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LACQUERED,
PLATED OR UNFINISHED -
WHICH
IS BEST?
And
should I buy a re-finished instrument?
This has been a source of some controversy for quite a while. Exactly
how does the finish on brass instruments and the metal woodwinds
affect the tone? Is there an advantage to raw brass? The related
question of the type of metal used won’t be addressed in this
column, but we’d like to hear your thoughts and experiences
in regard to this as well. Lately, most of the major saxophone manufacturers
have been experimenting with different construction materials, bringing
them into line with the brass manufacturers who have been doing
this for years. Flute makers have been the most adventurous, with
palladium, solid gold, various silver alloys, and other precious
metals being used in professional instruments. Of course, they have
recently been returning to wooden instruments just to confuse things
even more.
But back to our main question: the finish on brass bodied
instruments.
The finish is applied to prevent corrosion of the body of the instrument.
It also protects the player from toxic materials (eg copper sulphate,
lead, etc) that are found in brass, either as impurities or as a
result of corrosion. Brass is roughly 70% copper and 30% zinc, and
too much zinc in the player’s system may also be dangerous.
There is currently a bewildering array of finishes available from
most manufacturers – lacquer, enamel in various colours, plating
with either silver or nickel, plating with a layer of lacquer over
it, “antique” or “patinated” or “frosted”
lacquers, sand-blasted or “frosted” silver or gold plate,
gold wash, and all of the above with or without engraving.
Each of these finishes will differently affect the way that the
body of the instrument vibrates when being played. The “ideal”
instrument would not vibrate at all, meaning that the air column
within it, which is the actual resonating medium, would be unaffected
by the outer finish of the instrument. Such an instrument would
probably need the walls of the body to be several metres thick,
which would make it a little cumbersome. The tone produced by this
“ideal” horn would be unlike the sound we are used to.
This is because we like the inbuilt “inefficiency” of
our instruments, where the note’s energy is partly absorbed
by the walls of the instrument.
The basic sound of a wind instrument is determined by the type
of sound source (eg vibrating lips, single or double reeds, the
“air reed” in whistles and flutes), and the timbre is
produced by the contours of the tube attached to the sound source
(the body of the instrument) – in other words, the shape of
the air column within the instrument. On any instrument, there are
parts of the body that vibrate relatively freely, some that vibrate
a little, and some that don’t vibrate at all (nodes). Therefore,
changing the position, size and shape of struts and plates on the
body will change the position of these nodes, thereby altering the
vibrating frequency.
It is the vibrating air which makes the body vibrate, not
vice versa.
The finish on the instrument acts in much the same way as anything
else attached to the body, damping the vibrations at certain frequencies.
The degree and frequency of this effect vary according to the type
of finish applied. It should be noted that the colour of lacquer
or enamel has no noticeable effect on the vibration. Plated instruments
usually have only a thin layer of the plating material, but since
electroplating an instrument covers both the inside and the outside
of the tube, this will sound different to a lacquered or enamelled
one where the finish is solely external. Plating is a little more
long-lasting than lacquer, but may require more polishing to prevent
tarnishing.
THE SOUND OF THE INSTRUMENT SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY REASON
FOR CHOOSING A PARTICULAR FINISH.
In other words, the choice of finish should be a musical one.
Once you have chosen the brand or model, try some different finishes
to see which gives you the sound you want combined with the look
you want. Of course, sometimes you may not hear much difference
in tone at all – making it so much the easier to choose the
finish. Bear in mind that, with hand built or hand finished instruments,
there may be subtle differences in tone and response between two
otherwise identical horns.
To keep the finish of an instrument intact, wash your hands before
playing and always dry it and wipe off any finger marks or other
dirt after playing. Use a soft, dry and lint-free cloth.
“RAW” OR UNFINISHED BRASS
In the days before the invention of electroplating and the development
of paints and lacquers that would actually stick to brass, this
was the only option. In short, if you own an unfinished instrument
(or one that has lost its finish), you will need to polish it quite
often if you want to protect it from corrosion or if you want it
to be shiny.
The oldest method for this is to put a tiny bit of oil (one or
two drops) on a cloth and then start polishing. After a while the
instrument gets a kind of lustre to it that is really quite attractive.
The microscopic layer of oil helps to prevent corrosion. Don’t
use too much oil as the instrument could then become slippery to
the touch and easy to drop.
The other approach is to allow a thin layer of corrosion (patina)
to build up, and this will protect the brass somewhat.
Either way, the instrument should be kept dry when putting it into
the case.
Although it has the disadvantage of the increased risk of corrosion,
the un-finished horn may have superior vibrational qualities. Let
your EARS be the judge of this. The absence of extra damping from
finishing materials should theoretically lead to the “purest”
vibration of the body, if that’s what you are looking for.
Also, remember to always wash your hands before and after using
un-lacquered instrument so as to reduce the amount of corrosion
from contact by your skin, and to reduce the possibility of toxic
materials being on your hands.
The unfinished look is great, but don’t let any holes develop
in your instrument. We have seen plenty of old classic horns with
corroded valve casings, key work, pad cups and pitted body parts
to suggest keeping the finish is the best idea for those parts of
the instrument which are touched by the player. Human skin is slightly
acidic, and the acidity varies with each individual.
REFINISHING
Many people are searching for classic old instruments in original
condition, and like to avoid any instrument that has been re-lacquered
or re-finished in any way.
The main danger in re-finishing (other than the expense) is the
removal of metal from the body of the instrument during the preparation
for re-finishing. This is especially important for the tone holes
of saxophones and the valve pistons and casings on brass instruments.
However, the new lacquer or plating shouldn’t be a problem
in itself. After all, the instrument had lacquer/plating in the
first place, and was designed with this in mind. A good re-finishing
job, where minimal metal is removed, can often add many years to
the life of an instrument. Chemical lacquer removal is often superior
to buffing, although some gentle buffing is required to give a smooth
finish.
A good instrument will play well and give the best musical results
even if it has been re-finished, but you should have someone you
trust look over the instrument if in doubt.
How to spot a refinished instrument:
If it has been done well, this may be difficult or even impossible,
especially if the instrument was originally un-engraved. Where engraving
is present, look for it to be sharp and clear, especially in the
finest lines and details. If the instrument is relatively young,
the engraving should also have a slightly “rough” feel
to it - that is, it will “catch” your finger if gently
rubbed. In many cases, engraving is the last thing to happen when
a horn is finished at the factory, so there should be no lacquer
in the grooves of the engraving itself. Please note that this is
not a 100% sure sign of re-lacquering or re-plating as some horns
do have an extra layer of lacquer applied at the factory. The main
things to look for are consistent tone-hole heights on saxes, and
in all cases the absence of dips or dents where excessive buffing
may have occurred.
So what does all this mean when you come to choose an instrument?
1. Always use your EARS as the primary judge. Don’t let your
eyes work alone in this process, but don’t be afraid to break
with orthodoxy, trends and traditions when making your choice.
2. If you choose an unfinished instrument always clean it after
playing. Wash your hands before and after playing.
To enquire about anything on this page please
feel free to
contact us by clicking
here or phone (02) 9557
4588 |
