Gold Plating a Xeno

Kinkan1 · New Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 10

Dear Connoisseurs and Aficionados,
I've found a Xeno .462 silver plate that I really like; I also really like gold plate! I wonder what would happen if I had this horn gold plated by Kanstul or Anderson? I expect it would become slightly darker, but I doubt it would affect the ease of blow in the upper register--or would it?
Many thanks,
Kinkan1

Tom LeCompte · Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:18 am Post subject:

The layer of gold applied is incredibly thin: less than 7 microns. That's 1/3600 of an inch. Put another way, the thickness of gold added is less than the variation in thickness of most silver platings.

I believe that most of the changes in sound ascribed to gold plating are due to the player's sound concept. If he thinks it will make the sound darker (or brighter), that's the sound he hears in his head, and that's the sound that comes out of the trumpet. While the plating did "cause" the change in sound, it did so though psychology, not physics.

modularwill · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:04 pm Post subject:

Agree entirely!

And most gold goes on at less than 3 microns....6 is very generous and the maximum you can do.
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Yamie tuning bell D/Eb with Schilke leadpipe & Xeno C bell

BigBadWolf · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:07 pm Post subject:

modularwill · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:12 pm Post subject:

Apparently it is to do with stress. My plater tried to explain it to me but didn't realise that I was a trumpet player and therefore had very little brain.
I just know that you can't go over 6 but 6 would last you a lifetime as long as you didn't use abrasive cleaners.
_________________
www.willspencer.org
Modular Bach 37GH/MK tuning slide & Bronze 5 leadpipe
Modular Xeno C tpt 229GH/MK tuning slide & Bronze Mtv 7R leadpipe
Yamie Long Model Bb/A picc
Yamie tuning bell D/Eb with Schilke leadpipe & Xeno C bell

Wheeler · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 3:38 pm Post subject:

Refreshing to hear someone finally tell the truth about gold plate.
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Best Wishes,
John Wheeler

Tootsall · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 May 2002 Posts: 2952

Leigh McKinney told me that he specifies 4-5 micron from the plater he uses.

Then, of course, there is the old 14 vs 20 vs 24 karat debate.

Will, do you use the same firm that Leigh goes to?

Tom LeCompte · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 4:09 pm Post subject:

The gold plate is transparent - the light actually reflects primarily off the silver underneath. If the gold is too thick, it doesn't look as good as a thinner layer. So while it may be possible to get very thick layers of gold, it may not be desirable.

modularwill · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:00 pm Post subject:

Mmm.
Not sure about transparent...I do copper under my gold and it looks the same over silver. It has flaked off when prep has been poor and is not transparent. The thichness I think causes levelling probs. I'll double check next time I'm at the plater.
I don't use the same plater as Leigh as I trained a local plater who didn't do musical instruments.
Too many instruments were arriving in my workshop with bad plate jobs for me to trust anyone.
Saying that, I've used Leigh's plater and seen his work. It looks great!
_________________
www.willspencer.org
Modular Bach 37GH/MK tuning slide & Bronze 5 leadpipe
Modular Xeno C tpt 229GH/MK tuning slide & Bronze Mtv 7R leadpipe
Yamie Long Model Bb/A picc
Yamie tuning bell D/Eb with Schilke leadpipe & Xeno C bell

Tom LeCompte · Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:18 am Post subject:

WIll, I have 7 microns of gold (thickest I could get) on a piece of mylar. You can see right thorough it!

modularwill

OK,

So I phoned my plater who is a serious plating geek and says that gold is transparent at about 0.1 micron...seems to think that you may be a few decimal places out.

If you like I could scratch some off and send it to you.
_________________
www.willspencer.org
Modular Bach 37GH/MK tuning slide & Bronze 5 leadpipe
Modular Xeno C tpt 229GH/MK tuning slide & Bronze Mtv 7R leadpipe
Yamie Long Model Bb/A picc
Yamie tuning bell D/Eb with Schilke leadpipe & Xeno C bell