I'm thinking of getting my old Conn 6D ( 1936 )a cosmetic overhaul. Technical the instrument is in great shape but the silver plating is about 50%. Would it hurt to let remove the remaining silver and get it unlackered brass ?
And by hurting I mean the tone in the first place but I'm also interested in a decrease of value.
( What's the estimated value of such an old instrument anyway ?! )

Blewit,
The estimated value is; the overhaul will cost more than you can sell it for. If you are doing this for yourself don't worry about the value of the instrument. Unfortunately 6D's are sold for far less than they are worth. That of course is my opinion, there are many who think any 6D is a piece of crap (even a close, good friend of mine).

So if you want to have it overhauled for cosmtic reasons do so because you want to do so. Will it hurt the instrument? Generally, no probably not*. Will it change the sound and response? Technically yes, but will you notice it, probably not; will the audience notice it I truly doubt it.

If you want to remove the silver and go to unlacuered brass here is the process:
The Horn is put in a bath of chemicals. Some use sulfuric acid and nitric acid and some use a cyanide base. Both are dangerous to do yourself and even dangerous and hazardous for the professional. But, the horn is placed in this bath and UN-electroplated. The reverse of hen the horn was plated in the first place. Then the horn is cleaned, buffed, and polished. Technically when they buff and polish the horn they are wearing down the brass, so "technically" you are removing brass. It's your decision if you think this is hurting the instrument or not. I'm guessing you are looking a price to do it of about $1300.00

Will it hurt the tone? ahhhhhhhhh, it will change the tone somewhat. It will be a little bit different; not bad, not good necessarily just different.

Will it change the value? It might change the value but not by very much in either direction and that would depend on what the buyer is looking for when you choose to sell it, if you ever do. If you plan on keeping the horn til you die then it doesn't much matter.

Thank you for your reply !
I'm certainly not interested in the value for selling it; that's not gonna happen anyway because this instrument is my favorite ! For insurance reasons it would be helpfull to know.

What you stated about the loss of brass by polishing and buffing it up makes me hessitate to have the job done ! I'll sure want to keep playing this horn as long as possible and speeding up the wear of the material just for looks is getting me a bit back on my thoughts !

Blewit,

Again, please note I said "technically". I know some horn players who have their horns overhauled every 5 to 10 years. If you are doing it just once the loss of brass is going to be minimal, MINIMAL. That being said, I recently had my 1958 6D redone and modified. I love the horn and it has always played well. Unfortunately the horn was in a house fire. It still played well but looked awful. I had it stripped, cleaned, buffed, and polished. Unfortunately, the shop that was doing the work had an incident and their lacquer shop was no longer available. So I got it back in raw brass. At first I was disappointed, but I am happy enough with it right now. I still think it sounded beter with the old 1958 lacquer.

Your 1932 is a little different in that you have no lacquer, so the change from silver plate to raw brass won't have the same effect as mine did. Also I had a modification done which we won't talk about here right now. Raw brass is a beautiful look as it ages over the years. If you don't like it, down the road you can have it cleaned again and then have it lacquered with a hard lacquer which will give you a nice tight response. You're looking at $700 to clean, buff, polish, and lacquer it. But if you are doing it down the road it's not that bad when you consider the time that has gone by. Or you can silver plate it again.

Although I am forced to play my other horns for work; I do love my 6D very much and play it when I am not forced to play my 8D, or Paxman.

Insurance:
Is your horn going to be insured through a home owners policy, a renters insurance policy, or a specific instrument insurance policy? If covered under homeowners you're probably okay. If covered under renters insurance you're probably screwed. There are some great, fantastic insruance companies that only insure instruments. Better rates than renters insurance and way better no fault coverage. I can give you some names if you choose to go that way.

John

>there are many who think any 6D is a piece of crap<

That attitude always annoys me. Ok, I'm just an amatuer, but I truly believe it's the hornist not the horn that makes the music.

A local college music student showed up to sub last evening at orchestra rehearsal playing a Conn 6D and she sounded WONDERFUL on 4th horn. I've heard both beautiful music and horrid noise coming out the bell of 8D's. I have recordings of some of the most fabulous horn music ever made by Barry Tuckwell playing a factory horn, the Holton 180. And Dennis Brain played on horns that would be considered junk by today's standards.

It's not the horn, but the hornist that makes the music.

Valerie Wells
http://bebabe.wordpress.com/
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/

Yes, Valerie you are so on. It is the player for the most part. I have heard many people try and play a Conn 8D only to hear it is too big for them. Conn 6D's were used in major symphony orchestras for many many years. It wasn't until after WWII that American Orchestras moved to the larger Horn sound. (and that was just to be sure not to sound like any european orchestra).

6D's are great horns in many many ways.
I don't think there's even one American Orchestra today that is using a section of 8D's, only at the movie recording studios ( and even then I'm seeing a lot more Schmidts showing up there as well).

I think there's still one professional horn section that still does, but I can't remember which one. All I know is it's from Ohio -- either Cleveland or Cincinatti. (I'm such a lame brain.) I heard them at the 2008 IHS symposium ALL playing 8D's and saw them ALL playing on leg. And ... it was absolutely gorgeous.

I don't play an 8D because it's just too much horn for me, but I love the sound they make when played well.

I think the biggest mistake people make when they play the 8D is to play with that exaggerated Hollywood Wah-wah style. It's sets my teeth on edge whenever I hear it. Of course, it's not just 8D players who do this, but it seems so much more pronounced when it comes from an 8D.

Valerie Wells
http://bebabe.wordpress.com/
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/

Well it's definitely not Cincinatti as I was just talking to my friend who plays there. I didn't think Cleveland was playing 8D's. But I know Alice does, Carl Hartmann does not, Adam Norris does not. Well at least not anymore; I'll bet they used to.

With the new music halls and the change in Horn sound and performance that conductors want, very few are able to play an 8D. And really it's ridiculous to try. But they are still quite popular in the smaller orchestras and pits, apparently.

SInce you brought it up Valerie, you should have heard Chicago when they were playing the old brass schmidts.

>SInce you brought it up Valerie, you should have heard Chicago when they were playing the old brass schmidts.<

I'd love to hear that. If you know who the conductor was at the time, I might be able to get my hands on a recording. My local library has a nice collection of old recordings.

Valerie Wells
http://bebabe.wordpress.com/
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/