I got my new horn, but...

WaxHaX0rS · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 524

It's not the Yamaha 8335RGS. It's a Silver Bach Strad 37. I tried it out at the music store and liked it a lot. I have one minor concern though. The guy at the store gave me a silver polishing cloth. I was using it to get rid of smudges and fingerprints and it did that, but it left extremely light surface scratches, not visible from more than a couple feet away. I was just wondering if I was polishing wrong or something. Would the scratches go away eventually after more polishing? When you polish it, do you apply some pressure or do you let the cloth glide across as you gently slide it across the surface? Any other concerns I should have about a new horn? I read in this little brochure they gave me that I should wash the valves daily for a few weeks to get rid of bits of metal in the valves that get in there in the process of breaking the valves in.

PJB · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:21 pm Post subject:

While I know some players use silver polishing cloths and seem to like them, I've always used a non-abrasive polish like Wright's Silver Cream or Hagerty's Silver Foam instead. Actually, I don't polish my horn that often, maybe 3-4 times a year. In between polishings, I use a very soft cotton cloth to wipe the horn down after playing. This approach has worked great for me! My horn is almost 30 years old, still has its original silverplate, and the condition of the silver is terrific!

When the horn was new, I found the plush lining of my trumpet case actually left very slight scratches on the finish. My solution was to pad the horn with another soft cotton cloth (actually, a cloth diaper) between the case lining and the instrument.

Enjoy your new horn! With proper care, it will serve you well for many years to come.
_________________
Pete Blaise

1974 Benge 3X Bb
1950 Olds Super
2002 Yamaha Xeno 8445GS C
2004 Kanstul ZKF 1525 Flugel

trumpet manor · Veteran Member Joined: 26 Jun 2003 Posts: 102

"I read in this little brochure they gave me that I should wash the valves daily for a few weeks to get rid of bits of metal in the valves that get in there in the process of breaking the valves in."

Yes, I'd rinse the valves once a day or every other day for a couple weeks. When you take the piston out, use the swab rod that came with the horn to pull a clean, soft cloth through each valve cylinder. Be very careful not to damage the pistons and cylinders when you clean them. If you do this procedure, you will be very happy with your valves for a long time.

WUG · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 8:32 pm Post subject:

WAX,
I am a nitpickin' fool about the finish on my silver horn. First of all, for a brand new horn, there shouldn't be any tarnish on it. So I wouldn't worry about using any cream or polishing cloth yet. A good measure to keep the tarnish at bay is to use a brite bag for your trumpet in the case. This will also help prevent micro scatches from occuring from contact with the case felt fibers, i.e.:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/canbrass/brite-bag.html

I have used tarnish removing silver polishing cloths with success on lightly tarnished silver. I use a Blitz cloth, but there are many others out there that are similar. If you can't resist using this type of cloth on your new horn, I would not recommend using it completly dry. Moisten the trumpet surface ever so slightly. this will help lubricate the contact between the silver and the cloth. Microscopic particles will cause micro scratches in the surface when using an absolutly dry cloth. Once those tiny, almost non visible scratches get in there, I don't how to get them out. Anything you would use will remove a tad bit of silver and may even add more sctatches if too abrasive.

For general wiping of the surface, I use a micro fiber cloth. You can get a small pack of them at Bed Bath and Beyond for like, 10 bucks. I found that they even remove light tarnish. I use these types of cloths on my silver horn to wipe it down and always carry one half out, in my right front pocket while I'm playing, just to dry off my spit valves after draining and to keep my valve fingers dry. I have not had a mico fiber cloth leave any small scratches on my finish. When I do wipe down finger prints on the go, I usually breath some warm air on the surface to leave some water vapor as a lubricant to reduce the chance of leaving a micro scratch. Remember, silver is soft. I put some very teeny weeny scratches on the curve of my bell, from the first valve, from just making contact with the plastic buttons on my shirt's left sleeve cuff.

I know this all may sound neurotic, but it is not really much effort and my 6 year old "Mike Vax" looks brand new!

