Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating  
mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't  
offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass  
poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his  
home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not aware  
of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody?




STEVE GOODSON
saxophone designer to the stars
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc

The most significant benefit I can think of would be the elimination of  verdigris buildup (the green stuff) on the brass.  My extensively worked Otto Link has to be cleaned periodically on the table and facing.  Once I am finally 100% satisfied with my work (I'm about 98% now) I will probably have it plated.  Some people might object to the taste of brass, too, but I find I get used to it quickly.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

--- On Sun, 5/9/10, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote:


From: STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...>
Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
To: mouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010, 11:27 AM


Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not aware of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody?








STEVE GOODSON
saxophone designer to the stars
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc 



      

I would think that anyone who does not regularly clean their  
mouthpiece deserves verdigris.....it's really a personal hygiene  
issue,n IMHO. I can't identify any metals by taste, but most likely  
some people can.



On May 9, 2010, at 10:46 AM, Bill Hausmann wrote:

> The most significant benefit I can think of would be the elimination  
> of  verdigris buildup (the green stuff) on the brass.  My  
> extensively worked Otto Link has to be cleaned periodically on the  
> table and facing.  Once I am finally 100% satisfied with my work  
> (I'm about 98% now) I will probably have it plated.  Some people  
> might object to the taste of brass, too, but I find I get used to it  
> quickly.
>
> Bill Hausmann
>
> If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!
>
> --- On Sun, 5/9/10, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote:
>
> From: STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...>
> Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
> To: mouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010, 11:27 AM
>
> Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating  
> mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't  
> offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass  
> poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in  
> his home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not  
> aware of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody?
>
>
>
>
> STEVE GOODSON
> saxophone designer to the stars
> sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc<steve_lo-res copy.jpg>
>
>

"One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"

Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some don't.  What does your customer want?



      

this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal hygiene"  
stuff come into play.......True, some people have allergic reactions,  
but they represent a miniscule amount of the buying public. Those  
folks should consider another material if allergies are a problem. The  
customer who asked about brass poisoning was pretty vague. I just  
don't believe it is a significant problem. If it was, most of our  
water supply wouldn't come through brass fixtures and fittings.....



On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:

>
> "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't  
> have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"
>
> Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral  
> membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes  
> might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a  
> calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More  
> so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some  
> don't.  What does your customer want?
>
>
> 

I mentioned the lead poisoning and I'm staying behind that. The brass
plumbing by law can't contain lead- and should be only certain alloys of
brass. There is no law about mouthpieces though. If we know that even
minuscule quantity of lead are harmful and once in the system can't be taken
out why risking.  If you don't now which brass is used in your mouthpiece
plate it. The "Brass" is a very large field and specially in recent years
more and more manufacturers are offering lead free brasses. The big
companies prefer lead brass because it is cheap and very easy to work on and
doesn't destroy the tooling. The lead gives the smooth machining effect.
Lead free brass are little harder to work on and it is well noticeable
refacing both side by side but the good is beside the health benefits it
stays shiny much longer and some stay like that, so actually you don't need
to plate them.
Greetings to all,
Sakshama


On Sun, May 9, 2010 at 1:19 PM, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote:

>
>
> this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal hygiene" stuff
> come into play.......True, some people have allergic reactions, but they
> represent a miniscule amount of the buying public. Those folks should
> consider another material if allergies are a problem. The customer who asked
> about brass poisoning was pretty vague. I just don't believe it is a
> significant problem. If it was, most of our water supply wouldn't come
> through brass fixtures and fittings.....
>
>
>
> On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:
>
>
>  "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any
> brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"
>
> Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral
> membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes might pose
> more of a health risk than occasional contact with a calloused hand.  Raw
> brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More so a reed though.  Some
> people have allergic reactions.  Some don't.  What does your customer want?
>
>
>
>  
>



-- 
Sakshama

There is ABSOLUTELY no lead in the brass we use, and never has been.


