ok! Hello! I'm new (name's willow), I play the clarinet and right now I'm looking for a professional one for college - I've basically decided to get a Buffet R13 but I was wondering: what exactly is the difference between Nickel Plated and Silver Plated keys? I really wanted silver plated just because they're SOOO PRETTY :-) but is that all they are? are they any stronger or something? Cuz if all they are is pretty I think I might just stick to nickel...
Anyway! Any tips would be highly appreciated! :-D

I think it might be that the silver ones are more hardwearing or something, but im not really a clarinettist so i wouldnt know

Yes I think you're right, Silver is a less reactive metal than nickel and thus will take longer to wear away.

Oboes are best when silver plated, as it's easier to clean off fingermarks and makes it all nice and shiny just by rubbing it with your shirt. Is it lighter as well, maybe?

Hello wilow129, and welcome to the forums.

There are probably some people who would swear that the type of metal makes a difference to the sound you make, but personally I don't subscribe to that theory. The difference is mainly aesthetic - which do you think looks better? I'd go for silver, but my inclination has always been towards precious metals!

I'm not a clarinettist, but someone has just asked about the difference between nickel and silver plated flutes on an internet list I subscribed to, and a couple of flute teachers said that nickel plated flutes are much more slippery than silver plated. So imagine the same might be true of nickel plated clarinet keys. They could also cause a skin reaction in some people.

Hello Willow

If I were you, I'd be inclined to go for a silver plated mechanism. Nickel plating will eventually turn a dull grey colour, and then machine polishing would be the only way to make your keys shiny again. There is a possibility that your perspiration will react with silver plate to turn it black, but the odds on that I would say are quite small. And, Deborah, I believe you to be quite right in the fact that the metal that your keys are plated in makes absolutely no difference to your tone!

hmm **Strokes chin thoughtfully**
All right! OO boy I'd like to get silver keys...but I think my teacher wants me to get the nickel ones oh well, as long as it's wooden and sounds pretty

Anywise! Thanks for all the replies :-)

The only thing i would add is that some children with skin conditions will react to nickle and not silver. In terms of practicle useage I believe (but am open to being told I am wrong) there is little differnce. Of course there is the obvious cost difference!

O yes, that's true. They feel quite different.

Liz

Yeah, it used to bring my ezcema up really badly!

hmm, interesting I hadn't ever thought of that before, that would be kind of a pain...(Yay though! No allergies for me)

it was a pain for my daughter who had a silver nickle flute, her lips got very swollen we had to get a silver flute in the end to resolve the problem.

my teachers said she once taught a student that reacted to clarinet reeds. they ended up trying the plasticoated reeds and eventually found of all things plastic reeds....... i didnt even know they existed

strnage how we are all so different..