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   For some time now there have been brand new professional brass instruments produced by the manufacturer and offered in “raw brass” finishes.  These instruments are sold in their shiny new appearance and then, over time, oxidize to become the dull finish horns we occasionally see.   There are some considerations that should be made before selecting the “raw brass” finish.   

        When restoring brass instruments, the lacquer, silver-plating, black nickel plating or gold plating is applied not only for their beautiful appearances but these coatings act as protections against wear.  If the instrument is left in "raw brass" one needs to keep in mind that the elements as well as the acid from the player's own hands will attack the instrument and greatly decrease the life expectancy of your brass instrument.  

         Also, the residue from this oxidation process can be absorbed into the players system and may not be very healthy at all.  Some players have discovered that they are actually allergic to this brass oxidation residue.   

      The Musical Instrument Repair Shop does, on the occasion of a customer’s request, leave a brasswind restoration in the “raw brass”  finish, but only after having advised of the negative effects.

    The Bach Stradivarius Company used to state on their web site that Bach instruments are not available in raw brass due to the possibility of hazardous brass poisoning.     

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Effects of Finishes 

     We are aware of the rumors pertaining to the effects of the restoration process on  musical instruments and I do acknowledge that, in some cases, the rumors are fact based.  The techniques applied by some will have a negative effect on the instrument as "thinning out" of the materials can occur.  These poor techniques are what has, in some circles, given musical instrument restoration a bad reputation.  This next issue is one that, although difficult, must be addressed.   If performed correctly, and with particular care, there will be little to no loss of the instrument's material integrity, as the "hand burnishing" technique will restore the factory new smooth finish without the removal of base materials.  This hand burnishing process is always more time consuming, but well worth the extra effort.

       There is also the aspect of what we call the "freeing-up" of an instrument which is to be considered.  Most every instrument that comes across our bench for restoration has, at one time or another, been dented, twisted or damaged in some way.  Even though, in some cases, the damage is very slight or has been repaired, there still remains varying degrees of "stress" at all brace solder points.  This stress or tension does effect the resonant qualities and responsiveness of the instrument.  While in the process of restoration these "brace solder points" are unsoldered and then ultimately re-soldered in a relaxed/stress free condition.  The player will often notice an improvement in the resonant qualities and responsiveness upon playing their restored instrument.

        Another consideration is the fact that most instrument in need of restoration most likely have some level of corrosive build-up which has formed in the bore of the instrument.  Once again, while in the restoration process, all corrosion is removed by a series of bathes in solutions that are specifically designed to clean the inside bore of the entire instrument.  Once this process is completed the player will notice a change in the resistance factor, based on the absence of this corrosion obstruction.

               The final issue tends to be a more ambiguous one, as an exact definition of sound timbres depends greatly on individual opinions.  What one calls or hears as a bright sound, another will many times have a conflicting opinion.  We have had some professional musicians, throughout our over 40 years of service in the music industry, express that silver plating has "brightened, darkened, made more resonant, dampened",  and a range of descriptions in between, their instrument's "sound and response or projection".  After all has been said and done,  we tend to agree with the majority of professional musicians and have to conclude that there is no real discernable overall changes to a musical instrument's characteristic sound production based on the application of any one type of finish.

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