I’m about a week into playing my new Tony Dixon Traditional “high D” brass whistle. The whistle came with some sort of clear lacquer on it which began deteriorating after just a few days. It was actually beginning to feel sticky, except where my fingers were wearing off the lacquer. So I took some super fine grain sandpaper and removed the lacquer. I then buffed it a little with “0000” steel wool. Maybe I’m a little crazy but I immediately noticed a warmer or more mellow tone after removing the lacquer.
Most likely the friction from the sandpaper reversed the polarity of the copper atoms in your brass alloy, ionizing them in such a way that they turned in a more southerly direction. This would allow them to pull in wave vestiges still reverberating from the mellow music of 1950s-era Trinidad.
Just a theory.
Ah! Good rum they have in Trinidad…
Best wishes.
Steve
Since I was born in the 50s and Trinidad is on my list of places to visit, I’ll gladly accept your hypothesis that my whistle is now functioning as a high power antennae. Or perhaps you are really just saying (in a circuitous way) that I really am crazy for thinking that I heard a difference!
When did Dixon start lacquering the brass Trad? Mine is several years old, and tue tube is uncoated.
Clearly, the lacquer acts as an inid suppressor, and removing it allows the inid to reappear!
Breathing lacquer dust can bring dreams of aural beauty.
No, just being a wisenheimer. I doubt the lacquer affects the sound. I have an old Walton’s with peeling lacquer, which I should probably remove. They do get to looking pretty ratty, and I prefer natural brass, even when it tarnishes.
Oops.
Yep.
Just a little joke, for Blazer.
Not a recommendation!
Just a little wisenheimer fun!
Worn and faded – even yellow-tinged – jeans are totally in (again).
Now you look prissy. 
nail polish remover also does the job