Hi

I have some gold plated drum hardware. I've never tried to clean my new drum - the LangPercussion......Arnie Lang sent me some care instructions I can dig them out for you later (not onsite right now).

I bought an original Cadillac Green tom a few months ago. A former owner spray painted all the gold hardware. I took a chance buying it and found there indeed was 24K gold under the paint. The g e w e ler told me I could use Acetone to safely remove the paint. I used a soft cloth drenched in Acetone and it worked fine. I also used Dawn Liquid (the blue bottle) soap to clean the parts with good results.....did not see any sign of gold removal.

Gretsch has their gold hardware 'flash-plated' so there is not a lot of gold there......so I'm told. I would think if you're careful you should be alright.

How did the gold plated hoop rust? Gold does not rust.......right? Are you saying the gold has been worn off and in those warn off areas the hoops and rust has set in? If this is the case - and you want to clean the rust off - whatever you use if it gets on the gold it will probably remove some or all of it. If I were you and the rust is not too bad....do like you're thinking of doing and use the mild soap and if you want to clean the rust off - the gold has gone in those areas anyway....just use a rust remover....carefully.

I'm not an expert I'm just saying what I might do in your situation.

Nice drum I bet....

Before You try re plating try Ryobi Buffing compound for plated metals very important make sure you get right one.

Going to need a drill and buffing pad.

If it does not come out since you are in Brooklyn go to the Bronx hunts point section You have there Victoria Plating they plate for Latin Percussion and other NY company's.

One of the things that makes gold so universally used in high end switches, contacts , gem settings,chains, neclaces, earrings and general bling is it's nonreactive nature. It's pretty hard to hurt gold.

It's the wearing off the parts that is the problem. If the hardware was solid gold (not pure gold = too soft) then ya - pretty hard to hurt. But, with the flash plating that is used it does wear off. My Gold Plated tom here shows the wear.....so if I was looking to not have more wear I would be gentle.

Arnie Lang (LangPercussion) who offers replica Gladstone drums...mine has 24K gold hardware.....recommends cleaning with Windex or other glass cleaner - and for stubborn stains on Chrome or Gold hardware he recommends a product called Nevr-Dull (a cotton batton type of cleaner in a can) and do not rub hard. This is taken right from the Care Instructions that came with my Gladstone drum.

yea, plating can be pretty thin and gold is soft. you wouldn't want to buff it too much.---the buffing might go like this, with each stroke .25, .50,.75.1.00,1.25,1.50........... triple chrome plating ,actually has a puny amount of chrome . It's copper,lots of nickel and then an almost transparent layer of chrome to change the yellow hue of nickel to a bluer hue. chrome is hard though, and it is usually corrosion coming up from the inside due to plating porosity that pits it, whereas with gold it would be the opposite---wearing off from the outside in.

Thank you all, much appreciated.

peace

Steve