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Trumpet daily maintenance



 
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Beginnersmind
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Joined: 25 Aug 2018
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Location: Daphne Alabama

PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:12 pm    Post subject: Trumpet daily maintenance Reply with quote

Hi, this is my first time posting. I usually find everything I’m looking for and more by just searching. I finally found a topic I’m having a little trouble with.
I am coming to the trumpet as a retirement project after years of playing woodwinds. My inclination is to swab out as much of the trumpet as I can after each playing session. I take a silk clarinet swab through the lead pipe, and a silk trumpet swab through the tuning slide, and occasionally through the third valve slide. Everywhere my research has taken me seems to indicate that all that swabbing out might be over the top and maybe even damaging? Some of the instructions I’ve come across have seemed very very minimal. So my question is: What do you do on an everyday basis?
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zaferis
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hmmm.. might be excessive only in that it's unnecessary, but I can't think of why it might be harmful-unless somehow you're scraping the tubing with the weighted end or not lubing slides well enough when putting them back in..???

I play a lot, and on several different instruments, on a daily basis I try just not to put them away "wet". I'll pull the tuning slide shake it out and blow through the lead pipe. Oil/lube frequently 2-3 days on the trumpet I use all the time, and less frequently on those that I touch less often.
I do know players that swab the lead pipe before casing their trumpets, to no ill effect.
Blowing a little water through the trumpet, or "spitballs" will extend time between cleanings.
I'll swab things out once a month or so and a bath twice a year.

More info than you asked for, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it..

cheers
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Brad361
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use a leadpipe swab after each playing, TH member Tim Wendt makes and sells a very good one, he’ll probably see this and chime in.

I don’t see how swabbing other slides could be harmful, though I don’t know if that’s necessary. Tim’s swab lets you swab the leadpipe and tuning slide at the same time without removing any slide grease.
His username is trpthrld.

Brad
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Beginnersmind
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Location: Daphne Alabama

PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh! Not too much information at all! This is all very helpful! I am very greatful. Keep it coming. I just want to do what is best for my horn without wearing it down to nothing.
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Don Herman rev2
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Swabbing it out will help your trumpet last longer. My only caution is to make sure you clean the swab now and then; grunge in the swap gets transferred to the horn (it works both ways).

Have fun!
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Speed
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tim Wendt's "Best Damn Trumpet Leadpipe Swab" is listed in the Marketplace. It's a really good product. I use multiple ones on the leadpipe and on all slides at the end of each session. The amount of moisture on the swab after one pass through the tuning slide/leadpipe is actually pretty surprising. That's why I use multiple ones.

Take care,
Marc Speed


Last edited by Speed on Sat Sep 15, 2018 4:58 am; edited 1 time in total
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Denny Schreffler
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Swab!
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trpthrld
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

First - thank you all for the very kind words. Really appreciate them.

To the OP:

I would first suggest a full cleaning of your horns - the old "warm soapy water with a snake" through all the slides & such will give you a base point from where to go.

On the horns I play the most (Bb, flugel, picc & C) - those I'll give a full cleaning twice a year. More if I'm doing a of of outdoor gigs.

My other & back-up horns (cornets, D/Eb, pocket, etc.) - those I do once a year, usually on or around Jan. 1 (just for consistency and an easy date to remember).

After that, simple dental hygiene will do wonders for keeping the inside of your horns in excellent and consistently playable condition. I personally never play my horns without having brushed my teeth after a meal. I also stay away from sugared beverages while playing, and with the exception of coffee (gotta stay awake for Act II, ya know), all I drink when I play is water.

As far as swabbing, brass is much more forgiving than woodwinds. This is a free country and you may swab as much and as often as you like, but I think once a week will do fine.

And keeping the lead pipe / tuning slide clean will greatly reduce the chance of the rest of your horn from getting dirty inside.

The swabs I make and sell have enough cord length where you can swab both the main tuning slide and lead pipe at the same time, eliminating the need to re-lube the tuning slide before reinserting it into your horn. Remove the slide then reinsert the top tube into the lead pipe. Insert the weighted end into the bottom of the tuning slide...a little "shake rattle & roll"...and the weight comes out of the receiver.

I also swab all the valve slides after I do a full cleaning & before applying any slide lube.

I do NOT recommend trying to pull a swab through the bell into the 1st valve casing. Yes, it will fit BUT you take the chance of the cord getting cut by any sharp edge that may be where the bell tail enters the 1st valve casing. And if that cord gets severed, you're most likely looking at a trip to a brass repair tech to get the swab removed.

