Silver finish on Mpc wearing?!

improver · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 1455

What do you do with a Mpc you love but the smooth silver finish is wearing where your lips hit it? You guys continue to play it? Anything I can do to make it better? Thx

cheiden · Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 8:13 am Post subject:

I'd just replace it. If it's unique or hard to replace then I'd send it for replating. It's not a big deal to replate a mouthpiece.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

Turkle · Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 9:11 am Post subject:

I would be very careful about replating. Others can chime in here that are more knowledgable than I about these things, but there are a few issues that come to mind right away:

- You only want the rim replated. Plating the inside of the mouthpiece could alter the throat or cup shape in a way that irreversably damages it.

- Do they have to buff the mouthpiece to plate it? If so, you'll have to change the shape of the rim, possibly ruining it.

Thomas Gansch plays an old Bach megatone mouthpiece that looks like it's been through several wars. So a roughed-up mouthpiece isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Good luck!
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Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
Yamaha 8310Z flugel
Curry 3.

cheiden · Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 6:47 pm Post subject:

My understanding is that buffing and plating can indeed alter a piece so it's definitely advisable to use a pro shop for the work. But if it's for minor plating wear it might not be such a big job. When Reeves married a rim to an underpart for me and had to machine a bit to eliminate a ridge the resulting piece needed just that thin line plated. He did it while a I waited.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

royjohn · Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 10:10 pm Post subject:

Please, let's get a handle on the dimensions we're talking about here. Plating is less than 0.001" thick. How accurate are the dimensions of a mpc? Can they be reproduced to plus or minus 0.001"? Buffing a mpc need not remove as much as half a thousandth of an inch of material. Be aware of what ballpark you are playing in...
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royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

yourbrass · Posted: Sat May 09, 2020 12:53 pm Post subject:

JayKosta · Posted: Sat May 09, 2020 1:15 pm Post subject:

If sending out for replating, I would get commitment first that they would only clean (and maybe buff) the minimum amount to have the plating process work. Emphasize that minor nicks or scratches should NOT be removed by buffing - you are not expecting a 'new mouthpiece' appearance, just your old mouthpiece 'warts & all' with good plating. An over zealous buffing can remove enough metal to make everything smooth, but that's not what you want.

Jay
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Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
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