Saxophone Forum


by mojocoggo
(97 posts)
19 years ago

Relacquering

Genereally speaking, would relacquering raise or lower the value of a vintage horn?

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  1. by connsaxman_jim
    (2336 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Relacquering

    It really depends on the condition of the horn and the quality of the relacquer. I've seen so many really bad relacquers, I would really be careful who I took the horn to. Typically, a relacquer will lower the value of a horn. I would not relacquer a horn unless it was a very ugly horn. In the case of my Conn 10M though, it had been sent to the Conn factory in Elkhart to be relacquered not long before my dad got it in 1963. He played it a couple years in high school, at college and in a couplt bands afterwards. I played it in jr. high, high school, college, and a couple bands also, and some of the lacquer was worn right off in places and the brass was starting to oxidize. It was an ugly horn! I wanted to give her back her good looks to go with her great sound! I shopped around and actually it took me 5 years before I found someone who I trusted enough to relacquer the horn. I was thinking about taking the horn to Elkhart to be relacquered. I found The Wind Works, and after seeing some of the horns that Luke had relacquered, I trusted him to do a good job. He has done a couple other horns for me since. I talked to another collector and showed him my sax. He said it was one of the best relacquers he had seen, and that only an experienced collector could even tell it had been relacquered! He felt that my sax was worth $1800-$2000. That's pretty good for a 1948 Conn 10M.

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  2. by connsaxman_jim
    (2336 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Relacquering

    It really depends on the condition of the horn and the quality of the relacquer. I've seen so many really bad relacquers, I would really be careful who I took the horn to. Typically, a relacquer will lower the value of a horn. I would not relacquer a horn unless it was a very ugly horn. In the case of my Conn 10M though, it had been sent to the Conn factory in Elkhart to be relacquered not long before my dad got it in 1963. He played it a couple years in high school, at college and in a couplt bands afterwards. I played it in jr. high, high school, college, and a couple bands also, and some of the lacquer was worn right off in places and the brass was starting to oxidize. It was an ugly horn! I wanted to give her back her good looks to go with her great sound! I shopped around and actually it took me 5 years before I found someone who I trusted enough to relacquer the horn. I was thinking about taking the horn to Elkhart to be relacquered. I found The Wind Works, and after seeing some of the horns that Luke had relacquered, I trusted him to do a good job. He has done a couple other horns for me since. I talked to another collector and showed him my sax. He said it was one of the best relacquers he had seen, and that only an experienced collector could even tell it had been relacquered! He felt that my sax was worth $1800-$2000. That's pretty good for a 1948 Conn 10M.

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    1. by connsaxman_jim
      (2336 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Relacquering

      oops! Sorry for the double post.

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      1. by mojocoggo
        (97 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Relacquering

        Not a problem! Thanks for the info!

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        1. by JazzSaxAttack
          (14 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Relacquering

          I have a question. I have a lot of scraches on my horn from marching band, and I was wondering if scraches could be buffed out or would I need to get it relacqured.

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        2. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Relacquering

          The scratches are probably through the lacquer. The lacquer is not very thick, because too much lacquer will dull the sound. I'm not sure I would recommend this, but I have heard of it being used before. Depending on where the scratches are located, take a little toothpaste and a paper towel and polish the area lightly. Don't rub too hard or too long, because you can remove the lacquer. You only want to polish just the surface. You may be able to polish out some of the scratches, or at least make them less noticable. Most likely though, the only thing that will get rid of the scratches is a relacquer. I'm not sure I would do that though unless the finish is looking really bad.

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        3. by JazzSaxAttack
          (14 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Relacquering

          I tryed the tooth paste thing, I think it may have helped a little, or just dulled the surface! I don't know, but it smells minty fresh. Thanx for the advice.

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        4. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Relacquering

          well....minty fresh is good! You just want to be careful not to get toothpaste in around the tone holes and pivot points and stuff, because it can really make a mess.

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        5. by west
          (242 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Relacquering

          will relacquering cover the engraving on a sax?

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        6. by mojocoggo
          (97 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Relacquering

          It depends on how well of a job is done. Most all of the time, some detail in the engraving will be lost... Here are some examples: drrick.com/relac1.html

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        7. by west
          (242 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Relacquering

          thanks

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        8. by selmer6player
          (2 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Relacquering

          Thanks for the link. I purchased a later model Mark VI alto about 15 years ago. It's a fine playing horn with good intonation and about 95% of what I think is its original lacquer intact. I've been a sax player for over 40 years, so I do know something about what a relacquered horn looks (and plays) like. On a high quality relacquer job, it can be really difficult to visually tell whether it's a lelaq or original. That's where I am with my alto. I know that my 5 digit tenor VI is an original lacquer horn (about 75% remaining) because I'm the original owner. But about that alto.....

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