The coat of lacquer is too thin to affect the sound. There was a poster here a while back who went on about having the lacquer completely removed fom his sax and that it really opened up his sound. He was deluding himself. If the sound opened up, it was probably because after the horn was reassembled, the keys were regulated better. It is more likely that since he believed that removing the lacquer would open up his sound, whatever that meant to him, than in his mind, the sound did open up. It had nothing to do with the removal of the lacquer. However, he really thought so. Getting a good set-up and the right reed and mouthpiece for you will do more for the sound than anything else. I agree that you should leave the lacquer as is. As long as the horn sounds and plays well, that is most important. Also, the resale value of your horn is better with the original lacquer, whatever its condition than if you had it re-lacquered.