I do have an opinion, but from the sounds of things, you won't agree with it. My opinion is that the original finish was a poor choice, and that's why they all look like crap now. Maybe brass has more shine than you'd like, but I'd at least look into alternate finishes that may not be original. I was cheap and simply painted mine, and I'm happy with how it looks, but if I had it to do over, I might give brass or even powdercoat some consideration.