On May 9, 2010, at 12:56 PM, Sakshama Koloski wrote:

> I mentioned the lead poisoning and I'm staying behind that. The  
> brass plumbing by law can't contain lead- and should be only certain  
> alloys of brass. There is no law about mouthpieces though. If we  
> know that even minuscule quantity of lead are harmful and once in  
> the system can't be taken out why risking.  If you don't now which  
> brass is used in your mouthpiece plate it. The "Brass" is a very  
> large field and specially in recent years more and more  
> manufacturers are offering lead free brasses. The big companies  
> prefer lead brass because it is cheap and very easy to work on and  
> doesn't destroy the tooling. The lead gives the smooth machining  
> effect. Lead free brass are little harder to work on and it is well  
> noticeable refacing both side by side but the good is beside the  
> health benefits it stays shiny much longer and some stay like that,  
> so actually you don't need to plate them.
> Greetings to all,
> Sakshama
>
>
>
> On Sun, May 9, 2010 at 1:19 PM, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...>  
> wrote:
>
> this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal hygiene"  
> stuff come into play.......True, some people have allergic  
> reactions, but they represent a miniscule amount of the buying  
> public. Those folks should consider another material if allergies  
> are a problem. The customer who asked about brass poisoning was  
> pretty vague. I just don't believe it is a significant problem. If  
> it was, most of our water supply wouldn't come through brass  
> fixtures and fittings.....
>
>
>
>
> On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:
>
>>
>> "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't  
>> have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"
>>
>> Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral  
>> membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes  
>> might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a  
>> calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More  
>> so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some  
>> don't.  What does your customer want?
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Sakshama
>
> 

"There is ABSOLUTELY no lead in the brass we use, and never has been."

Not even in your "lead alto" models?  Wouldn't that be false advertising?



--- On Sun, 5/9/10, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote:

From: STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...>
Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010, 6:05 PM







 



  


    
      
      
      There is ABSOLUTELY no lead in the brass we use, and never has been.

On May 9, 2010, at 12:56 PM, Sakshama Koloski wrote:
I mentioned the lead poisoning and I'm staying behind that. The brass plumbing by law can't contain lead- and should be only certain alloys of brass. There is no law about mouthpieces though. If we know that even minuscule quantity of lead are harmful and once in the system can't be taken out why risking.  If you don't now which brass is used in your mouthpiece plate it. The "Brass" is a very large field and specially in recent years more and more manufacturers are offering lead free brasses. The big companies prefer lead brass because it is cheap and very easy to work on and doesn't destroy the tooling. The lead gives the smooth machining effect. Lead free brass are little harder to work on and it is well noticeable refacing both side by side but the good is beside the health benefits it stays shiny much longer and some stay like that, so actually you don't need to plate them.
Greetings to all,
Sakshama


On Sun, May 9, 2010 at 1:19 PM, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@cox. net> wrote:
 this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal hygiene" stuff come into play.......True, some people have allergic reactions, but they represent a miniscule amount of the buying public. Those folks should consider another material if allergies are a problem. The customer who asked about brass poisoning was pretty vague. I just don't believe it is a significant problem. If it was, most of our water supply wouldn't come through brass fixtures and fittings.... .


On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:

"One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"

Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some don't.  What does your customer want?






-- 
Sakshama




    
     

    
    


 



  






      

I believe he's saying that it works with lead altos.  Be sure to wear a truss!

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MartinMods 
  To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 1:13 PM
  Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?


    
        "There is ABSOLUTELY no lead in the brass we use, and never has been."

        Not even in your "lead alto" models?  Wouldn't that be false advertising?



        --- On Sun, 5/9/10, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote:


          From: STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...>
          Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
          To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
          Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010, 6:05 PM


            
          There is ABSOLUTELY no lead in the brass we use, and never has been.





          On May 9, 2010, at 12:56 PM, Sakshama Koloski wrote:


            I mentioned the lead poisoning and I'm staying behind that. The brass plumbing by law can't contain lead- and should be only certain alloys of brass. There is no law about mouthpieces though. If we know that even minuscule quantity of lead are harmful and once in the system can't be taken out why risking.  If you don't now which brass is used in your mouthpiece plate it. The "Brass" is a very large field and specially in recent years more and more manufacturers are offering lead free brasses. The big companies prefer lead brass because it is cheap and very easy to work on and doesn't destroy the tooling. The lead gives the smooth machining effect. Lead free brass are little harder to work on and it is well noticeable refacing both side by side but the good is beside the health benefits it stays shiny much longer and some stay like that, so actually you don't need to plate them.
            Greetings to all,
            Sakshama




            On Sun, May 9, 2010 at 1:19 PM, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@cox. net> wrote:

               
              this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal hygiene" stuff come into play.......True, some people have allergic reactions, but they represent a miniscule amount of the buying public. Those folks should consider another material if allergies are a problem. The customer who asked about brass poisoning was pretty vague. I just don't believe it is a significant problem. If it was, most of our water supply wouldn't come through brass fixtures and fittings.... .







