Piccolos - solid or plated silver keys?

[lianeandflute]

Hey guys,

I'm looking into buying a piccolo. I wanted to get a Hammig with solid silver keys because I though that that way they wouldn't tarnish as easily and wouldn't wear away. But the guy at Hammig said apparently silver plated keys tarnish LESS.

Does anyone know anything more about this? I assumed SOLID silver would tarnish less and therefore be better in the sense that it lasts longer and I don't have to get the keys re-plated etc.

Just because I don't want to have to buy another piccolo later, I want to get a good one now… so I want to make sure I get the one that will last longer.

Also feel free to add any comments or discussion ideas on piccolos as I would like to see other people's opinions on different makes of piccolos and the varieties you can buy. A good one that I'm very interested in is the Hammig "modified thin wave" head joint which has the lip plate cut in the head joint. I'm interested in getting this so it's easier to make a sound. What are people's thoughts on having the lip plate on a piccolo (as opposed to the plain, normal embouchure hole)?

Thanks everyone!
Liane

[cflutist]

Keefe and Burkart also make good piccolos.

The following observation is by no means scientific, but this is what I found about solid silver silver plated in terms of tarnish. I have the following instuments at my house:

Solid Silver Haynes - tarnished (they use Coin Silver)
Wood Picc with solid silver keys - rarely played but tarnished (marked Sterling on the ribs)
Gemmy camping flute - solid silver body, silver plated keys, but I think they plate the whole thing, 12 years old and looks brand new
Emerson Alto flute - solid silver body, silver plated keys, but again I think they plate the whole thing, 11 years old and looks brand new
14K Brannen with sterling silver keys - 7 months old, but the keys are starting to show some tarnish even though I wipe them down with alcohol every time I play it.

Question for the techies out there, although all instruments are in the same house and subject to the same environment, is it because solid silver (sterling/coin) is not as pure as silver plate that it seems to tarnish more? e.g. sterling is 92.5% pure, coin is (on the Haynes) is 80-90% pure? I've never been able to figure this one out.

[lianeandflute]

Hi again!

Well, I've decided (after a discussion with my local flute dealer/technician) that I want solid silver keys because, while they tarnish, they can be easily repaired and I can clean them myself in the meantime, but silver plating wears away and is difficult to fix up. I want this piccolo to last me a reeeeally long time, so I want to get the best I can!

BUT now I have a new question…

Hammig makes both Grenadilla and Cocus wood piccolos. does anyone know much about cocus wood? because at the moment, all I know it that it costs more and looks very pretty! I want to get the right thing for me regardless of whether it looks fancy or not, but before I have the opportunity to try them out (hopefully can try some in about a month)...

...does anyone have any opinions on grenadilla vs cocus wood??

and one more thing! (sorry). what are your opinions on piccolos with and without lip plates?

Hopefully this forum can help me out as not many people seem to know much about cocus wood!