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Post by andreab23 on Apr 14, 2014 21:08:47 GMT
Hi everybody,
finally I decide to post a question on this great forum, after reading many posts over the years.
Well the story is i'm suffering a severe proriasis/nickel allergy thing, took years to narrow down, between drastic diet changes, moisturizing creams and what not.
Up until a few days ago i thought i could get away with refretting a couple of guitars and changing to coated strings.. but now i'm after realizing my 2005 NRP squareneck tricone is nickel-plated, and i probably shouldn't go near it..
Also have a late 70's 33H Dobro, roundneck.. wandering if any of you would know if the chrome plating on that is safe? Was planning on refretting with Jescar gold wire, but probably wont bother if I can't play it anyway.
Not sure what to do at the moment, i have a few electric guitars to sort out in the meantime, but right now I am considering:
-selling both instruments, possibly to buy a wood or brass body alternative later. too expensive right now, as I'd say I'd have to add serious money to buy new instruments.
-stripping the plating off. sounds a bit messy, but could be a good solution. I am just worries it would mess up with the instruments, creating a set up/ buzzing nightmare for myself..
Well, thanks for reading, if someone on this forum can offer some ideas or support I'd much appreciate it!
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Post by snakehips on Apr 14, 2014 21:33:59 GMT
Hi there !
You need proper Professional allergy testing.
Apparently, wearing cheap jewellery (containing nickel), perhaps a watch with a nickel plating metal strap, or any prolonged contact with nickel, can develop a full allergy to nickel in less than 10yrs.
In Dentistry, if we use/supply metal-containing components to patients (crowns, dentures, implants, orthodontic appliences), we don't use nickel containing metals.
We use stainless steel (dentures and orthodontic appliences), a biocompatible Cobalt-Cchrome alloy for metal-framework dentures, then gold, or gold/platinum/paladium alloys, or zirconium for crowns, and titanium for implants.
NHS crowns in the UK ? Base-metals unfortunately, containing lots of nickel, and little gold - as the health service will only pay for the cheapest metal (unless you have a documented nickel-allergy, in which case the Dentist can fight for what they call semi-precious alloy for the patient instead.
You might be OK with chrome plate - but who knows !
The only to know, is to have allergy tests.
Get tested for nickel, brass, (copper and zinc), chrome.
How about a painted metal body ?
Of course, you need to try out various types of strings.
How about cat gut ? !!
Your not vegan by any chance, are you ? !!!
Stripping the nickel plating off ? What, are you mad ?
Sell the guitar and get a wooden one, or a painted steel one.
Stripping nickel plating is not straightforward, like stripping off a paint finish with chemicals.
To strip nickel plating, ypu either have to sand it all off - making an awful mess AND ruining the surface left.
Propably expose yourself to nickel dust, making a probably allergy a million times worse ,breathing in the dust into your lungs !!!!!!!!
You can take the neck off, and send it to an electroplaters and have it "reverse-plated" -which electro-chemically removed the nickel plated layer.
Costly, and you still then need to get the neck back on correctly.
Sell the guitar. Replace it with gorgeous Koa, or something !
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2014 22:24:18 GMT
I have not heard f this, but will run it by my brother who s a medical doctor that specializes in alternative treatments for allergies.
But how about over spraying the nickel body with clear lacquer or poly?
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Post by slide496 on Apr 15, 2014 0:20:19 GMT
Here's an interesting article from other guitarists allergic to nickel with recommendations for fretwire and strings, mentions other things nickel allergy sufferers might be allergic to. Dunlop makes picks in brass that I like, as does national. (I have a sensitivity to nickel, but its usually under control.) NICKELALLERGY ARTICLE HEREI thought about spraying the coverplate on mine but I am not currently reacting to it. If it came to it I would send it out to a luthier or the like who had commercial grade product before doing it myself. Two up for selling the nickel plated guitar though. Good luck!
EDIT: I created makeshift covers for the coverplate screws to avoid scraping against my hand - thats another thing you might want to look at for the dobro as to alloys. |
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Post by stevie2sticks on Apr 15, 2014 8:16:19 GMT
I had a career in health and safety. The advice here is good. It's been my experience that once a person becomes sensitised to something, quite small subsequent exposures cause them serious health problems - the same exposure is no problem to the rest of the population.
If you are sensitised reducing exposure is best option. My choice woud be to change guitars and continue to enjoy your music.
Good luck.
