Make new silver neck look antique

**jazzsax86** · 04-01-2008, 10:42 PM

I play a mark VI with a silver plated Oleg neck. The neck looks obsurd on the mark VI, as the VI got maybe 10% of its laquer left (on the keys) and the silver is obnoxiously bright. Anyhow, I was wondering if there was any way to make the bright silver look dull, more of a gray color than like a shiny mirror. Something like this color:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...US243%26sa%3DN

Any ideas?

Oh, the neck came with laquer on it, but since laquer does not stick well to silver, it has all flaked off. It's just plane silver plating on the surface.

**Enviroguy** · 04-01-2008, 10:55 PM

Very fine steel wool would probably give it a more satin buffed look. But anything you do is a one-way trip.

**freeflier** · 04-01-2008, 11:59 PM

Here's my $0.02: Focus on the playing, not the plating. If you play well, the "absurd" looking horn just reinforces the image that you're someone who cares more about the sound than the looks.

**cjpts** · 04-02-2008, 12:04 AM

Steel wool is too abrasive for that - the silver plating is likely to be very thin!

If you wanna go down the brushed effect route, try using a scouring pad - literally just the green part of a washing up sponge on it. It works well on shiny watch bracelets!

If the lacquer has all flaked off you'll probably find that it will naturally develop a platina quite quickly, esp since its having spit on the inside and oils from your hands on the outside. If you want to encourage a tarnish on it (you could remove it with a silver cloth) then leave the neck somewhere damp and/or warm. I suppose a bathroom or kitchen would be ideal for this.

**cjpts** · 04-02-2008, 12:05 AM

I agree with Freeflier - if you've lost the lacquer then it's finish will mellow down anyway

**jazzsax86** · 04-02-2008, 03:16 AM

Thanks for the input guys. I think, ultimately, time will do the trick, and I'm of course more interested in my playing than how it looks. I was just seeing if there were any tricks people new to help speed up the inevitable. If anyone else has any thoughts, please add them.

**SuperAction80** · 04-02-2008, 03:36 AM

Originally Posted by jazzsax86

Thanks for the input guys. I think, ultimately, time will do the trick, and I'm of course more interested in my playing than how it looks. I was just seeing if there were any tricks people new to help speed up the inevitable. If anyone else has any thoughts, please add them.

Time will definatly do the trick. Do not use a silver polishing cloth to wipe off fingerprints, and do not use anti-tarnish agents. Your neck should look darker and tarnished in less than 6 months.

ps. The steal wool would definatly add "a distressed look". Could be kind of cool, but I'm not daring you to do it or anything.

Hey why not? I mean the Fender Custom shop sands down paint and lacquer to make some of their guitars look distressed. Why can't we saxophonists do the same thing? Silver plating worn down to the brass does look pretty cool IMO.

**bruce bailey** · 04-02-2008, 06:17 AM

I had a neck from a vintage horn reworked and is lost the satin finish. I got good results by dipping it (without the key) in vinegar and letting it sit. Another way is to but it in a ziplok bag with some sulphur or egg. I have trouble with flutes tarnishing in some of the cheap cases from China so .....