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Artificially Aging Replacement Tuning Buttons Copyright 2005 by Richie Dotson, all rights reserved I highly recommend wearing chemical resistant gloves and eye protection for all the steps in this series. Old tuning buttons, like the ones on this 1917 Weymann 5-String banjo can become brittle and impossible to apply enough tension to keep adequate tension on the set screw for stable tuning without causing irreparable damage to the tuning button. At this point I replace them and keep the originals in a Zip-Lock bag in the case to maintain the original equipment. Since I believe that maintaining the antiquity value of an instrument is important, it is worth a little extra effort to artificially age the replacement tuning buttons as well. As you can see from the photos below, the first and second photos below of the original buttons and the third shot in of the replacement button look nothing alike in color tone. When you place them side-by-side the difference is amplified, as you can see by the photo on the far right below. Click on the photos for a larger view
To get the color and character of the new tuning buttons to resemble the vintage ones I start by soaking them in acetone. Bill Keith and I have spoke briefly about these replacement buttons and he tells me that they are milk based. I am not sure how that works into the equation (exactly) but I know it helps when it comes to them not dissolving as a result of a 30 minute acetone bath. The bath is to prepare the surface of the buttons and the area just under the surface for an aniline die stain. After the bath, I apply the stain. It is a combination of yellow, amber and a smidge of red. I don't have a recipe, but rather go by the looks of the old tuners. Next, the head of a Q-Tip is clipped off on one side and the unclipped end is inserted into each of the buttons and I dip each button in a solution of strongly mixed stain, straight out of the acetone, until I get a quite nasty looking buildup of stain on each new button. The unclipped end of each "swab" is then placed in my "fret-keeper" and allowed to dry for a couple of hours. They look terrible at this point, but they will be getting better looking soon.
After the buttons have dried, I dip them again in a strong solution of stain and immediately wipe them clean with a paper towel. In the middle photograph below you can see the difference between the button on the left that has been artificially aged and the button on the right that has not. The finished ones look very nice on the banjo this vintage banjo.
Whenever you replace tuning buttons you may have to make sure that the shaft on which they will reside is either already a match or that you have the ability to modify them. I hope you have enjoyed this brief series and please write if you have questions, comments or suggestions. Thank you. Richie Dotson
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