Olds Register Photo Guide

Fullerton Question 4

Finish

Brass instruments can either have a lacquer or plated finish. A lacquer finish is a coat of clear lacquer applied to polished brass to protect the brass and keep the instrument shiny. Lacquer is the least expensive method to protect the brass is was used extensively by Olds and other brass manufacturers. A plated finish is a very thin layer of silver, nickel or gold that is electroplated onto polished brass.

Sometimes a person will see the “gold colored” appearance of a lacquered brass instrument and incorrectly think that it is gold plated. Gold plating is very expensive and very uncommon.

Lacquered Brass:

May have some silver colored parts, but most of the instrument is brass.

Even though the Olds Opera and the Olds Special models have bells and other parts of the instrument made of materials other than brass and, the instruments still has some brass parts and is lacquered so we include them as lacquered brass.

Silver Plated:

The entire instrument has been plated with a thin coating of silver. There is no lacquer coating on top of the plating, so the finish may be tarnished, but will generally have a uniform appearance except where some brass may be showing under the plating.

Nickel Plated

Although silver colored in appearance, Olds offered some models with Nickel Plating in the 1960’s and 70’s. A nickel plated instrument will have a lacquer coating over the plating and some scratches and nicks in the lacquer can usually be seen. Studio and Special models were the most common Nickel plated models.

Gold plated

Olds offered gold plating, but due to the expense, very few instruments are gold plated. A thin layer of gold is applied over silver plating so often the silver will be showing through in areas. If you are not sure if you have a gold plated instrument, then it is almost certainly lacquered brass.