How Do You Remove Silver Plating From A Trumpet?
Silver plating on your trumpet can become a nuisance–or even a problem–if you are required to have a gold instrument. Many orchestras require gold as the instrument’s main color, and if yours is silver, you may be faced with buying a new trumpet. There is a way, however, to remove the silver plating that is on your trumpet, although it will require preparation beforehand. Do not do try this without first consulting with your local music store; it may be able to remove the silver on your trumpet for a modest fee. Step 1 Create a 50 percent mix of nitric acid and water. Make the mix large enough to submerge your instrument in: for a trumpet–a 2-qt. mix should be plenty. Step 2 Heat the nitric acid and water to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using a pan, this can be heated over a stove. Otherwise, just boil the water and add it to the acid. Step 3 Put on rubber gloves. Submerge your musical instrument for 10 seconds under the mix. Immediately afterwards, wash it with water in the 5
