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Thread: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

  1. #1
    Pittsburgh Bill
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    Default Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I recently commissioned a new mandolin build. I ordered nickel tail piece and tuners on a sunburst finish mandolin. I keep rethinking this in my mind and am interested in opinions on whether or not nickel or gold has a classier look or do you find them equal?
    Maybe I'm just over thinking this.
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Are you referring to the Stiver commission in your signature? If so, mine came with a Stiver engraved brushed nickel tailpiece which I like very much. I did end up replacing the tuning machines with brushed nickel Waverlys to match. I think the brushed nickel looks really good with the color finishes he has been doing lately.
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    Registered User Joe Dodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Speaking only for myself, I much prefer nickel. Obviously this is a purely subjective choice that has nothing to do with tone, but it's a strong enough preference for me that I probably wouldn't buy a used mandolin with gold hardware. I'm sure someone will come along who feels the same way in reverse, and their choice will be equally valid, so I would say to go with what speaks to you.

  5. #4
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Personally, I think gold looks better with the warmer look of a sunburst. If it were a black-top, I’d say nikel and if it was a natural blonde, i’d say it didn’t matter. Ultimately, it’s you who has to live with it and you can agonise too much over such things.

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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    +1 for gold . . . .

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    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I think it depends on the finish of the mandolin - I do tend to like gold on sunburst instruments, though that said, I have a "cremona-burst" finish on my Girouard and it has nickel hardware and looks just fine!

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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    My preference used to be Nickel, but on a whim I had Ken put Gold stuff on my Silverangel and now I'm leaning more that direction than Nickel. For the classical-tenor conversion I'm doing, I'm using all gold. I personally feel Gold looks really good on Black.

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    Registered User Denman John's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I do prefer nickel finish on the tailpiece and tuners, and both my son’s and my mandolin sport them. My wife’s mandolin has gold hardware. The Kimble had nickel frets originally and tied it all together visually. A couple of months ago it was time for a refret and had them replaced with EVO Gold frets. It did change the look slightly. If you look at the mandolin closely, they do have a gold colour that would match nicely with gold hardware. From a few feet away you can’t really tell.

    What colour are your frets going to be, and is that a consideration?

    If we’re posting pictures ...

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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Never have liked gold hardware, and never will. It wouldn't stop me buying a mandolin with gold hardware though. Far more important features trump looks.
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  12. #10
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Quote Originally Posted by Denman John View Post

    What colour are your frets going to be, and is that a consideration?

    If we’re posting pictures ...

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    It did not occur to me to ask the color of the frets. I did specify the size of the frets but assumed they would not be gold to match the hardware I ordered.
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  13. #11
    not a donut Kevin Winn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I don't wear gold jewelry and neither do any of my instruments. This works well for us.

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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I also play banjo, and until a few years ago all my banjos had nickel plated metal parts. Like many people, I'm mildly allergic to nickel when it is touching skin. I had to get used to wearing an arm sleeve to protect my right arm which was always in contact with either the metal tension hoop or the metal armrest on my banjos.

    Recently I got a fancier old gold plated banjo (RB-800), not really for the looks, but because it sounds great. And as it turns out, I do like how it looks too. The problem with gold plating is that unless it is really thick (and expensive), it wears off with contact. Nickel plating takes much longer to wear through, and chrome plating nearly never wears through. On my gold plated banjo, with about 4 years of pretty frequent use, the armrest and talipiece gold plating is wearing thin enough to see the nickel plating layer underneath it. Not all gold plating is that thin, but this particular banjo model had thin gold plating. The other gold plated parts on this banjo, which almost never have contact or wear, are doing just fine as far as plaiting is concerned. I could have the worn parts re-plated, and may do that sometime in the future, but for now the plating is wearing thin; it doesn't look horrible, but it's there.

    So if the metal parts that you're discussing are prone to contact and wear, I'd suggest not using gold plating unless you can live with watching the gold plating grow thin with time and use. And keep in mind, being inside a case is also a source of contact and wear (hence my banjo's tailpiece gold plating becoming worn).

    Btw, I have Evo Gold frets on both my gold plated banjo and on my nickel plated mandolin (F-9), and my wife has Evo Gold frets on her guitar (D-41). The frets are fine as far as color-matching with a plating color is concerned, Evo Gold frets go very nicely with either gold or nickel plating.
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  16. #13
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Gold worked well for this build. I have two with nickel and two with gold. For me it depends on the finish.
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  17. #14

    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I prefer a brushed nickel finish.

    I do have to add that I specified EVO gold frets on my Girouard build, which has brushed nickel hardware. I think it blends in well, it has an engraved James tailpiece where the engraving is gold, and it has abalone rosette and fret markers which has a variety of colors from white, to blue to golden.
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    Registered User Tom Sanderson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Nickel for me

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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    I...The problem with gold plating is that unless it is really thick (and expensive), it wears off with contact. Nickel plating takes much longer to wear through, and chrome plating nearly never wears through. On my gold plated banjo, with about 4 years of pretty frequent use, the armrest and talipiece gold plating is wearing thin enough to see the nickel plating layer underneath it. Not all gold plating is that thin, but this particular banjo model had thin gold plating....
    Amen to that. I have a couple of older Gibsons with gold plated tuners and tailpieces, and the plating looks, well, "vintage." I used to consider re-plating, but it's costly and there aren't many places that'll do it. Now I just enjoy the "patina..."
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    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I've had fretted instruments with both hardware finishes, but the current three I play the most -- mandolin, octave mandolin, acoustic guitar -- all have gold hardware with black ebony tuner buttons. I like the way gold looks with black. With white (pearl) tuner buttons I think nickel looks better.

    I'm aware of the problem with thinner gold plating wearing off, but I haven't had that problem with my current instruments and hardware (gold-plated Waverly tuners on the mandos, and I think it's Gotoh sealed tuners on the guitar).

  22. #18
    Registered Muser dang's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Just another case where you need a mando with each!
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    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I find that nickel matches the shell nicely on my headstocks. It also conveys the working man ethics of my music as well.
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    Registered User Mandobart's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    I prefer the look of nickel to gold. I also like dark tuner buttons. I can tolerate ivoroid buttons ok but really don't care for pearloid. I recently replaced the tuners on my Eastman MDC805 because the hardware was nickel and everything else was brass/"gold", and the knobs were pearloid. Gold Schaller's with ebony knobs match the headstock, tailpiece, arm rest, pickguard, Kent Armstrong floating neck pickup, etc. much better. So although I still prefer nickel, it just looks better to have a unified look when the instrument already is 85% gold.

  26. #21
    Registered User mtucker's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    It depends...gold hardware can be very appealing with gold matching jewelry and bad rug or comb-over.
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Quote Originally Posted by allenhopkins View Post
    Amen to that. I have a couple of older Gibsons with gold plated tuners and tailpieces, and the plating looks, well, "vintage." I used to consider re-plating, but it's costly and there aren't many places that'll do it. Now I just enjoy the "patina..."
    Old electric guitars with what used to be gold hardware ruined me on the look forever...nickel may get "old" looking, but it doesn't look tired or "bad" as it starts to wear.
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  29. #23

    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Silver plated hardware looks nice when it ages. You can polish it or not. I like it when the silver gets dark.

    On a '26 Fern I'd settle for worn gold. I guess. If I had to.

  30. #24
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Opinion on nickel vs. gold aesthetics

    Another preference for nickel over gold. Never been a fan of gold hardware. The only exception is on Lowden guitars. For some reason I like that look. But on most guitars or mandolins, no.
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