Lacquer? No issues. Shiny, fake gold-looking stuff? Absolutely tacky in my view. I despise gold that isn't gold. I really don't care that much for gold, either. I dislike the actual color. I like copper, so lacquered copper would be great for me, but that would make a horn that is… well… a bit floppy. I hugely prefer the look of silver, so for me nickel plate is great if it is well done, and silver plate is also good, but it wears off easily and is destroyed by my constant attacks with acetylene torches as I obsessively tinker with my horns.
For me, tarnished, bare brass both looks more attractive and is far more practical. I have been attracted to bare brass instruments since I was in the beginning band in 1976. I genuinely prefer it. Many of us do, no matter how much you try to convince yourself that we all really want lacquer but have some weird reason to dunk on it. We don't. Some people actually like the look of tarnished metals more than polished ones.
The tuba Jonathan has in the above photo only needs to be cleaned up to be PERFECT, cosmetically. It is a thing of beauty in my eyes.
I appreciate the value of having good lacquer on a horn, so removing it from all of mine has always been a minor regret. I wish it were much easier to find really great used tubas here in the US that the factory-lacquered. Too bad for me and those out there who are of like mind.
Unlacquered tubas with tarnished or patinated brass and lots of nickel silver trim, which is either bright or polished, are like works of industrial art.
BEAUTIFUL!
(And Jonathan is pretty cute, too, heh, heh…)
