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Pine Beach, NJ

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Tone of Brass vs. Nickel plating for alto trombone?

I am thinking of buying an alto trombone and have always wanted a silver (nickel) plated one. Could you tell me what the difference in sound would be on a trombone that is nickel plated, as opposed to one that is brass plated?

Would the nickel plated horn be a darker sound?

John Callahan
hobbyist - Dallas, Texas, USA
January 14, 2009

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Nickel plating will change the sound or timber of a brass instrument. I did a trombone in nickel and it gave it a very unpleasant sound. It made it toneless and ruined it's musical brilliance. I used to play the trumpet in a past life and know what you mean by "dark" sound. Every horn has it's own personality. You will just have to search for that "dark horn". You will not be able to make it.

Frank DeGuire
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
January 20, 2009

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