Later,
WUG
_________________
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Palms 100:1

valvepimp · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 8:37 pm Post subject:

The scratches should go away but they will be only be replaced with new scratches if you keep using the same cloth that caused them in the first place. If you bring the horn in to a qualified brass tech he could probably buff them all out for you. They exist only in an infinitessimal percentage of the outermost surface. I agree with the suggestion of Wright's Silver Cream. The sponge that comes with it does not cause these scratches in my silver plated horns. Plus this stuff is very good at removing stubborn tarnish.
_________________

WaxHaX0rS · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 524

I'm not concerned with tarnish and stuff yet, I just want something to get finger prints and other smudges off of it when i take it in and out of the case. I'll try getting some of those very soft cotton cloths. I'm going to ACE today, maybe they have something...

bgwbold · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 4:04 am Post subject:

I use an old cut up tshirt. You can get most smudges off by huffing a place with your breath and wiping it down with the soft tshirt material. You can throw the rags in the wash to keep them clean. I almost never use silver polish.

Mike

mulligan stew · Heavyweight Member Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 1846

I'm going to second the micro-fiber suggestion--I also buy the 4-pack at BB&B and they are GREAT for silver. In almost two years I've never used any form of silver polish or tarnish remover, and the silver is as good as new. Any form of silver polish, chemical cloth, or tarnish remover will remove silver...

ARB · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 4:54 am Post subject:

WaxHaX0rS, I second what WUG said about the tarnish bags, get one of those and you won't need to polish your horn as often; I use them on all my silver horns and you'd be amazed at how well they work.

Don't buy it on-line though, just go to your local fabric store and purchase a yard of (I think it's called) tarnish fabric or silver fabric and have someone stitch it around for you; or get some of that iron on sealing tape from the fabric store, it works really well. I made two or three from one yard of fabric for about $10.00; the bags online are like $25 each.
_________________
Allen - 'Chops-in-Hotlanta'

00 Schilke S22
77 LA Benge 5X
63 Burbank Benge C

"It's what we think we know that keeps us from knowing"

jgadvert · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:01 am Post subject:

I have plenty the same light surface scratches on the silver plate of my horn that seem to come from nowhere...for no apparent reason. I doubt a polishing cloth has anything to do with it. I use a cloth and have never seen a scrtach appear because of using it.

I am no metal expert but I think these scratchers occur somehow naturally with the metal and plating. Metal expanding and contracting, settling..something like that. Maybe Mr. plating expert guy will come along and explain.

crzytptman · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:27 am Post subject:

It's great to have a new horn, and they sure look pretty when the first come out of the box, But - come on guys, it's a tool, not a piece of jewelry! That being said, I am very compulsive about keeping my horn clean. As much as I play, I have to dis-assemble and clean once a week. Light surface scratching is a natural progression, unless you want to be obsessive-compulsive! However, when you polish it, it's gonna look like new from 2 feet away. I'd rather spend my time making music with my horn than wiping off fingerprints. I do like the suggestion about the micro fiber cloth - I'm gonna try that . . .

I echo the valve suggestions - oil every time you play for awhile, but do it thru the slides and a few drops down the leadpipe.

Enjoy!

Nate
_________________
Crazy Nate - Fine Yet Mellow Fellow
"so full of it I don't know where to start"
Horn: "just mismatched Kanstul spare parts"
- TH member and advertiser (name withheld)

WaxHaX0rS · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 524

We don't have any of those stores around here, but I'll take a look at ACE (I'll probably go there tomorrow).

plp · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 3:32 pm Post subject:

If you can find it, there is a product called Pinola silver polish that I have been cursed to find. I bought a bottle at a flea market, this is an all natural product that uses pine oil and beeswax, and is the best stuff I've ever used. Not only does it clean tarnish, but I guess the beeswax base fills in those tiny scratches, and really makes a difference. The problem is, I can't find any more of it. None of the local health food stores have a listing for the manufacturer (so much for my detective skills) and the vendor was not at the flea market two weeks after I bought the first bottle so, I'm using the rest sparingly.

trumpeternick · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 4:28 pm Post subject:

I looove Wright's silver polish. It looks absolutely brilliant afterwards and it stays that way for a long time. If you use any of that type of polish, just make sure you rinse it all off thoroughly afterwards. The first time I used it, my horn still looked great, but the sponge was black with silver oxide(or whatever it is, I hate chemistry class) at the end. It was scary...

Congrats on the new horn BTW.