The use of maillechort, a tarnish-resistant, creamily beautiful but easily marred alloy of copper, zinc and nickel, sometimes also called "German silver, " for the plates and bridges is a case in point.

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Many French horns, for example, are made of nickel silver, an alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel (it's silver in name and color only), and some are made of nickel bronze, an alloy of copper, tin, and nickel. (Brass itself is an alloy of copper and zinc.) Many brass instruments are silver-plated (sterling silver on brass), and some are gold-plated.

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