MarkMin

Hello
I have an Olds Recording in the usual lacquer and nickel. It's not too bad really, though the lacquer on the side of the bell tubing where the trumpet was in a case is mostly worn away, as is the area just near the third valve where previous owners must have rested the trumpet on their first fingers.

I'm not ready to go ahead and strip the lacquer from this trumpet yet -- it's too beautiful -- but if I do get to that stage I'd like to know what would happen with the nickel: some of it is quite marked/worn/scratched, especially where the finger lies across the top of the third valve tube to reach the slide trigger. Anyone have any experience with removing or restoring nickel plating? What happens if you put the trumpet in water with aluminium as I've seen suggested?

BTW this is a beautiful sounding trumpet, way better than I will ever be (though probably most pro trumpets are!). It's c.1968. Eventually I may strip it back, but I don't want to lose the three color look -- has anyone completely stripped back a Recording? Do they maintain their tone and looks?

Cheers.

A.N.A. Mendez

Send it to this man
http://www.charliesbrassworks.com/

And it will look like this

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(Above) Alexanders ragtime band-circa 1960

"Baby, I'm already the coolest, and the hippist, now you want me to be on time too?" Buddy Love

"We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and our best generals to edit our newspapers." Robert E. Lee

MarkMin

I live in Australia!

Big Daddy

That's a sweet looking Recording A.N.A. Mendez.

tedh1951

So do I but why does that matter - Charlies Brass Works has a fine reputation - the post works pretty well as long as you pack your instrument correctly. A quick phone call is inexpensive although you may have to get out of bed a bit early - say around 5:30-6:00am. AEST.

If you are going to post it to a repair shop here in Oz then distance is something you won't see - and timing is all in your head. I would only recommend one repairer here in Australia and he is not taking any new clients.

Do you have a choice - a good horn must be worth it, and the exchange rate is currently quite good too.

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Ted

ozboy

Maurice Zahner at Better Sounds is the go in Australia. He's the only guy I trust with my horns.
www.bettersounds.com.au/
Check out the work he has done.It is terrific

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acousticbrew.biz

A.N.A. Mendez

Thanks!

__________________
(Above) Alexanders ragtime band-circa 1960

"Baby, I'm already the coolest, and the hippist, now you want me to be on time too?" Buddy Love

"We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and our best generals to edit our newspapers." Robert E. Lee

MarkMin

Thanks everyone for your replies, I will check it all out.

And I wish I could get one of those early Recordings with the double trombone spit keys and the easily removable third tuning slides (not to mention that engraving).

Best.

lakerjazz

Your recording, unless very unique, should not be nickel plated; it should be lacquered throughout. The nickel is actually what it's made out of.
My recording used to be raw, and it was still three tone, but the bell and leadpipe were very red, not rose like they are when it's lacquered.

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'50 Olds Recording-Los Angeles

MarkMin

I'm not meaning to be obstreperous or obstinate here, but I'm not sure I follow:

I always thought the bell was lacquered rose brass (Re-O-Loy?); the valve casings, main tuning slide, 1st & 2nd tuning slides, and the end of the 3rd tuning slide lacquered brass; and the ballusters, 1st, 2nd, 3rd tubes coming from the valve casing, the mouthpipe, and water keys &c lacquered nickel-silver plating.

Does the nickel go over the brass, or are these parts made of nickel? If that's the case, would that mean that the valve casings are two-piece (brass and nickel)? Or are they one piece nickel and the lower part then lacquered gold?

It certainly appears like there's a layer--in fact a couple of layers--of nickel-silver over brass on the third tuning slide. Or is the wear I'm seeing lacquer over nickel wearing away?

In any case, there are definitely three colors.

Best.