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Post by steadyrollinman on Apr 15, 2014 12:02:18 GMT
Hi there ! You need proper Professional allergy testing. Apparently, wearing cheap jewellery (containing nickel), perhaps a watch with a nickel plating metal strap, or any prolonged contact with nickel, can develop a full allergy to nickel in less than 10yrs. In Dentistry, if we use/supply metal-containing components to patients (crowns, dentures, implants, orthodontic appliences), we don't use nickel containing metals. We use stainless steel (dentures and orthodontic appliences), a biocompatible Cobalt-Cchrome alloy for metal-framework dentures, then gold, or gold/platinum/paladium alloys, or zirconium for crowns, and titanium for implants. NHS crowns in the UK ? Base-metals unfortunately, containing lots of nickel, and little gold - as the health service will only pay for the cheapest metal (unless you have a documented nickel-allergy, in which case the Dentist can fight for what they call semi-precious alloy for the patient instead. You might be OK with chrome plate - but who knows ! The only to know, is to have allergy tests. Get tested for nickel, brass, (copper and zinc), chrome. How about a painted metal body ? Of course, you need to try out various types of strings. How about cat gut ? !! Your not vegan by any chance, are you ? !!! Stripping the nickel plating off ? What, are you mad ? Sell the guitar and get a wooden one, or a painted steel one. Stripping nickel plating is not straightforward, like stripping off a paint finish with chemicals. To strip nickel plating, ypu either have to sand it all off - making an awful mess AND ruining the surface left. Propably expose yourself to nickel dust, making a probably allergy a million times worse ,breathing in the dust into your lungs !!!!!!!! You can take the neck off, and send it to an electroplaters and have it "reverse-plated" -which electro-chemically removed the nickel plated layer. Costly, and you still then need to get the neck back on correctly. Sell the guitar. Replace it with gorgeous Koa, or something ! |
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Post by steadyrollinman on Apr 15, 2014 12:03:26 GMT
Snakehips,
You could start a craze using german silver fillings and crowns!
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Post by Matt on Apr 15, 2014 12:20:00 GMT
Snakehips, You could start a craze using german silver fillings and crowns! German silver a.k.a. Nickel silver ... may not meet his requirements! |
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Post by snakehips on Apr 15, 2014 12:25:58 GMT
No, it wouldn't !!!
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Post by andreab23 on Apr 15, 2014 18:55:28 GMT
Thanks guys, great advice. I will put it up for sale then. Getting tested professionally makes sense, 'cause i was looking at the polished brass tricone as an alternative, but that could be bad as well. mind you I have used brass bottlenecks for many years without any issue. can you imagine, my wife convincing me that 'we are matt people, not shiney chromey ones', and now I have every door knob in the house nickel plated  oh well.. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2014 19:53:56 GMT
I had a career in health and safety. The advice here is good. It's been my experience that once a person becomes sensitised to something, quite small subsequent exposures cause them serious health problems - the same exposure is no problem to the rest of the population. If you are sensitised reducing exposure is best option. My choice woud be to change guitars and continue to enjoy your music. Good luck. Very sound advice. Those serious health problems could include anaphylaxis, and theoretically death - or worse. TT |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2014 2:29:56 GMT
Yes, get the allergy tests first before you sell - you might just be allergic to work or something simple.
If not, I adore my Black National Tricone (steel) for the great steely growl!
I don't know about strings without Nickel though.
BluesKing777.
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tedg
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Post by tedg on Apr 19, 2014 19:41:08 GMT
Hi Folks,
Bit of a serious first post for me this! like Stevie, I work in HS&E (don't go on that stage without a risk assessment guys  ). I'm afraid it's true that nickel is a primary irritant to which you can become sensitised and, wait for it, it's also a class 2b carcinogen. What that really means is that if exposed sufficiently, SOME people can become sensitised to it and develop contact dermatitis. Unfortunately once sensitised, that remains with you. I assume Andreab that from your first posting, your doctor has carried out tests to confirm this? If not it would be good to get this done. Chrome/brass are not irritants I believe, but I'll check.
Further to the carcinogen point, don't worry too much about this, whether or not it is or how much of a carcinogen it is still being debated, and you need to be exposed/inhale /ingest powders or vapours. Just don't kiss your guitar goodnight!
Ted |
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Post by andreab23 on Apr 20, 2014 16:21:14 GMT
Hi Ted,
thanks for your post. No, I haven't been diagnosed by a doctor. What the doctor told me a couple of years ago was 'you got eczema, we don't know what's causing it, it can't be cured, and gave me a) steroid cream (used twice for a week period with no improvement whatsoever, and b) some ointment that made things better for a few hours, and then worse the following morning. Never went back to the that doctor. I found much more useful information online, and by changing diet, like giving up dairy, veg from the nightshade family, things have improved a lot. I am pretty certain that the problem is related to nickel because, i switched to pure nickel strings on 2 electric guitars over the past 2 years, and thats exactly when the problem started hitting my fingertips bad. I know for sure that after about 20 minutes playing those guitars, my fingers begin to get swollen, and over the following hours crevices open and start bleeding. Don't thik there's much point wasting more money on doctors and testing, until I can afford and organize the Melisa test.
I must say I haven't really noticed the problem when playing the national, because i am using plastic picks and a steel bar. so there isn't much direct contact. Although if the body is nickel plated it's not gonna be good for me i reckon. well, time to move on, anyone interested in a 2005 style 1 squareneck NRP tricone?
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). I'm afraid it's true that nickel is a primary irritant to which you can become sensitised and, wait for it, it's also a class 2b carcinogen. What that really means is that if exposed sufficiently, SOME people can become sensitised to it and develop contact dermatitis. Unfortunately once sensitised, that remains with you. I assume Andreab that from your first posting, your doctor has carried out tests to confirm this? If not it would be good to get this done. Chrome/brass are not irritants I believe, but I'll check.