Rose Gold or Copper Plate a Sousaphone Bell

[cthompsonjr]

Hi! Does anybody out there have the capability of plating the inside of a sousaphone bell copper or rose gold? A copper plug and plate kit from Caswell will take forever!

[cthompsonjr]

Anderson Plating has already said no to the copper plating. They stated that they don't have a tank that is big enough for it. Someone told me get in touch with Joe Sellsmanburger (please don't hold me accountable for the spelling!). I called his music shop, left a message but never received a return call. I don't know what else to do!

[Kevin Hendrick]

I think you just did ...

Joe, are there any other platers around with larger tanks (that would be willing to do copper plating)?

[Dan Schultz]

...... Someone told me get in touch with Joe Sellsmanburger (please don't hold me accountable for the spelling!). I called his music shop, left a message but never received a return call. I don't know what else to do!

[cthompsonjr]

Small world! No hope out there. I guess I better stock up on some copper plating kits!

[Lew]

I would contact Dan Oberloh and ask his opinion. He seems to do a lot of different unusual plating jobs. Although I think the tank size is probably still an issue.

[imperialbari]

If you are in a damp and rainy climate, you may paint it reddish brown with green freckles right away.

Klaus

[Waltski]

Orange County Choppers made a Libery bike that was copper plated from small pieces of the Statue of Liberty recovered when it was last renovated. Most parts of the bike, the largest of which is the frame, were plated. The copper plating was done by Chromemasters, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee. Perhaps you could give them a call...

[averagejoe]

Does all this mean that it would also be near impossible to refinish a tuba in red or rose brass? I have read all the refinishing threads but the only options mentioned are lacquer and silver plate. Am I the only one who loves red brass?

[Tuba Guy]

I believe rose brass is the material that the bell is made of, whereas lacquer and silver plating are finishes that are done on top of the material...
for example, you could have
Material Finish
Rose Brass lacquer
Rose Brass silver plated
Gold Brass lacquer
Gold Brass silver plate
copper lacquer
...you get the idea

[Donn]

Does all this mean that it would also be near impossible to refinish a tuba in red or rose brass?

It means that the Tubenet crowd doesn't know. Someone who seriously wants to do it, can read this thread for pointers to people who would know. They may be able to provide further pointers - for example, it's possible that other types of industries employ plating services that would work for a tuba, and who would be willing to take on random jobs like this where the usual instrument platers can't be bothered. But you'd have to know all the stuff they don't know about plating - maybe prep, maybe how to keep the insides from getting plated, valves, etc.

I have read all the refinishing threads but the only options mentioned are lacquer and silver plate. Am I the only one who loves red brass?

Probably the only one who loves it that much, to want it plated over the top of yellow brass. Copper plating seems to be rare as a final finish, too, but silver or gold plate is commonly done on top of a thin copper plate, or not so thin if there will be some machining before the final plate. So it's hard to see why instrument platers would have a problem with plain copper, but that's only speculation.

If you want something weird looking like that, though, I think one of those bright color lacquers would be the way to go, ideally over silver plate if you want the $18,500 resale value. Or sparkly spray paint.

[averagejoe]

Hmm, I guess I was wrong in thinking that I could be done similar to silver plating.

[Donn]

Hmm, I guess I was wrong in thinking that I could be done similar to silver plating.

No, you're right, it's just like silver plating (more or less.)

[imperialbari]

As I hinted in a previous posting, the copper plating will be vulnerable towards getting green spots if exposed to moisture.

Others have told that copper plating is used as base for other plating, so it is very well possible. Why then the reluctance by those able to do it?

It may be a matter of honesty.

I have gold plated and silver plated instruments plus of course lacquered ones and bare ones in all shades of yellow or red brass.

Nobody will take my plated instruments for being solid gold or silver. I am not sure about there being any solid gold instruments out there aside from flutes, but King and other makers have made instruments with especially bells and/or leadpipes out of solid Sterling silver. All of these silver elements that I have seen documented have had elaborate stamping telling them not being just plated.

Copper instruments have been rather rare, but the late Fred Marzan had a copper tuba. I have an old Cerveny Kaiser Bariton with most of the main bugle being very red. One may like the playing of these instruments or not, but they tend to be remarkable (if for nothing else by their looks, but also with their sweet softness and slightly volatile loudness).

Plating yellow brass with copper kind of approaches cheating. The instruments still have the more robust sound of yellow brass even if they let you expect the playing properties of copper/red brass.

Klaus

[Wyvern]

Am I the only one who loves red brass?

Red brass is a metal that a few tubas are made of, rather than a plating option. If you really want a red brass tuba, then that is what you should buy - something like my Cerveny 701 which is really red brass (and attracts a lot of compliments because of that)

[averagejoe]

Neptune, i have seen pics of your horn and it is gorgeous! I am saving up for an F tuba (don't want to go Eb because learning F will make it easy to play a cimbasso if I ever need to) and have my eye on the Cerveny CFB 753 arion baby. Hopefully Ferguson music will have some in by the time I get the money, as I don't want to buy sight unseen unless I absolutely have to. The 753 is in all red brass, and it is a great value. Also, Matt at Dillons said that they can order any Cerveny horn in red brass for a 20-30% surcharge. A 703 F, a CC piggy, a 601 kaiser (if they listed them in red for CC I guess it would be 701), and a cimbasso all in red brass would one heck of an arsenal. If I had a 3/4 and a 5/4 CC I would sell my 4/4 and then I wouldn't need to worry about replating. Too bad I'm not rich...

[eupher61]

you could always get an Eb cimbasso.

[Wyvern]

A 703 F, a CC piggy, a 601 kaiser (if they listed them in red for CC I guess it would be 701), and a cimbasso all in red brass would one heck of an arsenal. If I had a 3/4 and a 5/4 CC I would sell my 4/4 and then I wouldn't need to worry about replating. Too bad I'm not rich...

The red brass Cerveny are all 7xx. Nice to have a dream. Now all you need to do is work and save hard to make it come true - Good Luck!