As we discussed, the Asian guitars will tarnish much faster than the US instruments. I personally have owned 4 or five guitars with gold hardware.
The Epi Custom came right off. The Gibson Studio that I owned for 3 years never tarnished one bit. Also the Fender Deluxe player Strat and the Fender 50th Anniversary Strat never lost any of their gold at all. I have an Epiphone Elitist and the pickups are still perfect because they are the Gibson gold plated units. The stop bar is a little tarnished after 4 years.
With that in mind I would go with the nickel or chrome, in an Asian guitar. The gold looks good when new but will tarnish to an almost brass like finish, and eventually with cleaning to a nickel finish anyway.
Oh and I forgot my Epi Sheraton. It is a 2001 and the gold still looks really good. There is some tarnish on the pickups as others have mentioned from sweat and oxidation over the years. But 9 years and it is still good. Just DO NOT use any type of metal polish on them. It will take it right off. Been there done that and have the T shirt.
The Blues is alright!
Guitars: 1968 Gibson SG, 2005 Gibson SG Standard, 2006 Gibson LP Classic Gold top, 2004 Epiphone Elitist LP Custom, 1996 Gibson Les Paul Standard. 2001 Epiphone Sheraton II, 2007 Epiphone G400.
Fender Strats: 1996 Fender 68 Reissue CIJ, 2008 Squier CV 50s, 2009 Squier CV 50s Tele Butterescotch Blonde
Amps: Blues Junior Special edition Jensen in Brown Tolex with Wheat front, 65 Deluxe Reverb reissue,1970 Sonax reverb by Traynor, Avatar Custom 2/12 Cabinet with Eminence Legend V1216 speakers,
2008 DSL100 Marshall Amp , Fender Super Champ XD,Fender Vibro Champ XD
Effects and Pedals: Fulltone Fulldrive II, Fulltone OCD, Fulltone Mini Deja Vibe, Fulltone Fat Boost, Dunlop Crybaby Wah, Boss DS1, Boss DD20 Giga Delay, Boss TU2 tuner, Boss BD2, Ibanez TS9 Tube screamer, Zoom 505. Radial tonebone hot british.