Blessing L-1 Trumpet

[rogue_drummer]

Hello. Newbie here. Well, not a new musician, but new to the Trumpet. I'm actually a semi-professional drumming in the D/FW area and after buying a Blessing L-1 in an antique shop a few weeks ago, need to ask:
1) how much should I expect to pay to get the 2nd slide unstuck?
2) since this thing was sitting in an antique store in good condition, but not used in a while (I think), would it be wise to have the instrument acid washed?

Thanks! Any advice you can spare is greatly appreciated.
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If you can't say it with a 4 piece - stay home!

[Comeback]

[razeontherock]

I would say acid wash / chem clean should not be necessary. Ultrasonic can be done with much milder stuff, and there is also such a thing as "damage free" cleaning, which may prove to be a good idea with your older horn. I'm thinking your baby is worth all the pampering you can give it; you may have a really sweet axe there!

[rogue_drummer]

Thank you Comeback and Razeontherock! I can certainly swing $25! Good to hear I can forgo the acid bath and maybe wash it myself.
If I do wash it myself first, this begs the question - and I apologize if this is really beginner stuff - how shall I wash it? I've read a few things on the Internet that contradict each other. One article says to take it apart and wash it in the bathtub with very mild soap and then clean the valves with a rag. Another says not to clean it in the bathtub and to not clean it at all, but just clean the valves maybe once a month or so and oil the valves.

What way do you all recommend? Thanks!
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If you can't say it with a 4 piece - stay home!

[Comeback]

[veery715]

Take it apart as much as you can (leave the 2nd valve slide alone for now) and place the valve pistons in a water glass. Fill a plastic tub, a sink big enough, or your bathtub (put a towel on the bottom) with warm water and enough dish soap to make some suds. Scoop out some of it and add it to the glass with the pistons in it, to a level above the section with the holes in it, but under the felts which are at the top. You want to avoid getting them wet if possible. Leave them to soak.

Place the horn and its parts - slides which you were able to remove and the bottom valve caps (the top ones will be still on the piston assemblies) in the bath and leave for an hour. Get yourself a snake for cleaning horns - the best are the HW BrassSavers, but any will do - be careful that you don't push a sharp end into the inside surface the valve cylinders - and push or pull it though the horn tubing and the slides. You may not be able to go around the ends, but that is OK - go in as far as you can and work it back and forth to remove internal buildup of dirt and scale loosened by the soak. You can run a cylindrical brush through the valve cylinders to scrub them gently. After this let things soak a bit longer, then removing each piece and the horn, run them under the tap or shower so that water rinses both the outside and inside of everything.

Shake the excess water out of the horn and slides and set on a towel to air dry. While it dries use a lint free cloth (microfiber or an old silk tie or scarf) to scrup the pistons (you can use a q-tip to scrub the inside of the ports) and then rinse them and shake them off and then set them to air dry or use a dry microfiber cloth to dry them.

Apply fresh lube (vaseline or slide grease from the music store) to the slides and insert them one leg at a time into the horn, working them in and out to distribute the grease, and then install them all the way. Apply a few drops of valve oil the each piston, one at a time, and a drop or two into the appropriate cylinder, and then place them back where they came from, turning slightly to get the valve guides to click into the guide slots, and you should be golden.

NOTE: Pistons and cylinders are numbered 1,2,3 beginning closest to the mouthpiece. Look on the pistons or their spring barrels for the numbers. And make sure each piston faces the correct direction, as it is often possible to insert them 180 degrees out of the correct position which will block the flow of air through them. Once in place, blow air through the horn and work them each up and down to ensure they are right - if you cannot blow, one or more is in the wrong position and needs rotating 180 degrees.
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veery715

Music is what feelings sound like.

[Jerry]

[FrankM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3VpCtSDrX4

This should help.

[lmf]

[Goldplate]

Hello rogue_drummer. I hope you enjoy your L-1. Is it the standard weight L-1 or the lightweight L-1 (would probably say LT-L-1 on the mouthpiece receiver)? I have a standard weight L-1, and I think I am the one Comeback referred to when he said he knew of one other L-1.

[Comeback]

[Goldplate]

[Goldplate]

Comeback,

You might be interested in this webpage below. It lists quite a few Blessing trumpet models and date of manufacture.

http://www.usedprice.com/items/guitars-musical-instruments/e-k-blessing/trumpet/ltl1-159409.html