              On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:




                      "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"


                      Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some don't.  What does your customer want?
                     









            -- 
            Sakshama





       



  

I fully agree, but it develops anyway.  Not inside, strangely, just on the table and facing.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

--- On Sun, 5/9/10, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@cox.net> wrote:


From: STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...>
Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010, 11:56 AM








I would think that anyone who does not regularly clean their mouthpiece deserves verdigris.....it's really a personal hygiene issue,n IMHO. I can't identify any metals by taste, but most likely some people can. 







On May 9, 2010, at 10:46 AM, Bill Hausmann wrote:





The most significant benefit I can think of would be the elimination of  verdigris buildup (the green stuff) on the brass.  My extensively worked Otto Link has to be cleaned periodically on the table and facing.  Once I am finally 100% satisfied with my work (I'm about 98% now) I will probably have it plated.  Some people might object to the taste of brass, too, but I find I get used to it quickly.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

--- On Sun, 5/9/10, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote:


From: STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...>
Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
To: mouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010, 11:27 AM


Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not aware of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody? 








STEVE GOODSON
saxophone designer to the stars
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc<steve_lo-res copy.jpg> 








      

Some brass alloys contain a small proportion of lead, it makes it more easily worked by machine. Plumbing brass doesn't contain this lead. There are also brass alloys that contain cadmium, aluminium and/or tin, which can cause reactions among sensitive people. There are literally hundreds of variations on brass for various purposes, so you need to be aware of what you're using. Where it came from can be important as well. Nearly all brass today is recycled, and some brass, mainly but not exclusivly from 3rd world countries, can contain things that might surprise you.
Tony F.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: STEVE GOODSON 
  To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 3:19 AM
  Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?


    
  this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal hygiene" stuff come into play.......True, some people have allergic reactions, but they represent a miniscule amount of the buying public. Those folks should consider another material if allergies are a problem. The customer who asked about brass poisoning was pretty vague. I just don't believe it is a significant problem. If it was, most of our water supply wouldn't come through brass fixtures and fittings.....







  On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:




          "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"

          Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some don't.  What does your customer want?
         








  

We are quite aware of what we are using, and have used the same metals  
vendor for many years. We have always stipulated the use of non- 
hazardous alloys for our products


On May 9, 2010, at 6:32 PM, Tony F. wrote:

>
> Some brass alloys contain a small proportion of lead, it makes it  
> more easily worked by machine. Plumbing brass doesn't contain this  
> lead. There are also brass alloys that contain cadmium, aluminium  
> and/or tin, which can cause reactions among sensitive people. There  
> are literally hundreds of variations on brass for various purposes,  
> so you need to be aware of what you're using. Where it came from can  
> be important as well. Nearly all brass today is recycled, and some  
> brass, mainly but not exclusivly from 3rd world countries, can  
> contain things that might surprise you.
> Tony F.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: STEVE GOODSON
> To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 3:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
>
>
> this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal hygiene"  
> stuff come into play.......True, some people have allergic  
> reactions, but they represent a miniscule amount of the buying  
> public. Those folks should consider another material if allergies  
> are a problem. The customer who asked about brass poisoning was  
> pretty vague. I just don't believe it is a significant problem. If  
> it was, most of our water supply wouldn't come through brass  
> fixtures and fittings.....
>
>
>
>
> On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:
>
>>
>> "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't  
>> have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"
>>
>> Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral  
>> membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes  
>> might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a  
>> calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More  
>> so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some  
>> don't.  What does your customer want?
>>
>>
>
>
>
> 

Do you not plate because you feel it is an unnecessary step, or to keep your prices down.  Maybe both?  Just curious.  I'm one of those who doesn't care for the "taste" of brass.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: STEVE GOODSON 
  To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 9:14 AM
  Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?


