Saxophone Forum


by Drvlsco
(6 posts)
20 years ago

Best care for silver plated saxophone?

Hello, I have recently purchased a new Alto Yamaha silver plated custom z (have not yet received it). I would like to keep it in top shape for as long as possible. can anybody tell me the best way to keep it from tarnishing? Thanks, Adam

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  1. by writermom
    (2 posts)

    20 years ago

    Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

    Congratulations on your new sax! As far as I know, the silverplated Yamahas do not have lacquer on top of the silver. (I'm going to be buying one of the silverplated YAS-62IIs, and the one I've been looking at is not lacquered.) I have been told to use a silver polishing cloth on it.

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    1. by SaxMan
      (559 posts)

      20 years ago

      Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

      Im pretty sure that ther 62 has lacquer on it, though i cant be sure.

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      1. by zeroatma
        (2 posts)

        20 years ago

        Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

        I e-mailed Yamaha about this, since I have the same model. According to them, it does not have laquer on it

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    2. by [email protected]
      (2 posts)

      20 years ago

      Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

      Go to Ebay and do a Search on Vintage Sax Anti Corrosion Kit. I have a product there that will blow you away. 100% money back. Lemme know if you like it.

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      1. by golferguy675
        (600 posts)

        20 years ago

        Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

        What ever happened to max? If I remember right, he had a couple 50 some posts arguements with Saxman, and a couple others. Did he get banned?

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        1. by SaxMan
          (559 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

          Don't forget his rare mark VI's, he had some rare mark VI's. I think mark talke dot him and told him what and idiot he was.

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      2. by FISHERMAN
        (31 posts)

        20 years ago

        Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

        Hello, Drvlsco I am no specialist in this area and we just had a link in the sax repair section concerning silver horn's. From my understanding all of the new model silver horn's have a clear coat protection applied. I have the Yani 9930 sterling soprano and they recommend a regular lacquer polishing cloth only. I try to wipe my horn down after every use and swab it out to remove all excessive moisture. I also purchased thru Saxforte the 3m silver anti-tarnish strips. Have no idea how they work but from every thing I have heard they really help fight oxidation. I would have to guess trying to keep in a climate controlled environment would also be a asset. Following these guidelines my soprano still looks perfect. I am very careful using sax stand also knowing Silver is a very soft metal I place a silk cloth over the stand before I place my horn on it. Hope maybe this helped some I am learning by trial and error and just extremely careful. There is a couple of guy's out here that do this for a living so maybe they can shed a little more light on the subject.

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        1. by sax_maniac
          (984 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

          I use the 3M strips, though those can be bought at various places on line and for significantly less than what saxforte is asking. I think it's good to keep the horn clean from dust as much as possible as dust is actually quite abrasive and silver is quite soft. I use a clean damp cotton rag to gently wipe off the dust and other ickies before I go at it with a polishing rag. And be gentle. Keep the horn in the case with those tarnish strips.

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      3. by tommyt2u
        (1 post)

        7 years ago

        Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

        It seems I'm the first to reply to this thread in 12 years... I looked up this same question in October 2016 right before I got my brand-new Silver-plated YAS-62iii. I live in SoCal (non-coastal area) and the daily average humidity is 11 percent and we keep the house (internal) temperature at about 72 degrees Fahrenheit year round. First the Silver-plated Yamahas are definitely NOT lacquered. This is very unfortunate and ridiculous in my opinion. The slightest abrasion by "anything" will leave a hair-line scratch(s) on the horn and if makes metal to metal contact it will be a prominent scratch. I used the anti-tarnished strips mentioned in this thread and I don't believe they do a thing. After just 3 months tarnish began showing up, mainly on the neck and around the low-C key. I clean the horn thoroughly after every use and let it sit in the stand for about 2 hours after swabbing to ensure it is completely dry on the inside. Now 8 months old, she shows tarnish more and more. I've cleaned the trash off with the Goddard's Silver Polishing Cloth a few times but it seems this would become a monthly process if I want the horn to stay like-new. I don't believe that is best as it will end up removing the silver at a greatly accelerated rate.

        So, to sum it up - the Silver-plated YAS-62iii plays bright & beautiful, but she will not stay looking like that. If your name is Dave Koz or Mindi Abair then yes, you should have a Silver-plated YAS-62!!!! Otherwise a lacquered, gold-plated horn will be 100 times more easier to maintain its looks.

