Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Posts: 1607 Location: Clarksville, Tn
Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:31 pm Post subject: spitballs?
I've not been a fan of these until this week. I always figured a kid would get them hung up, and then I'd be spending time taking the instrument apart.
I tried them a couple of days ago. Man, do they pull crud out of your horn! I'm not saying they should replace regular cleaning, but for in-between cleanings, you can sure keep your horn clean. _________________ Music is a fire in your belly, fighting to get out. You'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt.
Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 1264 Location: Kankakee, IL
Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 8:15 pm Post subject: Re: spitballs?
mike ansberry wrote:
I've not been a fan of these until this week. I always figured a kid would get them hung up, and then I'd be spending time taking the instrument apart.
I tried them a couple of days ago. Man, do they pull crud out of your horn! I'm not saying they should replace regular cleaning, but for in-between cleanings, you can sure keep your horn clean.
The ones that get stuck show the need for repair or alignment.
But yup they keep them pretty clean.
Plus they are fun to shoot at the clarinets!!!! LOL!!! _________________ Kanstul Chicago 1001
CG Personal
Schilke 20D2d
Schilke 20D2d 22 throat
Joined: 08 Dec 2008 Posts: 75 Location: Nebraska, USA
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:40 am Post subject:
Here are my thoughts on spitballs. I started using them a while back (Herco) and got quite a lot of crud out. I was pretty impressed, but I had to wonder how much stuff from my lead pipe and tuning slide I was just spreading out throughout the horn. I had my trumpet professionally cleaned and now I pull a swab through my leadpipe and tuning slide almost daily. I still blow a herco spitball through occasionally, but never see anything on the spitball when it comes out. BTW, my first swab was a Reeves and I didn't like it at all, then I got a Best Damn Trumpet Lead Pipe Swab and I love it, my lead pipe and slide stay shiny clean. _________________ RUDY
______________________________
Bach Strad LT180S43 -- Wedge 1.25BC SST
F. Besson Brevete' Flugelhorn -- Wedge 1.25
Tim just sent me a Best Damn Trumpet Leadpipe Swab too and I use it daily. That keeps a lot of crud from getting anywhere else in the horn. I love that thing! _________________ James
________
1965 Conn Connstellation 38B
Schilke P5-4MA
Bach Strad 189 Eb (239 Bell)
Monette Prana Mpcs: B2S3, B4LDS1, E2S3,BP2-S3, AP-5L
Joined: 08 Dec 2008 Posts: 75 Location: Nebraska, USA
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:22 am Post subject:
You can read about it here; http://www.trumpetherald.com/marketplace.php?task=detail&id=16825 . I talked to them about doing that. The pull cord is only 27", which is not long enough for my flugel. I think it would need to be 4 feet long, but then there is the problem of getting it through the valves. I think mine would work as the bore through the valves is straight through with the valves up. I think a lot of flugels are like trumpets with offsets between each valve. I figured I could drop it down the bell and shake it all the way around pulling it through out the lead pipe. _________________ RUDY
______________________________
Bach Strad LT180S43 -- Wedge 1.25BC SST
F. Besson Brevete' Flugelhorn -- Wedge 1.25
Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Posts: 1607 Location: Clarksville, Tn
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:11 am Post subject:
I've started blowing a spitball through my horn after every practice session or job. Just like a woodwind player swabs out their horn. I don't use a new one every time. I can't see any need in that. I just dry off the spitball and put it in the case pocket. I use a new one each week. Man, my horns are clean as a whistle inside! _________________ Music is a fire in your belly, fighting to get out. You'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt.
I like the product.. they seem to work very well for in between cleanings. However, when you run out of clean spitballs, what does everyone recommend as far as being able to reuse them? There is only so much of that solution, and unfortunately for me, Musiciansfriend.com stuck a nice big barcode sticker right over the directions. I don't want to soak them in water to clean them because, well, that would be a bad idea in my opinion.. but is there somewhere where Herco sells that solution that the spitballs soak in? _________________ Scott Weber
Hartwick College Class of 2011
B.S. Music Education
Scott.Steven.Weber@gmail.com http://sites.google.com/site/coolmusiclessons/
Tim just sent me a Best Damn Trumpet Leadpipe Swab too and I use it daily. That keeps a lot of crud from getting anywhere else in the horn. I love that thing!
I use tim's swabs daily, spitballs daily and also squirt some valve oil down the leadpipe daily in addition to keeping my trumpets well oiled and lubed. I no longer see any crud when I give my trumpets a regular cleaning.
Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 1298 Location: Everywhere
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 12:54 pm Post subject:
ScottWeber wrote:
I like the product.. they seem to work very well for in between cleanings. However, when you run out of clean spitballs, what does everyone recommend as far as being able to reuse them? There is only so much of that solution, and unfortunately for me, Musiciansfriend.com stuck a nice big barcode sticker right over the directions. I don't want to soak them in water to clean them because, well, that would be a bad idea in my opinion.. but is there somewhere where Herco sells that solution that the spitballs soak in?
