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nworbekim wrote:i'm not sure what gold brass bell lacquer is.

I'm assuming this means it's a lacquer-finish instrument with a gold brass bell. That would be in contrast to the standard yellow brass. This is the only one of the options that REALLY makes a difference -- it's a different type of brass, not just a different appearance. Gold brass will give you a warmer sound, with a little less edge and a little less projection. Yellow brass will be a little brighter, more potential to get edgy, and perhaps better projection.

If it were me, I wouldn't get the gold brass, something this small I would want all the projection help I could get. Raw brass, silver, or lacquer, everyone has an opinion about the actual effects, there's really not a lot of agreement on the subject. I think plain ol' lacquer makes the most sense for most people, unless you just like the way it looks in another finish.

Especially for an audience located farther from the bell - so I suppose as usual the ideal would be an evaluation that includes sharp eared confederates.

Schilke experimented with finishes. His observations are summarized here:
http://www.dallasmusic.org/schilke/Bras ... l#Finishes" target="_blank

That said, new "dry" or "epoxy" or "electrostatic" lacquer finishes are much, much thinner in their coatings, and so there really aren't any noticeable differences anymore. It's mostly a matter of taste, and what will wear well with the particular player's body chemistry.

Frankly, if the gold brass does have the affect of holding together a bit louder. ..I'd go for that. The projection isn't going to be that different, they aren't really intended to fill an arena. Holding together at a list volume would be a huge plus in my book.

At one time there was a "gold lacquer" that was used by Selmer (Paris) on their trumpets and saxophones. It had a deeper gold appearance than clear lacquer. When relacquering a Selmer Paris instrument shops used gold lacquer, and it could be specified for other instruments, as it was sprayed on the same.