    
  We are quite aware of what we are using, and have used the same metals vendor for many years. We have always stipulated the use of non-hazardous alloys for our products





  On May 9, 2010, at 6:32 PM, Tony F. wrote:




    Some brass alloys contain a small proportion of lead, it makes it more easily worked by machine. Plumbing brass doesn't contain this lead. There are also brass alloys that contain cadmium, aluminium and/or tin, which can cause reactions among sensitive people. There are literally hundreds of variations on brass for various purposes, so you need to be aware of what you're using. Where it came from can be important as well. Nearly all brass today is recycled, and some brass, mainly but not exclusivly from 3rd world countries, can contain things that might surprise you.
    Tony F.

      ----- Original Message -----
      From: STEVE GOODSON
      To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
      Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 3:19 AM
      Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?


       
      this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal hygiene" stuff come into play.......True, some people have allergic reactions, but they represent a miniscule amount of the buying public. Those folks should consider another material if allergies are a problem. The customer who asked about brass poisoning was pretty vague. I just don't believe it is a significant problem. If it was, most of our water supply wouldn't come through brass fixtures and fittings.....







      On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:




              "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"

              Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some don't.  What does your customer want?
             















  

I don't feel it is a necessary step.....the cost is insignificant when  
you are manufacturing in quantity......bare brass is also part of "our  
look".....we occasionally plate mouthpieces on a one at a time basis  
upon customer request


On May 10, 2010, at 9:20 AM, Robert W. Smith wrote:

>
> Do you not plate because you feel it is an unnecessary step, or to  
> keep your prices down.  Maybe both?  Just curious.  I'm one of those  
> who doesn't care for the "taste" of brass.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: STEVE GOODSON
> To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 9:14 AM
> Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
>
>
> We are quite aware of what we are using, and have used the same  
> metals vendor for many years. We have always stipulated the use of  
> non-hazardous alloys for our products
>
>
>
> On May 9, 2010, at 6:32 PM, Tony F. wrote:
>
>>
>> Some brass alloys contain a small proportion of lead, it makes it  
>> more easily worked by machine. Plumbing brass doesn't contain this  
>> lead. There are also brass alloys that contain cadmium, aluminium  
>> and/or tin, which can cause reactions among sensitive people. There  
>> are literally hundreds of variations on brass for various purposes,  
>> so you need to be aware of what you're using. Where it came from  
>> can be important as well. Nearly all brass today is recycled, and  
>> some brass, mainly but not exclusivly from 3rd world countries, can  
>> contain things that might surprise you.
>> Tony F.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: STEVE GOODSON
>> To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
>> Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 3:19 AM
>> Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Plating benefits?
>>
>>
>> this is where that "cleaning your mouthpiece" and "personal  
>> hygiene" stuff come into play.......True, some people have allergic  
>> reactions, but they represent a miniscule amount of the buying  
>> public. Those folks should consider another material if allergies  
>> are a problem. The customer who asked about brass poisoning was  
>> pretty vague. I just don't believe it is a significant problem. If  
>> it was, most of our water supply wouldn't come through brass  
>> fixtures and fittings.....
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On May 9, 2010, at 11:33 AM, MartinMods wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't  
>>> have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"
>>>
>>> Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral  
>>> membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes  
>>> might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a  
>>> calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.   
>>> More so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some  
>>> don't.  What does your customer want?
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> 

Brass is not poisonous, but verdegris is toxic to some extent, so stopping the brass from oxidizing is worth doing. 

STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote: Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating  
mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't  
offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass  
poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his  
home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not aware  
of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody?




STEVE GOODSON
saxophone designer to the stars
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc


 

One undesirable feature of bare brass coming into contact with the reed is the greenish-blue color that results from the saliva interacting with the brass on the flat side of the reed. I don't expect that this reaction helps the longevity of a reed. 

--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote:
>
> Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating  
> mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't  
> offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass  
> poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his  
> home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not aware  
> of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> STEVE GOODSON
> saxophone designer to the stars
> sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
>

I never saw a reed that I considered to be "museum quality".......