        UPDATED/EDIT: I put my Hard Rubber Vandoren V16 mouthpiece in my horn case from the very start. It turns out there is sulfur in HR Mpcs... This explains why my new silver horn was tarnishing so fast. Once I pulled the Mouthpiece out and stored it elsewhere, the tarnishing practical stopped! Best FYI I can offer anyone on silver non-lacquered saxophones, took me forever to research/discover that!!!! Cheers!
         

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      4. by Drvlsco
        (6 posts)

        20 years ago

        Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

        Thanks alot for the advice guys!! I will definately try that! Can't wait till I receive my horn. Take care Adam

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        1. by SaxMan
          (559 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

          whatever you do, dont gt it from saxforte, he over charges you by about - 300 fold. And btw, silver doesnt oxidize unless you heat it up really hot, the sulphur in the air is what makes it go. (there are a few others, but sulphur is the main offender.) The strips have some chemical that reacts with the sulphur and absorbs it - I have some hagerties strips - only good on one side, and my sax has looks almost brand new after 2 years, I am sure it would look brand new if I had those strips for the first year.

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          1. by sax_maniac
            (984 posts)

            20 years ago

            Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

            "silver doesn't oxidize unless you heat it up really hot"???? Apparently my grandmother stored the heirloom chafing dish in the fireplace.

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            1. by SaxMan
              (559 posts)

              20 years ago

              Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

              Im here in honolulu - got acces to a comp Yeah you fucking moron, you have to add heat to make silver oxidize, when silver turns black, its from sulphur, not oxygen.

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            2. by oversaxed
              (4 posts)

              20 years ago

              Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

              If this kind of language is going to be tolerated on this forum, I will have to find other things to do with my time.

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          2. by Drvlsco
            (6 posts)

            20 years ago

            Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

            Thanks for the advice saxman!!!

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          3. by chiamac
            (586 posts)

            20 years ago

            Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

            WTF? go on ebay and buy a clue saxman.

            Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM


            1. by golferguy675
              (600 posts)

              20 years ago

              Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

              LOL, I'm not sure what that was about, but way to stir up a discussion. I'm sure this one will have 600 posts like every other arguement we start.

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            2. by zeroatma
              (2 posts)

              20 years ago

              Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

              I've heard it's sulfur as well, which makes sense since silver oxide looks significantly different from tarnish I have a question: My (silver) YTS62S tenor is starting to tarnish. It took a little while for me to catch it, I thought my lighting was bad, or that it was just reflecting the brass of my old brass student alto next to it. My tenor is starting to show just a little bit of a bronzy hue, and I want to clean it up ASAP and as gently as I can. Any suggestions?

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            3. by golferguy675
              (600 posts)

              20 years ago

              Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

              Just go at it with a silver polishing cloth for a couple of hours, and put more thought into where you are storing your intstrument, and i dont really understand how, but those tarnish strip work really well.

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          4. by golferguy675
            (600 posts)

            20 years ago

            Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

            I got one of those. They're freakin awesome! Mines unlacquered though.

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            1. by JBO42
              (5 posts)

              20 years ago

              Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

              hey golferguy just got a quick question- are u letting your unlacquered horn oxidate or are you trying to keep it in that shiny unlacquered horn look? jw.

              Reply To Post AIM


              1. by JBO42
                (5 posts)

                20 years ago

                Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

                wow...those posts were from a long time ago - hehehe- my bad!

                Reply To Post AIM


                1. by [email protected]
                  (2 posts)

                  20 years ago

                  Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

                  Go to eBay and check out "vintage sax anti corrosion kit". I have a "VCI" (vapor, corrosion, inhibitor) kit you can buy cheap that will keep your horn schweet for two years.

                  Reply To Post


                2. by SaxMan
                  (559 posts)

                  20 years ago

                  Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

                  ahhh crap...well...n/m. Just ignore your brass horn and let it get a patina - then your hands won't stink as bad, and it is fuitle to try and keep the brass shiny any ways.

                  Reply To Post


              2. by golferguy675
                (600 posts)

                20 years ago

                Re: Best care for silver plated saxophone?

                I've let my horn oxidate. -Obviously it's been a while now, and I really am satisfied with the way it looks now. It's got a nice vintage look now. The unlacquered horns resonate much more than any of the lacquered horns, I love it. You still have to polish it from time to time, because the nice vintage patina can tend to want to turn green sometimes.

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