Cleaning green (and other) tarnish off of brass parts

[Jon S.]

Parts like, for Tiger-type axes, the PUP guards, bridges, and stoptails. Both my PUP guard and stoptail are brass Jack of Roses parts, probably lightly lacqured (the bridge is a gold plated vintage Ibanez part so it's not affected). Tonight, I noticed an obvious green dot - really green! - on my PUP guard, about the size of a peppercorn. It didn't buff out so I tried the tiniest bit of brass cleaner on a q-tip. It took off the green but right down to the metal. What do ya'll do with your brass parts? Because of how I rest my palm on the stoptail and to a certain extent on the bottom of the PUP guard, too, they're taking a beating in less than a year! Maybe I should just let them tarnish as they will but thought it would be worth a question. Thanks.

[RiverRat]

.

[keirweir]

I had the hardest time keeping my brass knobs clean on my Phiga. I had the Jack of roses knobs. They were sweet but man it was a pain to keep them clean. I was cleaning the knobs more than changing strings!

[vwjodyme]

not sure about guitar parts, but when i was in the restaurant biz we used to use lemon juice to shine up brass stuff. when stuff got really corroded we'd put some salt on the half of lemon and it would shine right up---prob wouldn't use the salt trick on a guitar tho.

[mijknahs]

I think the tarnishing adds character. I don't clean mine.

[Jon S.]

I agree it adds character, too ... to a point. And that point is where it changes from tarnish to GREEN.

[mijknahs]

By the way, the parts in the picture were originally sprayed with some kind of clear spray to protect the finish. The parts that are tarnishing now are places where the clear finish has worn or chipped off. Just kind of darker and brownish. No green yet.

[Kennay]

Alembic recommends Flitz brand metal polish. Just don`t use it on metal plated parts. Also, I used Brasso with the same results as you Jon S. I`d probably avoid that one.

[Jon S.]

Alembic recommends Flitz brand metal polish. Just don`t use it on metal plated parts. Also, I used Brasso with the same results as you Jon S. I`d probably avoid that one.

Remember the 3 Stooges episode where they become salesmen for Brighto whose slogan is, "Brighto, Brighto, we make old bodies new" (to which Larry & Curley add, "We'll sell a million bottles, a-whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo-WHOO!").

Only problem is they think its for cleaning tarnish off of metal and it's really MEDICINE!

I still laugh thinking of the look on the dude's face when they stripped the paint off his car.