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Re: Wick plating

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Wick plating
From: "Ian W. Wright" <Ian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 21:15:43 +0000
In-reply-to: <E0ypFjV-0004pb-00@neodymium.btinternet.com>
Priority: normal
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The whole problem with the plating on Wick mouthpieces and now 
apparently on Sovereign horns is that its too thin. Presumably this 
is due to penny-pinching on the part of the makers and is a classic 
case of 'spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar'.
I would suggest that Wick either sack thier plater as he's probably 
putting the plating that should go onto the mouthpieces onto fiddle 
jobs, or, more likely, stop trying to economise on the one part that 
really matters.
There is another very likely cause of the failure of this plating and 
that is an incompatibility of materials. For some reason, Wick plate 
the gold direct onto the brass of the mouthpiece and it is likely 
that, due to the composition of the brass, the gold does not adhere 
very well and so just rubs off. Also, they may not be cleaning the 
brass well enough before plating. Gold is a funny and temperamental 
metal to plate and it probably doesn't like the lead or other alloys 
in the brass. If you are going to gold plate anything, it is usual to 
either silver or copper plate it first as these metals adhere well 
and give a good base for the 'flash' of gold. - So, if you have a 
Wick mouthpiece you like where the plating is wearing, I would 
suggest that you get it polished up and replated with a good layer of 
silver, then a thin layer of gold over this if you wish. It will then 
last you for life - of course, Wick won't be too pleased as they 
won't be able to sell you a new mouthpiece every couple of years will 
they?

Ian
Ian W. Wright
Bandmaster and Euphonium player of the Hathersage Silver Band, Derbyshire, England
see our web page at:- www.geocities.com/hollywood/6067/home.html


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References:
- Re: Wick plating
  - From: Mark Tarry

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