Silver Plating

[freddysilk]

How does getting a saxophone silver plated affect the tone? The lacquer will still be intact but I would prefer my alto in a silver plated finish.

Anyone has ever had their sax replated with a different finish and noticed a difference in tone?

 

[Pete Thomas]

I wouldn't imagine it would sound any different, apart from the fact that it would need to be stripped, repadded and totally put back together which could sort out some existing problems.


If the saxophone is buffed too much during lacquer removal, the engraving will lose some sharpness.

 

[thomsax]

I agree with Pete. I can't hear any differnce between bare brass. lacquer, gold- or silver-plated. Okay, if we run a test in a lab I guess there are some differences. But not on a clubgig, after a couple of beers!! My freind has an East-European sax. His sax is almost covered with stickers. On that sax I can hear a difference. The keys produce less noise nowadays!!! l

I had a Buescher TrueTone soprano bare brass/lacquer that I got silverplated for more than 10 years ago. I sent the sax to Poland and got it silverplated. A pro job for less money! The horn was chemical stripped. I sold the sax for a couple of years ago. It's still in a very good shape.

Thomas

 

[Pjonah]

I agree it seems an unecessary expense. If you're not happy with the instrument for some reason why not trade it?

I think I share a fairly common sentiment on this forum, that different finishes have little, if any effect on the tone the instrument produces. The finish is largely aesthetic, if it makes you feel good about youself, I guess thats all that matters........which is totally fine in my book

Just my opinion though.

Simon

 

[mfox]

you would actually be better off just buying a silver one rather than the expense of a re-laquer.
i bought a yamaha custom 2 years ago, i had one of each finish i liked for a week before i bought.. i got it down to either a silver or an un-laquered, went for the un-laqured because it just had the edge on the silver..if the finnish had any effect on the sound i can't swear to it but, the un-laqured did have that bright edgy un-stuffy late 50s early 60s sound.

 

[thomsax]

To play the silversax get me a differnt feeling comparing to a laquered one. Maybe this affect my way to play? Smooth and gentle. The soprano I use is a rebuilt Conn -25 with a Dukoff D6 with no laquer and I play differnt on my sliver Beuscher mod 122LP comparing to how I play the Conn.

I have heard Clarence Clemons (Bruce Springsteen), in Gothenburg 1985, playing on a silverplated Selmer tenor. I think he sounded the same as he did four years earlier in Copenhagen. He was on a lacqured Selmer tenor in Copenhagen. As far as know he was playing Berg Larsen 120/0 or 130/0 with LaVoz H reeds in those years.

But sliversaxes are very nice.

Thomas