Do you believe finish affects sound?

[pfox]

This topic has become quite heated in the repairs and finishes areas, let's see what more members believe. Does the finish on a saxophone affect its sound? Please, no long-winded treatises on why or why not, just yes or no, do you believe finish affects sound?

[woodwindmaster06]

Finish Definitly affects the sound, expecially between plated, lacquered and no finish there is a huge difference in sound

[Big Nick]

Ah, someone else with a strange definition of huge.
Huge does not mean barely perceptible (this poll would not be here if the effect was 'huge').
Huge is something like the difference in sound between a Selmer C* with a traditional Vandoren and a Quantum spoiler 16 with a Bari. That's the sort of difference even an audience can hear.

[woodwindmaster06]

I meant you can tell when you play the saxophone that the finish does have an effect, that is what I meant by "huge"

[Stencilman]

Amazing that this topic gets banged around so much. In my experience, the difference in sound between plated and lacquered horns is negligible. I play plated and bare-brass horns because of the way they look and feel to me. A lacquered horn feels like plastic to me. Silly, I know.

[MS]

If you think it does - you're right.
If you think it doesn't - you're right.
Equipment choice is for the players comfort. Player is going to sound similar to MOST (not all) audience members after an hour of playing any horn finish of choice. Too bad no two horns play exactly alike in the same finish. Too many variables in manufacture to control. 8)

[woodwindmaster06]

You are right different players have different preferences and pickyness of tone and how it affects them.

[Tenor66]

Taking in account that the polls primary concern is with saxophones and not flutes the only answer that I can give is yes!

If you want to include flutes it is still measurable.

[Ritchie]

To stay with the original question, yes I believe that finish makes a difference. But everything makes a little difference, and the difference the finish makes is very subtle. Choose your finish for the look and you will get used to the kind of response the horn gives to you. Finish will not get in the way of your personal sound.

[woodwindmaster06]

Finish will be more noticable the larger the saxophone is.

[Bill Mecca]

nope, because there is really no way to tell.

no long treatise allowed so I won't go into an explanation, those that understand what I'm saying, will understand.

[M Exner]

Everything but finish being the same my vote is no. But I think there is something more to this than just the physical finish of the horn.... Player's psyche maybe??

I would even say no to a materials difference (like wood and resin clarinets of identical bore dimensions) Mike.

[pfox]

Mike, I'm with you on the finish, and I think the psyche is the biggest difference, but I can't agree about the materials not making a difference. Taken to illogical extremes, I can't believe two saxophones of identical specifications in manufacturing, pads, etc., one of lead, and one of crystal would sound the same.

[jd]

the relaq thing is a bunch of hype . ive played alot of both orig and relaq horns and they both can sound great . do a blindfold test and people couldnt tell the diff. the player has a greater effect on tone /sound quality than the finish i think.

[M Exner]

I knew that materials statement would raise some eyebrows :shock: I could be wrong on this one.

Have you ever heard a metal clarinet play? They sound just the same as the others. And the E-line ( compressed resin and wood dust) compared to the infamous R-13 are virtually the same in tone. What about those plastic saxophones?

Do the blind fold test and I think the you'd be surprised. Mike

[woodwindmaster06]

I would disagree that wood and plastic clarinets sound a like plastic ones are so much worse in sound I have played both and plastic is worse.

[Big Nick]

If as much work went into the manufacture of plastic clarinets as goes into wooden ones then I would think the plastic ones would sound just as good (if they don't already).
I don't think it's likely to happen because the manufacturers would have trouble selling them. The rather conservative clarinet community has an unjustified (IMO) predjudice against man-made materials.

[M Exner]

I can testify to that conservative comment of the clarinet community, being married to clarinetist. "If it's not wood it's not quality" Mike

[popsax]

Yup.

[woodwindmaster06]

i agree wood clarinets are the only way to go. except if your marching

[Azuka]

I was surprised when my eBay bargain metal clarinet made by Conn was restored to great appearance and playing condition. It really has a robust woody sound. Maybe that's why some folks go nuts over certain metal clarinets. I'm almost done restoring a Selmer metal clarinet and can't wait to here that sound.

With saxes, I do believe that the finish makes a difference, but so does the mouthpiece, your embouchre, whether you relax your throat or constrict it, whether you support your tone from the gut or the chest and so on. The finish is relatively unimportant if you don't have a good reed, mouthpiece, embouchre and breath support.

With proper embouchre and breath support you can make pretty much any woodwind sound great to the listener, if not the player.