Klarinet Archive - Posting 000170.txt from 1999/09

From: "David B. Niethamer" <dnietham@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] need key plating
Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 21:38:59 -0400

I wrote

>>I think the key to rapid
>>wear of plating is in the quality and thickness of the plating job.
>>
>on 9/6/99 9:31 AM, Bill Hausmann wrote:
>
>I don't know if this speculation holds up. All of the complaints about
>plating are coming from Buffet and Selmer owners. If THEY are not using
>high quality plating, who is? Artley?

I think it's a mistake to assume that any company, regardless of brand,
is using top quality processes because it is well known. Some suit in the
office may have decided that thinner plating saves money - gee, that kind
of thing has **NEVER** happened before, though!! ;-)

>It may just be that some of us with
>acidic skin are tearing up the plating and should be using SILVER plating
>instead.

A repair tech friend and colleague tells me that silver plating is more
durable than the nickel-silver variety, so maybe this part is right.
Still, decent quality nickel-silver plating should last longer than a few
months to a year under normal conditions. Although I'm sure the
manufacturers would deny it, I'd bet they tried to get away with
thinner/cheaper plating. Anything to increase the (already thin) profit
margin on those instruments.

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
dnietham@-----.edu
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/

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