Brass is the basic metal used in the construction of the trumpet, trombone, French horn and tuba. Very often the instrument has a silver-hued metal plating to give it a brilliant shine and, frequently, a lacquer finish over that.
- Skill level:
- Moderately Easy
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Things you need
- Flugelhorns
- French Horns
- Bugles
- Cornets
- Sousaphones
- Trombones
- Trumpets
- Tubas
- Nonabrasive Silver Polishes
- Mild Soap
- soft, clean cloths
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Instructions
- 1
Use a mild soap on a clean washrag to remove any accumulated residue.
- 2
Rinse and dry the instrument.
- 3
Determine if the instrument has a lacquer finish sprayed over silver plating. If it does, do not use a silver cleaner on it!
- 4
Use silver cleaning paste or cream only if a silver-plated instrument has no lacquer finish! In this case, use very small amounts of the paste or cream on a small portion of the bell.
- 5
Remove the paste or cream with a damp rag and note the effect on the metal beneath.
- 6
Be cautious and note if the silver plating is so thin that it is wearing away and the darker metal beneath is being exposed. If so, stop!
- 7
Continue using in larger areas only if you see a rich and even reflection in the metal.
Tips and warnings
- Perspiration or fluid from your hands can cause continuing discoloration on a horn. Many instrumentalists use a small, clean cloth to shield the horn where it touches the skin.
- A leather grip can be purchased to wrap around the valve casing of the trumpet or cornet to achieve this protection.
- Hagerty's non-abrasive silver polish is recommended by the repair department of Best Instrument Repair of Oakland, CA.
- Note that replating is expensive - a complete re-lacquer job on a trumpet can cost $375.
- Silver polish on lacquer will cause irreversible damage!
- Keep the silver cleaning cream or paste from penetrating the interior portions of the valves and slides.