TromboneChat

Is there any particular care required for a King Silversonic? I am acquiring an old SS 2B and wonder if it’s possible to shine up the bell.

If it's tarnished, you should use silver polish.

Aren't the SilverSonic bells lacquered?

That is correct!

That’s why I am asking. My understanding is that the bells are lacquer over silver. I use a jewellers polish on my mpcs. It works very well but I wonder if it would work as well on a Silversonic bell.

If it's tarnished it's not lacquered any more and can be polished, and if the lacquer is fine it's not tarnished, so...

There seems to be a middle ground, where the bell is neither shiny nor tarnished, but rather, dull.

pictures? If it has lacquer, it'll be shiny.

The horns are sprayed in the factory, because it is easier to do the whole thing than to mask off the flare. Problem is, Lacquer doesn't adhere to silver very well. So yes, you can have a lacquered bell which is not shiny, because of the poor adhesion of the lacquer.

hornbuilder wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 6:46 pm So yes, you can have a lacquered bell which is not shiny, because of the poor adhesion of the lacquer.

In these cases, is the lacquer still essentially intact but microscopically breathable in a way that lets the underlying metal oxidize, or does the poor adhesion simply mean the lacquer comes off the silver but remains intact elsewhere?

(I know the former occasionally happens with old nitro lacquer - you see it on old Bachs sometimes, and I have a Besson that went dark brown absolutely everywhere under a largely undamaged finish.)

I have owned two Silver Sonics that had lacquer that had "crazed" all over the bell. The lacquer was still covering 99% of it, but it had little crinkles everywhere. The lacquer on rest of the horn was fine.

On one of them, I just ignored it. The other was too nice of a horn otherwise, so I had a tech de-lacquer the bell (only).

hornbuilder wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 6:46 pm Problem is, Lacquer doesn't adhere to silver very well.

I have a Silversonic with failed factory lacquer.
I'd like to get it re-done.
Are there more modern lacquers (Epoxy ?) that will adhere better?

Is there a reason to lacquer a sterling silver 70s King in the first place? Just had mine professionally polished, she is gorgeous without any makeup.

For several years I played a (1967) King 3B SilverSonic (on loan; the owner asked me to return it). The Sterling silver bell (with gold-washed interior) was beautiful, with all lacquer intact. The lacquer meant no tarnish, and obviated the need for polishing. Just a quick wipe-down with a microfiber cloth after playing (and during regular hygiene procedure) was all she took to remain gorgeous. Guess the King factory did a good lacquer job!

I had a 4B Silver Sonorous (another King model that had lacquer over Sterling Silver) for many years. Sold it over 25 years ago. However, if I were to own one again……I would strip the lacquer off the bell and just occasionally hand polish the bell.