Trumpet Finishes
Edwards offers a number of trumpet finishes in order to meet the needs of our customers. These finishes create a variety of looks, but more importantly, each has unique playing charactersistics.
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Raw Brass
A raw brass-finished horn can provide a player with a very warm, natural sound. Like silver and gold plate, this finish is sometimes described as creating a "wide" sound. If an individual wants tighter partials, then a raw brass horn is not recommended.
Perhaps the biggest drawback of owning a raw brass instrument is the fact that it will tarnish very rapidly; therefore, it requires constant vigilence to maintain. Raw brass instruments and components are available upon request, but restocking/relacquering fees do apply.
Silver
Plate
Silver plate is thinner than lacquer and thus will not dampen the resonance of the horn as much as lacquer. However, a silver plated horn will tarnish over time. More maintenance is required than that of a horn with lacquer or gold plate. Silver is a great alternative for the player that wants his/her instrument to play like a raw brass instrument but does not want the extreme tarnish associated with an unfinished horn.
Silver plating a trombone adds 30% to the price due to the size of the instrument. All trombones done in silver plate are special order non-returnable items. Silver plate is standard on most Edwards trumpets.
Gold Plate
Gold plate provides the player with the comfort of silver without
silver's maintenance issues. An individual with a high acidity level
should consider gold plate.
A gold plated instrument is first silver plated. With the silver plate
base and gold plate finish, most players will notice a darker sound
than if an instrument was simply silver plated. An instrument with
this finish will take longer to deliver as all gold plating is done
at Anderson Plating. Pricing is dependent upon the current gold market
price. Any instrument or component completed in gold plate is a special
order non-returnable item.
Our gold plating warranty is covered under a one-year limited warranty. Any individual with high skin acidity should take preventative measures to ensure the plating’s longevity. Flaking or any other plating defects that should occur within the one year limited warranty should be reported immediately to Edwards Instrument Company so appropriate repairs can be made. After a year's time, we will look at each instrument by years versus time in the field and how the instrument was taken care of.
Satin Finish
"Satin" is the latest finish option offered by Edwards. It is achieved by scratch brushing the instrument. The end result is a uniform semi-matte finish. Each Satin-finished instrument will have its own unique look as Edwards technicians have artistic control over the process.
Some players feel that a Satin finish creates a wider sound than lacquered or plated instruments. At this point, we have not done enough research to come to any conclusions ourselves.
Feel like a Test Drive?
Visit the Edwards Pro Stop and work one-one-one with Christan or Michael.
Contact us to set up an appointment.
In Their Own Words
"The Edwards Generation X is the finest B flat trumpet that I have ever played. The instrument has a tremendous versatility of color and depth of sound that is unmatched. It is an absolute joy to play!"
John Korak
Professor of Trumpet/Chair of Department of Music, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville