Right, we have limitless photos of this prop on display in the "MoM thread" linked at the top. In every sort of lighting... that's what is guiding this.
And remember, the focus of this
FX project is to deliver the lightsaber as seen on display; beginning with the Magic of Myth Exhibit.
It's true that brass ages up quite well...
Dann and others have done a great job of this. However it will always have a very yellow tone regardless of polishing or aging. Copper will always have a very red tone regardless of polishing or aging. Again I'll reference the image i posted above of two shop samples with natural patina. (The Whisky Rubbed Brass sample posted above is a chemical patina mix you can purchase to achieve that specific effect... as someone who's worked in an ornamental metalwork shop that color is not the normal tone that brass takes on naturally)
As such, we accept the fact that,
the original is aluminum, painted.
In the ISYHCANL scene the rails are very yellowy, even so with color correction. So they may well be brass. But I'd argue that the lighting and color correction in the ISYHCANL is NOT representative. Just look how washed out vader's chestbox is. Or how the clamp card is stark blue.
Here is a color correction, matching chestboxes IRL. AND removing some of the green post production from the lightsaber.
this resembles something different.
Yall feel free to take a stab at it too... I don't want to be the only one making proofs.
There are just certain ways that lighting creates tricks. ESPECIALLY film lighting setups, much less bad post-production color correction. Interior lighting, exterior lighting, reflections, etc etc etc.
If people desire to add brass rails to create a ISYHCANL look they are welcome to do so as I mentioned. That will be very easy to do.
But this is why we've selected copper for the FX rails, and are discussing our options for the windvane.
In every photo the rails are the reddest 'metal', redder than the windvane, and in every photo the windvane has a red tone ( more than brass.)
The idea is this. by the time they got to the MoM they rails were turned into something coppery looking. And the actual windvane is antique gold paint on aluminum.
-As a premium FX lightsaber build, people like and want copper because it matches itself. It's a high demand feature expected and thus worth including. This is a great "idealized" option.
-As an accurate build the aluminium would be included, for people to paint as they desire. This is the most "cannon" option.
-As a natural color match, bronze is a dead ringer, as it is equally yellow and red, and matches the antique gold paint tone well without having to purchase any caustic patinas. This is my preference and no-one (i know of) has done this option yet.
Thus we're looking at Copper, Bronze, and Aluminum.
The rails are copper for the FX build,
People can buy their own Brass L stock and age it as they desire for the ISYHCANL. And plastruct sells the grey rails necessary to make a canon control box.
By providing ALL those options, I believe it shows we care about everyone and want everyone to be pleased with this product. I think this DOES set us apart from the rest because we are going way above and beyond the norm.
*Edit* Realizing the cadence of this post may sound snippy.
It's not! I love you guys, just want to answer thoroughly. I'm really late to work but I wanted to get this out there.