Plating and lacquering price

[pgym]

.... Doesn't the raw brass tarnish and turn your skin green wherever it touches? ...

The short answer is 'NO'. Also... raw brass does not smell bad.

Huh? Raw brass does indeed tarnish (much moreso than silver) and it does stink. I have two mostly raw brass tubas and try to keep them clean. But they do tarnish like crazy (they turn a dull green-brown at contact points after a couple weeks) and they leave that metal/brass smell on my hands. I always try to wash my hands after putting the horn away.

Raw brass does tarnish, but it won't necessarily turn your skin green (or smell bad): those are largely a matter of a player's body chemistry.