Chrome plating

A thin layer of chromium electroplated over steel or zinc, used for shine, hardness and corrosion resistance.

Electroplating deposits a very thin layer of chromium on a prepared metal substrate, and in guitars it is the standard finish on bridge plates, tuner housings, screws, pickup covers and control plates. It gives a hard, mirror-bright surface that resists scratching and tarnishing far better than bare steel, and it is cheap to apply in volume, which is why almost all budget hardware is chromed. It is protective and decorative rather than tonal: the layer is only micrometres thick, so it cannot measurably change the sound of a part. Where the substrate is scratched or corroded, the plating flakes and pits, and re-plating small parts is rarely worth the cost.

Example: Chrome hardware looks consistent for years, but a scratch that cuts through to the steel underneath lets rust creep in beneath the plating.

typical use: Bridge plates, tuner housings, pickup covers, screws and control plates.

Chrome plating

See also