Hi Andy,

How are you?

thanks for taking time out to offer up some input!

A bit more meat on the bone - these little pieces of metal are for 'pole' pieces on a guitar sustainer. Essentially the six metal upright bits similar to this piccie...

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electron...ctures#details

so whay can't I just use those?

Well, because that's a pickup, whereas with a sustainer they need to be *much* shorter - I'm pretty sure nothing exists ready made in the size I need, which means I have to either make some (time intensive!) or have some made.

The threaded rod you linked to - well, firstly I really need unthreaded steel rod, but even if I was using threaded rod, it would need cutting up - the problem then, is that the 'cut' ends wouln't be nickel plated...& it's the very end bits that will be open to the elements so to speak (I need the nickel plating for both aesthetics & to stop corrosion).

So the hunt goes on.....but tks anyway!