Posted by disagreeing on March 01, 2004 at 00:55:08:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Thoughts on raw brass posted by Wade on February 29, 2004 at 12:58:16:
Wade, none of this is meant as a flame.
Take two tubas, both Gronitz model PCM (though the make and model don't really matter, could be any German made tuba, even an Alex...).
--The are both used and have the same price.
--They play the same as far as you can tell.
--One is raw brass, one has a nice shiny lacquer finish.
Which one do you choose and why?
Do you really need a scientific study to tell you the answer????
I will choose the lacquered one every time.
Would you still choose the lacquered one if it cost $200 more? I still would.
A lacquer finish costs extra euros, which usually around $500 US. Relacquering a horn will cost nearly twice that.
When you buy a car, would you pay for a premium paint job that you don't receive?
Now I agree with YOUR choice to strip the lacquer. I think aesthetics count. I think a lacquer job that's worn and looks like hell is less preferable to raw brass. A horn in either condition would have to be awful special for ME to consider buying it. I don't like my hands turning green and smelling like metal after I've played my horn, however I WOULD strip a horn for the same reason you did. The original poster asked about the change in timbre. Stripping a horn for that purpose is rubbish. It will be noticeable to the player up close, but not out in the hall.
I agree with the person who you responded to. Everything else held equal, a nice lacquer job is worth more to me than a raw brass instrument. So, if somebody strips off their NICE coat of lacquer, they have reduced the value of their horn to ME. I will guarantee you I'm not alone. Unlacquered brass is more work for me, therefore I'm not willing to pay the same price for it, therefore it has less value.
A lot of Alexes do come from the factory without lacquer, probably because the original purchaser didn't feel like paying the extra $$$.
The topic of stripping usually comes up from younger folks that have a nice shiny tuba and seem to think the sound will make a dramatic change. They also seem to think that brown is old and COOL! They will look like a PRO! The time they would spend stripping their tuba will yield greater results if it was spent in the practice room instead. I stripped the lacquer off my first CC tuba (12 years ago). It didn't make much of a difference at all. The only time I've removed lacquer since then was an accident....
Christian, just giving an opinion