The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently had a grouping of parts nickel plated by Nashville Plating Service. He gave me a run down on the cost for each piece. I had the parts clean and ready to strip and replate. I was a bit surprised at the costs for certain things. He charged $50 for a Victor 8" turntable even though I specified only the outer rim would need to be polished after the plating. I spent $400 real quick, although I will say he took photos of the pieces and cataloged them so they wouldn't get mixed in with someone else's order . When I picked them up I took him a tone arm from a Vic. III to see what that may cost to replate.......$70. I didn't have it done and I guess overall, I was surprised at that price, I was expecting a $30-$40 range to a repeat customer hand delivering and picking up the piece so he didn't have to mess around with shipping. Does that sound like a reasonable price for a tone arm (no U tube, just the arm)? The parts I had done turned out nice but I would expect that from any plater.

Opinions?

Thanks,
D. Edwards

I am not familiar with prices in the US but do have some experience with nickel-plating costs in the UK. From that standpoint, I would say you have a real bargain. I have plated all relevant parts of many EMGs over the last few years and the bill is never less than £500. I also have to spend half a day carefully itemising/photographing even the tiniest screw so as to be sure that nothing is lost. This is time well spent in my experience. I also specify that the threads on screwed items should not be plated (just the heads) which, of course, makes life for the plating company more difficult. The firm I use has an excellent record (many do not !) and will carefully plate with copper, sometimes several times to fill indentations, before the final nickel plate, having first expertly polished all surfaces to a mirror finish. We now have draconian laws in the UK regarding the disposal of chemicals etc which has added to costs generally.

$70 for a quality tone arm replanting seems like an excellent price to me. I've paid almost twice that in the past for a complete arm (including the crook). And Nashville Plating knows what they are doing so that you can get something that looks period, not new penny shiny

Clay

I had nothing but trouble with Nashville Plating. I got an estimate for chrome plating a slot machine face plate and some other small slot parts. It was $500 and I went for it. The casting had pits all over it in 2 areas when I got it back. When I complained he said I obviously never restored anything before. He said that was the best he could do because it was pot metal. I explained the piece was cast iron and I was not happy. He should have filled the small pits and then plated it. I said I would pay for shipping both ways if he could do it right because it looked like crap. He said no. Now I am out the money and have to get someone to do it over. I would never recommend them.

Bob

Sorry to hear that Bob. My experience with them has been excellent, but everything I sent them was structurally sound.

Clay

The very best: Charger Metals Phila. Pa. 215-289-9227

If you've ever plated something yourself you'll realise just how much time goes into getting something to a mirror finish!
Steve