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Tivolian
Regular Member
Joined: 22 May 2018
Posts: 84
Location: Upstate New York
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 Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 10:38 am Post subject: Can't dump water in ACB flugel |
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| Hi folks. Sorry if this seems rather trivial. I have had an Austin Custom Brass doubler's flugel for a couple of months (bought used but in good shape). I cannot manage to clear the water, even with various contortions and using both the blowhard and gravity approaches. There's often the popping sound with open fingering, suggesting that the water's accumulating more in the main pipe than in the valve slides. Has anyone had this issue? Any suggestions? Thanks. |
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TrumpetMD
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Joined: 22 Oct 2008
Posts: 2412
Location: Maryland
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 10:44 am Post subject: Re: Can't dump water in ACB flugel |
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| Tivolian wrote: | | Hi folks. Sorry if this seems rather trivial. I have had an Austin Custom Brass doubler's flugel for a couple of months (bought used but in good shape). I cannot manage to clear the water, even with various contortions and using both the blowhard and gravity approaches. There's often the popping sound with open fingering, suggesting that the water's accumulating more in the main pipe than in the valve slides. Has anyone had this issue? Any suggestions? Thanks. |
I can't speak for the ACB model. But I have this same issue on both my flugelhorns (a Getzen 896 and an Olds L-12). I have to pull slides or rotate the horn to get the water out.
Mike
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Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns. |
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zaferis
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Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Posts: 2317
Location: Beavercreek, OH
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:22 pm Post subject: |
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When this issue pops up with friends or students I go through the following:
*Check that spit valves are clear inside and out - solder or debris can cause issues.
*I watch how they attempt to release water, angle of the instrument. Having the spit valve opening at the bottom of the arch-many don't dip the bell far enough or not at all.
*See how hard they blow. You can blow the water passed the opening and fan it out if you're too aggressive, then, of course, it settles back to a low spot.
*See if the horn is clean. Water will cling to the stuff that grows and builds up inside
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HERMOKIWI
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Joined: 24 Dec 2008
Posts: 2581
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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What kind of spit valves do you have? Amado or lever key? If you have Amado then occasionally taking them apart and cleaning them and the access hole leading to them is part of the deal. It's simpler if you have standard lever keys. With those you just focus on cleaning out the access hole. Pipe cleaner is pretty good for that purpose.
The foregoing doesn't cure problems with gunk building up inside the tubes which eventually clog the access holes. This build up can occur quickly so cleaning the inside of the horn on a regular basis is important.
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khedger
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Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 754
Location: Cambridge, MA
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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| I've had horns with which I HAD to physically pull the second valve slide to empty the water. I don't know why, I just know that it drove me crazy for years and somebody suggested doing this. It always worked like a charm. |
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Tivolian
Regular Member
Joined: 22 May 2018
Posts: 84
Location: Upstate New York
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks everyone. I ended up solving the problem with a bent paper clip to clean out a bit of gunk from the opening (lever style water key). Seems to have worked. |
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HERMOKIWI
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Joined: 24 Dec 2008
Posts: 2581
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Tivolian wrote: | | Thanks everyone. I ended up solving the problem with a bent paper clip to clean out a bit of gunk from the opening (lever style water key). Seems to have worked. |
It doesn't take much to clog the hole. In my experience unclogging the hole with a pipe cleaner (or in your case a paper clip) is a very temporary fix because there is always a lot more gunk in the tube waiting to work itself into the hole.
A big problem with flugelhorns is getting a snake through all the relevant tubes. A typical trumpet snake isn't long enough to get through the horn from the point the bell exits the third valve casing to the end of the bell and it also has difficulty getting through the bends in that section of tubing.
I use a trombone snake where I've significantly cut down the brush on one end and I insert it through the bell end but that barely makes it all the way through from the bell to the third valve casing and it tends to be a struggle making it happen.
What are people using that makes this easier while still being effective?
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GordonH
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Joined: 16 Nov 2002
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Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 2:55 am Post subject: |
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Suggestion:
Treat it like a rotary trumpet. Remove mouthpiece, point instrument away from you. Angle it at 45 degrees to the side so water can get out of the slides and waggle the valves. Water should come out of the mouthpiece receiver.
If you still have stuff trapped try pouring it out of the bell.
If this fails you may have something causing a a surface tension blockage somewhere. Maybe a small obstruction or something.
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