Posted by dp on April 20, 2002 at 16:36:23:
In Reply to: un-laquered horns posted by tubajermz on April 19, 2002 at 23:27:26:
Today if you get a tubas from suppliers like Rudy Meinl, Alexander, or Gronitz, purchased new they come standard with no lacquer - lacquer costs extra (like 8-15% more) because the horn requires cleaning and polishing and cleaning again prior to being sprayed with the clear lacquer finish. In the United States, currently most distributors of these horns (as well as Mirafone, M-W, and B&S/PT) automatically have the horns lacquered this way prior to shipment. Most folks somehow ignore this fact when attempting to price-shop by looking at an overseas website, and then using their math to try and leverage a stateside distributor on price.
Also, and regardless of my midwest music-friend's contention that gig-bags are the most plausable reason for (apparent) loss of lacquer, there ARE in fact a very few horns out there that are lacquer-worn because they are actually used!!!