Suggested cleaning of my swab:
Warm water and liquid soap (dish or hand - NOT granule). Wash the swab and cord like you were washing your hands with a wash cloth.

Rinse well and let it air dry - you'll be good to go. We do not have any recommended cleaning schedule other than do it as you think it needs it.

As far as the life expectancy of my swab - earlier this year I played a show and my 2nd trumpet turned out to be the person who bought the 30th swab that I sold, and she bought it in 2007. The material had darkened a bit (that comes from regular use), and the cord had stretched a bit (again - comes from regular use), but other than that, it was in perfect condition.

I hope this helps and please contact me through the Marketplace (link is below) if you wish to purchase a swab. Or two. Or three...
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www.trumpetherald.com/marketplace.php?task=detail&id=146827&s=The-Best-Trumpet-Lead-Pipe-Swab-EVER--

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPWAJqghk24&feature=youtu.be


Last edited by trpthrld on Sat Sep 15, 2018 7:03 am; edited 1 time in total
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2018 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ready to get confused? I, now, swab my horn with Tim's swab and I dry my horn out on a trumpet stand. Preventive maintenance can't hurt and Tim is an A-level professional, so I defer to his experience.

But . . I played in school bands, 7th grade through college, then four years in a military band and, during that entire time, never swabbed my horn nor aired it out. It just went from my lap directly into the case. Did the soap & water, snake thing about twice a year.


I'm not writing this to encourage you to not worry about you're horn, rather to put your mind at ease and for you not to worry over it. Relax and enjoy what you're doing.
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EBjazz
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 11:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I swab almost daily after playing or teaching.
Pull the 2nd slide and inspect the valve ports and slide for any crud. If you see ANY, then it's time for a full cleaning. It's also nice to get a chem cleaning every year or two.

Eb
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TrumpetMD
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beginnersmind wrote:
What do you do on an everyday basis?

Daily - I swab out the lead pipe and tuning slide with a silk swab.

Weekly - I wipe the valves and valve casings with a microfiber cloth, wipe out the valve ports and bottom valve caps, run a spit ball through the horn, brush out my mouthpiece, and re-oil / re-lube the horn as needed.

Once or twice a year - I flush out the horn before doing my weekly cleaning.

I've done this since I had my horn refurbished back in 2012. It's never needed a professional cleaning. In fact, I tried to get it professionally cleaned last year, and the tech handed the horn back to me, saying it was already cleaner than he could get it.

Mike
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mcnairg
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been using the Blow Dry Brass System daily for a few months now. Its quick and effective. Here's a link:

http://blowdrybrass.com/

There are also YouTube videos showing how it's done.
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My oldest brass instrument is 85 years old. My youngest is 5 years old. None of the umpteen instruments has ever had a daily anything done to it. They get oiled when the valves slow down (except for the horn which is oiled once per week). They get washed inside about once to twice a year depending on usage. There have never been any issues.
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scottfsmith
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have bought several old trumpets which I can see rots on the inside of the leadpipe and tuning slide. So there is a risk of doing nothing with that part of the horn.

My theory is the valve oil also gets enough into the valve slides that they relatively stay better - I've seen few problems on the valve slides innards on these old horns. Since blowing out only moves air forward though the horn the oil never gets back into the tuning slide and leadpipe. So, I periodically put a couple drops of valve oil in the leadpipe and blow it through the horn.

If I wasn't oiling I'd be swabbing, do something to that area for long-term maintenance.
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trpthrld
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

scottfsmith wrote:
So, I periodically put a couple drops of valve oil in the leadpipe and blow it through the horn.

That's something Ren Schilke showed me years ago, and I still do regularly, and to also work the 1st & 3rd slides at the same time.

He said it:
- Puts a very thin layer of oil on all the inside pipes, which would help prevent red rot.
- Gets the entire horn warmed up quickly.
- Gets the PLAYER armed up with some energized air.

All good stuff!
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www.trumpetherald.com/marketplace.php?task=detail&id=146827&s=The-Best-Trumpet-Lead-Pipe-Swab-EVER--

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Denny Schreffler
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

“Don’t fail to pour water through your cornet before beginning the day’s work, never mind WHY, just DO IT and note the benefit of this simple advice.” Arthur Amsden – Celebrated Duets, PART I, DONT'S [sic] 1918

This makes me think of an anecdote from George Rawlin –> I knew one guy that had a bright [sounding] horn so he poured milk through it every week - it warmed up the sound but stunk to high heavens- UGH!  This is for real - his name was Stewart and he played a Besson Cornet.


-Denny
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