Klarinet Archive - Posting 000246.txt from 1995/10

From: GALVAN <GALVAN@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Finish on keys
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 23:01:31 -0400

David Niethamer responded toJohn Baetens about wearing out the nickel or silver
plating on keys. I have the same problem of wearing through instruments, and
now with the copper-colored alloy the makers are using for the base metal, it
has become even more irritating to see. I see the plating wear off my keys and
those of my students in as little as a year. Give me a break! However, last
week I saw the most beautiful gold plating. Buffet has developed a new plating
process which incorporates more copper with the gold. The resulting color
isn't the brash "gold crayon" color one associated with a Pete Fountain - type
clarinet. It's warm and subtle like a nice wedding band. And the feel . . .

Parenthetically, Mssr. Lesieux from Buffet told me that while most Buffet
clarinets sold in the United States have nickel keys, and most of those sold
in Europe have silver, in Korea the norm is silver or gold.