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Re: Restoring plating

Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-08-06 22:30

From doing repairs for a long time the answer is sadly no. Once the plating is gone nothing can be done.

A good repairman can redo the plating or you can go to a local place near you. Such as a place that chromes parts for cars. But all of the pads have to be removed and the keys should be clean of any oil from the keys inside where the screws are and also from your hands. But a place that does chroming will use an acid bath to do this. If the keys are not oil free well the plating will come off, not right away, but maybe you will see signs of this after a few months.

Something very interesting. Buffet sells more nickel plated horns by far compared to silver plating. It seems that players feel a sound difference. It is not the added cost.

There is talk about NOT putting plating of any type on the posts that hold the keys. People think that maybe the horns sound better. I don't know yet. We are entering a gray area of perhaps mind games. Such as does a $1300 ligature help you play and sound better than a $25 ligature!

I do know that the old Selmer Mark 6 saxophones are worth a lot more if they haven't been re-lacquered. Players say the horns don't sound the same. My guess is they are correct, because of how the horn vibrates of course. A Mark 6 is best to be buffed, not redone. It can mean the difference around $3000 in value.

So if the horn belonged to me I'd leave it as is unless it is driving you nuts!

I know that Yamaha brags about their new silver plating technique. I'm not sure if it is patented. I think the process is patented. As most of the readers know I really like their CSVR's, which have this plating. I have no idea if the horn sounds better because of this.

Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces

Yamaha Artist 2015

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