Relacquer/plate and engraving 24h

[Johntrom]

I’ve got a 1958 24H that has lost all of its lacquer on the bell and I’m thinking of having it silver plated to keep it protected but I love the engraving on it thats a little faded in some areas.

How much will having it plated affect the engraving and if it will significantly, how difficult is it re-engrave or touch up the engraving lost in the process of plating it?

Don’t really care about it affecting the sound/playability, it’s just my practise/rehearsal horn.

[elmsandr]

The plating won't do anything to the engraving.... but the prep work could destroy it. You have to clean and buff the surface for the plating to work.

There are some folks that can touch it up, but they are very talented and usually pricey.

Cheers,
Andy

[hyperbolica]

Personally, I wouldn't refinish a 24h, unless you have the skills and equipment to do it correctly yourself. You'll pay more for the restoration work than the horn is worth. You can get these horns often for less than $500. I bought a great one for $250. You can find old silver plated ones. Unless you're totally not concerned about the money, or you plan to use it as your main axe for a long time, I'd just find and buy one you like better, or one that someone else is going to take the restoration loss on.

If you hand polish an unlacquered brass horn and apply car wax to it, it will remain shiny for a while, and you won't degrade the engraving. There are a lot of these things around, just like the old NY Bach 6. You'd think they'd be more valuable because they play unexpectedly well, but they're usually very cheap. Some retail houses will try to get you to spend over $1000 on one, but don't fall for that.

[OneTon]

When brass oxidizes, the oxidation is the surface protection. It turns whatever color it turns to and the “corrosion” stops. Keep it clean with dish soap and water, and it will last longer than you will. The prep for silver plating or plating and lacquer is buffing on a buffing wheel. It is a hand operation. People get good at it but results vary. A review of the trombones for sale on the HN White site shows what variation occurs. Those guys are professionals: They do it every day. What you do is your choice. Engraving that is already faint could disappear. Ask an engraver how much it costs. If the engraving disappears the metal is being thinned and that could change the sound. If it is a yard bird I would enjoy it the way it is. I would enjoy it the way it is even if it were not a yard bird. Or be patient: Those horns routinely show up at Dillons or on Reverb. Brass Exchange has one right now.