Rusty Pickups! What should I do?

[kifkif]

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Those are my pickups. :(

To my knowledge, they are the pickups that came on the guitar (Fender Strat, made in USA, circa 1970).

What do you suggest I do about the rust? From what I can tell, it doesn't effect the sound of the guitar much (well, it could for all I know, as I never heard the guitar before the rust was on them).

I basically have two options:
1. Live with it. For now at least. I mean, I've had the guitar for this long (~4 years), why not just keep it how I'm used to it?
2. Suck it up and drop the cash on new pickups.

I'm so lost about what to do.

All input it greatly appreciated.

[stringbender]

you can clean the rust off the pole pieces.. your have to take the pickguard off and take the pu's out...take the covers off..If your careful ...leave everything connected no need to unsolder anything, just be careful handle with care as the coil wires on single coil pu's can break easy.. get some emory cloth or light sandpaper or fine steel wool and buff the rust away off the pole pieces. Then clean every thing up and slap it back together. If your guitar was bought in Florida its common since we're surrounded by ocean. Salt in the air can cause rust. Also, if you sweat alot when you play.. can cause rust as well. If the pup's sound good everything should be OK..It shouldn't affect the sound. Hope that helps...GoodLuck!

[Strat-Talk]

Yeah, steel wool is the thing. You can try Vasoline as well. Sometimes Vasoline will dissolve the rust. Valsoline is "petroleum jelly" as in made from petroleum products and it has some unusual cleaning properties.

Mostly, it doesn't much matter. Wipe 'em down with a rag and play the thing. Over the years they should get grimy and dirty. What's a little rust? Folks pay extra for that stuff on Relics.

[bobthecanadian]

The old adage still stands... if it ain't broke don't fix it. Clean it up and play on!!!!


Bob

[rjhalsey]

You will never get all the metal pieces off after using steel wool. Always keep steel wool away from pickups! I would just leave them alone. We call that "MOJO" and people pay me good money to get them to look that way!

[JKjr]

Originally Posted by bobthecanadian

The old adage still stands... if it ain't broke don't fix it. Clean it up and play on!!!!


Bob

If you really HAVE to clean them up, a red scotch-brite pad with teenie-weenie bit of 5w (like 3in1) oil will do it without metal filings, but if you like the sound of the pickups why bother? My .02