# What is the deal with black chrome hardware?



## Fenceclimber (Mar 11, 2014)

First off, so that I don't offend anyone, I understand that it all comes down to personal preference, the majority of my guitars have black chrome/cosmo black hardware! I just want to know how it came to be so popular and why it's still being used.

Also, I have no idea where this thread should be posted, I picked the Tech forum because it concerns hardware but this is intended to be more of a discussion.

I looked at one of my RG's today and the only thing that I can think of is that it would really look better with all black hardware, it was more expensive than my Jackson that has black hardware so I just want to know what the deal is. I first thought that it might be cheaper to produce black chrome, and it might, I really don't know but pretty much all the Prestige Ibanez's have black chrome and some of their standard series have proper black hardware. I can't really think of a guitar that really benefits from having black chrome, it just looks off to me, not necessarily ugly but it always fall short in comparison to proper black hardware.



Just to show some comparisons.

ESP Horizion FR white








New E-II version of the same guitar with black hardware







RG7620 






RG1527z






Schecter Jeff Loomis 7 FR





Same guitar with black floyd






and the new JL-7






As I said, I'm not hating on black chrome, I have nothing against it, I am just curious on how it became a standard for many guitar companies since black was pretty much the standard before 2005 or so.


----------



## asfeir (Mar 11, 2014)

It works on some guitars, id personally rather have cosmo black than standard chrome..


----------



## Floppystrings (Mar 11, 2014)

I don't like cosmo/black chrome either.


----------



## Michael T (Mar 11, 2014)

I personally like plain black hardware. It doesn't seem to show wear and tarnish as bad as the cosmo/black chrome. Hell even plain chrome holds up better than cosmo/black chrome.


----------



## Phantom (Mar 11, 2014)

asfeir said:


> It works on some guitars, id personally rather have cosmo black than standard chrome..



Yeah I have to agree. Black is my personal preference but I'd rather have black chrome than regular chrome.


----------



## Rev2010 (Mar 11, 2014)

Of all the photos you posts I think the black definitely looks better on the Schecters. Waaay better in fact. But the first white ESP for example I think the black chrome looks waaay better whereas the black hardware makes it looks kind of chintsy. For that guitar I think the black chrome is a really nice in-between accentuation to match between the white paint and black ebony of the fretboard, pickups, and logo.

It's simply a design aesthetic, there's a lot more to one's eye in design than black and white. On some guitars, or most actually, I haaate gold hardware. But on some it just looks so much more classy and beautiful. I've had gold hardware on one of my guitars once, a sweet BC Rich Virgin, and it looked awesome. Only problem was how quick and easily it started to tarnish. Now all of my guitars except my LTD bass have black hardware. The LTD bass has black chrome and I still love the way it looks.


Rev.


----------



## xzyryabx (Mar 11, 2014)

I remember reading that manufacturing the black hardware was hazardous in some way and went against OSHA or something to that effect.
I find it hard to believe that all the current black hardware is NOS though, so not really sure if this is accurate. I know for a while a few years back it was difficult to buy black hardware...
In any case, black-chrome is terrible; it might look good on some guitars, but every guitar I've ever had with it (mainly FR1000 series bridges) had started to show signs of wear after 1 month, and was faded to white in many spots after a few months, and I don't have super corrosive sweat.


----------



## Michael T (Mar 12, 2014)

If the cosmo/black chrome didn't deteriorate so rapidly I'd have no issue with it. Personally I think it suits some finishes quite well, but I think it's a shame when you have a 1k+ guitar that you've taken great care of but the damn cosmo finish is fading and makes the thing look like a $200 pawn shop find. If they could produce it with a more durable finish I'd be all for it. Until then I'll stick with the black.


----------



## TheWarAgainstTime (Mar 12, 2014)

Michael T said:


> I personally like plain black hardware. It doesn't seem to show wear and tarnish as bad as the cosmo/black chrome. Hell even plain chrome holds up better than cosmo/black chrome.



This. Plus the fact that I just kinda don't like the look of the cosmo  

All of my guitars except one have black hardware, and the one that doesn't has the matte grey Ibanez hardware, and also happens to be the only one that shows wear on the hardware finish. A LOT of wear, in fact. 

I think the cosmo black could work in certain guitars if there were a different way of making it so that it would actually last.


----------



## TRENCHLORD (Mar 12, 2014)

The black chrome almost always looks best to me with the exception of gold on some models. 

The tuners on many gold hardware guitars don't exactly match the OFR gold though, and that really bugs me .

Wish they'd (whoever) would use copper and/or brass plating. I've always liked the blend of black with copper/brass.

Cosmo grey/black makes most guitars look "cheaper", but with some flat finishes and graphic models (like the HR Giger) it sits just right, but yeah it wears fast and looks awful when it does.

And I do like plain silver chrome with white and some other "weird" finishes.
This for example;
http://www.espguitars.com/products/9962-esp-frx-lms?category_id=1963492-frx-series-guitars



It's weird though, I love the blend of black and chrome on almost everything other than guitars.


----------



## ElasticPancakes (Mar 12, 2014)

Agreed, I completely and utterly prefer plain black hardware. I wish I could get replacement ibanez parts like the new gibralter bridge or tight end bridge in black. 

The RG 721 I want would looks sooooo much cooler with all black harware.


----------



## Neilzord (Mar 12, 2014)

My issue with Black chrome, is it almost always wears down to standard chrome in areas of heavy use. And personally I'm really not a fan of chrome at all. 

Recently switched all the hardware on one of my guitars to just solid black (mainly part of my TOM Bridge was F'd....) And you couldn't buy a replacement in the black chrome finish that LTD/ESP use from Tone-Pro's and ESP UK are absolutely useless at getting parts! 

Either way........ Plain Black Hardware All Day long!!!


----------



## Stooly (Mar 14, 2014)

Cosmo Black wears very quickly. I noticed on my Charvel Desolation that the finish wore off on my Floyd Rose bridge within a year. Looks like ass now....My Esp has been fine so far. It looks ok in my opinion when new, but the wear problem is disappointing.


----------



## mnemonic (Mar 14, 2014)

Whats even worse is when the hardware gets mixed, like a few of the above pictures. Black bridge with black chrome knobs and tuners? No thanks.


----------



## HUGH JAYNUS (Mar 14, 2014)

i just wan to know why gold hardware isnt used more frequently. its absolutely gorgeous and can make a cheap looking guitar look so much better


----------



## ZeroS1gnol (Mar 14, 2014)

I totally agree, black is the way to go. I think it's so weird Ibanez only puts black on their cheap guitars. Cosmo black on white is a crime against aesthetics.


----------



## Dayn (Mar 14, 2014)

Except for the Schecter, I think the chrome looks better on the others. The white and black guitars, with black hardware, look incredibly flat. They may as well be silhouettes. But with the chrome, it adds a lot of visual depth and the hardware doesn't just fade away.

The Schecter on the other hand, given how bold the red and maple is, benefits from a subduing black, I think. The chrome just gets lost, it's not cohesive in any sense, it's out of place. Unlike the other guitars where the black just obscures the hardware, the black on the Schecter brings the whole thing together.

It all depends on your personal sense of aesthetics, of course.


----------



## SpaceDock (Mar 14, 2014)

I want my hardware to be black, like my soul.


----------



## groverj3 (Mar 15, 2014)

I like it on certain colors better than plain black. Black nickel/chrome/whatever looks great against trans red finishes, better than chrome and better than normal black. IMHO

I believe the reason lots of manufacturers started using it more is that it's cheaper to make and the process is more environmentally friendly or something. I think I heard that somewhere, no idea if it's correct.


----------

