Hardware plating

The metal finish applied to a guitar's tuners, bridge, tailpiece, screws and control plates, such as chrome, nickel, gold or black.

Plating is cosmetic in appearance but not entirely so in practice: a hard chrome layer resists wear where strings and hands meet the metal, while softer nickel ages into a dull patina that many players prefer for its vintage look. Gold plating is the thinnest and quickest to wear, which is why gold hardware on a well-played instrument shows bright patches, and black finishes are usually a coating rather than a plating and can flake. Because the plating sits on the surface, once it has worn through the underlying metal will tarnish or corrode.

Example: A guitar whose tuners and bridge have gone dull and slightly green-grey after years of playing has nickel plating that has worn and oxidised.

Hardware plating

See also