Benge 290 question

[Bach5G]

What effect would stripping the lacquer off the bell have?

[Burgerbob]

Same as any other instrument. Probably a small difference in feedback, and now it will tarnish.

Could be worth it on that armor-like gold lacquer that UMI was using.

[elmsandr]

My two points:

1) I have liked every horn that I have stripped better. I like the feedback and the response just a little bit more.

2) The difference is not enough that I bother to strip lacquer from any horn unless I need to now.

So, does it make a difference... Sure! I like it. But it just doesn't matter. For example, I feel that if I played just 5 minutes more of concentrated practice on sound daily (maybe a buzzing/playing exercise or some BERP work) it would do at least 5x as much as stripping the lacquer.

As always, YMMV, but I just don't take the effort to strip horns anymore. The difference isn't so stark that I care enough to have to polish things. I just played a concert on one of my previously unlacquered horns.... It looks terrible in photos and from the audience. Nobody particularly cared, but in some scenarios they might.

Cheers,
Andy

[spencercarran]

Good luck in getting that King lacquer off, it seems indestructible.