling the fingerboard with metal polish residue.  Thanks in advance!


Cheers,
Jim

[lbpesq]

Flitz metal polish and a Q-tip work well.  You can also use a very fine sandpaper, folded to a narrow strip.  Use at least 800 or even higher if you can find it.  The results are usually pretty impressive, those markers just shine up!  Another method is to use a fine Scotch Brite pad.  When you are done with the markers, rub a little lemon oil on the side of the board.

[goran]

Oh I need to do that too, thanks for tip!

[edwardofhuncote]

Bill is right on with the Flitz (or another metal polish) on a Q-tip. Use in moderation, buff it off, and you're probably done. If the ebony has swelled any, the markers may be slightly recessed, making this a little bit more difficult.

I have used this product for brass and silver tuning machines, and I really like it. Haven't tried it on Alembic side-markers yet, but I bet it would work well. http://www.nevrdull.com/

Welcome back, Jim. How's 81D 1964 been treating you?  I just had 81D 1986 out for a tune this morning. 

[jimbo]

The ebony has swelled slightly which is why I'm being careful.  I did have an idea yesterday about using a dowel of the same size as the dot with a tiny, tiny amount of metal polish and twiddling the dowel in contact with the marker along the same lines as lapping in valves in a cylinder head.  I've got a week's leave at the end of the month which I've set aside for stripping, cleaning and polishing all the brasswork.


Edward, it's amazing!  Since buying the Alembic I've sold my other three basses because there isn't a single tone that I can't get out of the Distillate!

[pauldo]

Edward, it's amazing!  Since buying the Alembic I've sold my other three basses because there isn't a single tone that I can't get out of the Distillate!

   Yes!


Your lapping idea sounds like a good one.

[mario_farufyno]

I gently scratch it with a needle...

[edwardofhuncote]

Hard to beat a Distillate! I really don't like picking favorites, especially with my Alembics, but that '81 is one of those basses that just has 'The Juice'.

I'm curious Jim, is yours really a 30.75 short-scale? I remember that being in the Reverb ad, but the largest portion of Distillates, -one might say the default- would be 32" medium-scale.

[jimbo]

It's 32" scale which is ideal because it feels really comfortable and 'normal' long scale strings just fit without too much of the outer wrapping around the E and G tuners.  I'm not sure where they got 30.75" from unless the assumption was 'well it's not a 34" scale so it must be a 30.75" scale'


In relation to the Reverb ad, I took that awful truss rod cover off immediately!  I'll be making a suitable brass cover when I'm doing all the other jobs so I'll definitely be posting some pics.

[edwardofhuncote]

Ah. I thought that might be the case... anything less than 34" is often considered "short-scale". Every so often a D-code Alembic will turn up with a short or long scale though. Sure glad to hear 1964 went to a good home.


Here's a link to the Distillate Showcase thread, for when you get through with the detailing work. 


http://club.alembic.com/index.php?board=700.0