How Do I Polish the String Grooves/Marks on the Bridge

Chris Schlotzhauer · From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

I know there's no real "grooves" per se'but the dark string marks.
I want to clean and smooth out any burrs that may had started.
I have heard of using a light sand paper for this?

Any tips?

Thanks!

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

I assume you mean the tops of changer fingers. This thread goes into lots of details - https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=118670

For a steel with aluminum fingers, I found the recommendation for 600-grit, followed by 1500-grit, followed by something like Nevr-Dull wadding or perhaps simichrome, works pretty well. I turn the guitar over with the changer sticking out of my workbench (or sometimes turn it on its side on the floor, changer end up), to try to avoid getting particles down into the change, and it is of course important to follow the contour of the finger to avoid sanding a flat spot. If it's just dark marks and no actual indentation in the finger, I have sometimes been able to skip the 600-grit and move to 1000-grit, then 1500 and so on. Or even just try 1500-grit from the get-go. I use a combination of 1500 and 2000-grit to polish frets on a Spanish guitar, doesn't even require taping the fingerboard. But if there are grooves in the finger, I have to go down to 600.

I guess I might go real easy on sanding if the fingers were, let's say, chrome-plated - e.g., I think some old Sho Buds were plated. But I think all my steels now have bare aluminum fingers.

Chris Schlotzhauer · From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

Thanks Dave....exactly the info I was looking for.

So do you follow up with polish or just a dry sanding?

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

I generally finish with polish - Nevr-Dull or Simichrome. With Simichrome, I try to be careful not to get the stuff into the changer. A little dab'll do ya', I just rub a wee bit into the polishing cloth and go at it.

Chris Schlotzhauer · From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

Thanks buddy!

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I just had to do that on the 3rd string. Light sanding with 800 grit followed by light sanding with 2000 grit followed by Simichrome.

I was having 3rd strings break at the changer end. Very slight burr or groove. It couldn't be felt but the "smoothing" procedure took care of it.

Don Kuhn · From: Poetry/Terrell ,Texas, USA

Chris I saw your pick thought it was going to say "I Like Beer" some where. Very Happy

Greg Tudor · From: Cincinnati, Ohio

I’m assuming I’ll need to sand first but I’ll ask anyway:

Would a quick rub of Nevr-Dull do the trick for this groove or should I do a light sand first?

Thank you!

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I would try out the polish first. If the result doesn't satisfy you, you can always use sandpaper. In my opinion, you don't have to get rid of it completely, as long as it doesn't affect the sound or playability, I would go for minimal removal of metal.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo

Greg Tudor · From: Cincinnati, Ohio

Fantastic, thank you for the assistance.

I don’t think the groove is really that bad, so this makes sense.

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

I use Scotch-Brite pads to smooth the area and then polish it with metal polish I use mothers.
Scotch-Brite doesn't take any metal off, like any kind of sanding will.
Ricky
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Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com

Bob Shilling · From: Berkeley, CA, USA

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Yeah Bob; my technique is NOT for a groove that has gotten worn into the metal. If that finger is that fatigue; I replace it. I'm only talking about smoothing the inflections from string; not groove or burs.
Ricky
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Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com

Bob Shilling · From: Berkeley, CA, USA

Thanks, Ricky. That makes sense.
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Bob Shilling, Berkeley, CA--MSA S10, "Classic"

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Sure Bob; I was mainly replying to the original post here by Chris S.

Scott Spanbauer · From: Boulder, Colorado, USA

Just de-grooved mine yesterday with 4500 (yes!) emery paper wet sand followed by Mother's polish. Blue tape to keep grit and polish out of the changer.

This is probably the first time this has been done on this 24-year-old guitar, and I'm hoping it's the last. The original owner used stainless strings, and I'm using NYXLs.

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Carter D10, Emmons GS10, T8 Stringmaster, 50s Fender Deluxe
johnnyblueheart.com

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Scott Spanbauer · From: Boulder, Colorado, USA

Scott Spanbauer · From: Boulder, Colorado, USA

Correction: Marco also commented that you don't have to sand away every imperfection.
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Carter D10, Emmons GS10, T8 Stringmaster, 50s Fender Deluxe
johnnyblueheart.com

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

If the grove is just a small surface BooBoo, They are rather easy to remove.

If the grove is deep and has to be removed. Back whatever type abrasive material used with a flat solid metal or wood backer. So the same force is on the complete finger surface.

Shoe shine strokes with a flexible material, The abrasive will follow a deep grove and widen it, But not remove it completely.
Be sure to move the abrasive smoothly around the arc of the finger to maintain the finger's radius.

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