On May 10, 2010, at 2:47 PM, gregwier wrote:

> One undesirable feature of bare brass coming into contact with the  
> reed is the greenish-blue color that results from the saliva  
> interacting with the brass on the flat side of the reed. I don't  
> expect that this reaction helps the longevity of a reed.
>
> --- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, STEVE GOODSON  
> <saxgourmet@...> wrote:
> >
> > Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating
> > mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't
> > offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass
> > poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in  
> his
> > home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not  
> aware
> > of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > STEVE GOODSON
> > saxophone designer to the stars
> > sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
> >
>
>
> 

I this a valid subject here?
----- Original Message -----
From: STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...>
To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, 10 May 2010 14:57:38 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Re: Plating benefits?

I never saw a reed that I considered to be "museum quality".......



On May 10, 2010, at 2:47 PM, gregwier wrote:

> One undesirable feature of bare brass coming into contact with the  
> reed is the greenish-blue color that results from the saliva  
> interacting with the brass on the flat side of the reed. I don't  
> expect that this reaction helps the longevity of a reed.
>
> --- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, STEVE GOODSON  
> <saxgourmet@...> wrote:
> >
> > Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating
> > mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't
> > offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass
> > poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in  
> his
> > home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not  
> aware
> > of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > STEVE GOODSON
> > saxophone designer to the stars
> > sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
> >
>
>
> 

<>> I never replate plating only come off antway.

--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, STEVE GOODSON <saxgourmet@...> wrote:
>
> I never saw a reed that I considered to be "museum quality".......
> 
> 
> 
> On May 10, 2010, at 2:47 PM, gregwier wrote:
> 
> > One undesirable feature of bare brass coming into contact with the  
> > reed is the greenish-blue color that results from the saliva  
> > interacting with the brass on the flat side of the reed. I don't  
> > expect that this reaction helps the longevity of a reed.
> >
> > --- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, STEVE GOODSON  
> > <saxgourmet@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Cosmetics aside, can anyone give me any benefits to plating
> > > mouthpieces? I've had a couple of questions today about why we don't
> > > offer plated finishes. One alluded to the mythical "brass
> > > poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in  
> > his
> > > home!) and another to wanting to match the horns finish. I'm not  
> > aware
> > > of any non-cosmetic advantages or benefits. Anybody?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > STEVE GOODSON
> > > saxophone designer to the stars
> > > sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>

I do not like the taste of raw brass and do not want my hands to smell like oxidized brass at a gig either. I like the feel of silver or gold plating on all of my metal mouthpieces. I bet stainless steel would be just as good, but I read how much of a pain it is to face. 

Plumbing fixtures and pipes can leach small amounts of lead overnight. I've lived places where you are supposed to let the water run until cold first thing in the morning before cooking or drinking water from your kitchen faucet. 

Here are other municipalities who confirm the lead issue.
http://sfwater.org/detail.cfm/MC_ID/13/MSC_ID/166/C_ID/1832
http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/04water/html/Lead_Faucets.htm


--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, MartinMods <lancelotburt@...> wrote:
>
> "One alluded to the mythical "brass poisoning" (I hope he doesn't have any brass plumbing fixtures in his home!)"
> 
> Having direct, prolonged contact with raw brass, on the thin oral membranes, combined with a continuous bath of warm saliva enzimes might pose more of a health risk than occasional contact with a calloused hand.  Raw brass is porous and can harbor bacteria.  More so a reed though.  Some people have allergic reactions.  Some don't.  What does your customer want?
>

I think so, since mouthpieces seem to favor some reeds over others.

It's pretty obvious that response is dependent both on the facing curve and
the curvature of the reed taper.

Fine adjustments on reeds make a great deal of difference. Getting a
mouthpiece to play with a brighter or darker sound is to some extent a
matter of fine adjustment of the reed.

For the synthetic reeds, this is especially useful, because they are long
lasting. It is worth spending a little extra time getting them to  respond
in a way that provides the sound one desires.

Barry


> From: peteleoni@...
> Reply-To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 18:34:02 -0500 (CDT)
> To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> Cc: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Reeds in General and specifically the new breed of
> synthetics