Steve,
  I'll take a tip gage at that price as well.

I also agree with you concerning your comments on silver. I have a silver 
plated Yani mouthpiece and a solid silver flute both of which I play daily 
and I can go years without tarnish building up much on either. However, I 
lent my flute to a friend a few months back for about a week and it came 
back filthy with tarnish. I couldn't believe it could get so black so fast. 
Gotta have something to do with body chemistry.

Keith L.