I use Isopropyl. It works very well. _________________ Hi, my name is David and I'm a trumpetaholic.
Does that best damn swab work on the longer tubing lengths of a flugelhorn?
yes, it will work, but it's impractical to make a swab with a cord long enough to get all the way thru a flugel. Not impossible, just impractical.
A cord that long...it'll easily get tangled & knotted...we made a few for trombones to try out that market, and even tho they were as effective with trombones as they are with trumpets, the length of the cord was the drawback, so we don't make those anymore.
And there would need to be more weight in the cord to help it negotiate the length & curves on a flugel. Again...not impossible to do, just impractical.
But back to the topic, I have used Spitballs since the early 70s on a regular basis. They are an integral part of my regular cleaning ritual. Love 'em - terrific product. I use them, squeeze them dry & keep them in the jar (with no liquid), then simply wet them before using when I clean.
They last a long, long time, too. I'll get a couple of years use before I think they need to be tossed.
I played with Buddy Childers' LA big band for a bunch of years. After every rehearsal & performance he'd take a few moments and blow a couple of Spitballs thru both his trumpet & flugel. He blew them thru dry.
That's a pretty good endorsement right there for Spitballs. _________________ Tim Wendt
A lovely review posted on wwbw.com (large-bore-spitballs):
student wrote:
I bought Spitballs to clean out my tuba, and even though it was desinded for Trombone it word very well. I also gove some to a freind who plays the Trombone and it work even better. You could definatly tell a deference in the sound quality. On the down side though my freind use it on his rotary valve tuba and it got stuck in them. it didn't hurt the imstrument and he could still play it with it in there but it didn't sound as good. It also can get stuck if you have a lot of twist and turns on your instrument. Summery: I would use it on any trombone or a none Rotery valve tuba with not a lot of turns.
Do not discount the practical advice from the ones who experienced it.
Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 2190 Location: Indiana USA
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:27 pm Post subject:
trpthrld,
Hi, Tim!
I've used Spitballs (Herco) for quite a long time and I like them for keeping the trumpets/cornets clean between washing inside and out. I believe they work fine for me and others say they have success with them, too.
I like your Best D*** Swab work, too. It does what you say it does and that's the truth.
Don't know whether it needs it or not, but I put a little valve oil in the leadpipes after cleaning via application to the last Spitball. Probably not needed, but it is a force of habit for me.
Best wishes,
I like your Best D*** Swab work, too. It does what you say it does and that's the truth.
Don't know whether it needs it or not, but I put a little valve oil in the leadpipes after cleaning via application to the last Spitball. Probably not needed, but it is a force of habit for me.
Thanks for the props, we're pretty happy with our product.
BTW, the guy who makes the swabs with me is Jason Colby, a terrific trumpet player here in NYC. A band he plays in just did the music for a new TV ad for Mini Coopers. Jason is the trumpet AND wrote the tune:
He's also a former student...and yes, I'm very proud of him.
In the early 70s, when I started playing Schilke trumpets, Ren hisself told me the best way to oil valves was pour a few drops down the lead pipe & then blow it through the horn while working the valves and slides at the same time. Said it also puts a protective coating of oil on the inside of the horn, especially the lead pipe.
If Ren says it...probably means it's got solid validity. _________________ Tim Wendt
Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 1298 Location: Everywhere
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:02 pm Post subject:
Tim, I really like that commercial, thanks for posting it! Sorry that I don't use your swab. I'm too cheap to buy one. But you inspired me to make my own out of a sham wow, a shoe lace, and some BB's as weights. _________________ Hi, my name is David and I'm a trumpetaholic.
Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 1668 Location: West Medford, MA
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:35 pm Post subject:
When done playing, I swab the lead pipe & sometimes the tuning slide.
Couple times a week I blow a spitball thru wet with alcohol once, squeeze it mostly dry & repeat twice more.
Once a week I do the Schilke thing - with a spitball especially reserved for oil. I figure that sponges lube onto most all the inside surfaces.
Thats's MO for the trumpet. Cornet? Shorty gets twoo spitballs daily, one alcohol & one oiled, twice thru each. Swab weekly. Means taking out a piston. There's the real value of the spitball. _________________ kochaavim, csillaagkep, αστερρισμός, konnstelacji, connstellation... ...a.k.a. the 28A!
Other Conns: Victor 5A & 38A, New Wonder & 80A; 'stella 38A; 36A; 'quest 76A...
Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 2548 Location: Oakville, ON Canada
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:15 am Post subject:
You know, I'd not heard of the "oil the inside of the horn" thing - I'll definitely give it s shot.
Thanks! _________________ Schilke B1
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Scodwell Standard Bb
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