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Trumpet bath help!


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Marguerite
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Joined: 08 Aug 2008
Posts: 98
Location: Santa Barbara and Uruguay

PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:39 pm    Post subject: Trumpet bath help! Reply with quote

Hi Guys: Need some help here. Have had a bad cold and practiced through it. Now, I'd like to give my horn a bath and get rid of the germs! What sort of soap do you use on yours? Shampoo or dish soap or is there something else you suggest? Also, how careful do I have to be with getting my valves wet and clean? (After the major drama of valve alignment, I don't want to mess them up!) How often do you bathe your horns? The Amsden book says: "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." Is everybody doing that? Yikes! Wish there was a YouTube instruction video on the bathing thing: toothbrushes and wire brushes...but how do you dry it inside?

Please take a minute and give me some pointers before I ruin something here. (I have actually just been rinsing for the last 6 months, but haven't really bathed it, yet)

Thanks,
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pedaltonekid
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Joined: 15 Nov 2001
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many threads on this, but the reader's digest version of how I do it.

1. Fill tub with luke warm water with mild soap such as Dawn. Dawn is what I use.
2. Disassemble horn.
3. Valves go in cups of lukewarm water with dawn, but no contact of water with felts/gaskets.
4. Let horn soak and then brush the leadpipe and other tubing on the horn, including the slides.
5. Let the horn soak a bit longer and repeat number 4.
6. Rinse the slides and trumpet body with cool water and then sit on a towel to dry - put in a safe place.
7. Take valves out and clean with valve brush and put on towel.
8. After the horn is dry reassemble with slide grease and valve oil.
9. Make sure valves are put in with right orientation - the horn won't play if this isn't done properly.
10. Ready to go.

11. Polish if needed.

Not as complicated as it sounds.
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Marguerite
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Joined: 08 Aug 2008
Posts: 98
Location: Santa Barbara and Uruguay

PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your help, PTK. How often do you wash yours? What would you suggest for me if I play 15 hours/week? And do you put water through yours every day?
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Don Herman rev2
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Joined: 03 May 2005
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Location: Monument, CO

PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a leadpipe swab and use it daily. Rinse your mpc out daiy if you have a cold, weekly otherwise. For cleaning instructions, check out the instructions on the Musichem site ( www.musichem.com ).
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pedaltonekid
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wash my Bb trumpet about once every 3 months. I like the idea of the leadpipe swab but am not always diligent about that. I have never run water through the horn on a daily basis.

I was my Bb cornet about the same as it gets similar use.

For my other horns, Piccolo, C, Eb Flugelhorn I just add them to the mix when it seems like they need it.

For me, my cue is when my valves don't respond like they usually do. At the first hint of that I know it is time for a bath.
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robertgrier
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've written a paper on trumpet maintainence I would be glad to send to anyone. Just contact me off site. bgrierjr@triad.rr.com.
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JayJay
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Joined: 21 Apr 2006
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Location: Ridgecrest, California

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:07 pm    Post subject: Mild soap Reply with quote

I just cleaned my cornet and I used the kitchen sink.

Lined the sink with a towel then place the pieces in the warm sopay water.

I use "palmolive" dish soap. Just enough though. It was scary to this for the first time on my new horn, the Blessing cornet. Another place they mention once a year cleaning with CLR? I don't know about that yet...

Often I spray the MP with disinfectant spray bought at the music store for that purpose. I hope to clean the cornet often if used more often.
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Don Herman rev2
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CLR has been suggested but most every repairman I have ever mentioned it to has said to stay away -- too corrosive.

I prefer Dawn, as it does not have extra additives, or at least as many as some. Palmolive left a bit of a film I found hard to clean off, but ymmv. I would avoid anything that says it includes hand lotion or stuff like that as it can (in my expereince, anyway) tend to gum up the valves.

FWIWFM - Don
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Wes Clarke
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Joined: 18 Feb 2004
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use Dr. Dan's Horn Soap. I don't know if there's anything special about it, but I picked up a bottle at a shop once, liked it, and have used it ever since. Seems to do a great job on my horns. The routine provided by the first response to the original poster is just about the same as my routine. A couple of years ago I replaced my old snake (metal with nylon bristles) with one made of some type of plastic. I'm sure the old one scratched the interior walls of the slides and horn.

I do disassemble the valves, stems, caps, and buttons. I'm careful to keeps each valves' parts separated and use a bit of slide grease on all parts in the reassembly. In over forty years of playing and cleaning horns, I've never had a cap or button become stuck.

I'm not sure about the instruction to run water through the horn each day. Seems that it might flush out small particles before they become stuck. Once stuck they may catch additional material and grow. But, you'll need to oil the valves much more often. The leadpipe swab will take care of probably 90% of what is deposited in a horn. My number one rule for preventive maintenance is to brush my teeth and rinse my mouth well before playing. I imagine most of us do that.
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Smokin Joe
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Joined: 30 Oct 2006
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Location: Somerset, Mass.

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 4:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I swab my leadpipe at the end of each day with HW Brass-Saver and I found out that the first time I gave my horn a bath after swabbing daily it is way, way, cleaner than it normally would be. I also swab the tuning slide at the same time.

Joe
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chuck in ny
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

anyone with class would use lemon joy. just kidding.
good stuff to clean horns with. works. chuck
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GenoValet
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Joined: 30 Aug 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use 50% solution of Simple Green as it includes grease/oil solvent capabilities & pour through, not submerge. Plus, standing the valves in a cup so as not to wet the pads/corks/etc. JayJay, some mpc mfrs warn against that mpc spray stuff if it contains alcohol as it will eat away silver/gold; a non-alcohol mouthwash seems as good to me.
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James W. Leach
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Joined: 10 Jun 2006
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Location: Columbia, Tn.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:29 pm    Post subject: Trumpet Bath help Reply with quote

I swab out both the leadpipe and tuning slide after every use with a 2 x 3 inch or 2x 2 inch piece of cheese cloth . You can get it at any Walmart in the "crafts " section and use your snake to push it through . I do this after a 15 minute session or a 3 to 4 hour gig . I've never given my horns a bath and they are in immaculate shape . You just have to remember to do it each time you put your horn to your chops !
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Craig Swartz
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Clean the horn because of a cold? Drink a double of Chivas and play for 20 minutes. Helps you and the horn...
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EmEm09
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Joined: 10 Feb 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Melbourne, AU

PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello
I don't claim to be any sort of expert, but I am relatively conscious of keeping my Olds Recording clean because I always used to look after my instruments, and because the trumpet is 40 years old and I reckon both it and I deserve all the help we can get.

1. I use a commercial lead pipe swab after every practice/performance
2. I also clean all the tuning slides after each practice/performance using a swab I made from a length of thin polyester cord, a microfibre glasses (spectacles) cleaning cloth, and a tiny nut (as in bolt and nut, not peanut!). I tied the cord at one end to the cloth with a clove hitch/rolling hitch, and at the other to the small nut. The nut acts as weight to help guide the cord through the tubing (this is really only an issue on the main and third valve tuning slides).
3. I disassemble and wash the trumpet every c.4 weeks. As most people seem to, I use dishwashing liquid and lukewarm water. I use a snake on all the tubing and follow up with the microfibre swab. I use a little metal cleaner on the slides and occasionally on the lacquer. I follow it up with a silicone based car polish.

The only problem I've had is that occasionally the valves are a little sticky after cleaning. I always wash them with slightly soapy water, including inside them, rub them down with a microfibre cloth, rinse them with water, and leave them to air dry. Same with the valve casings. For the first day or two after I've done this, a valve (usually the 3rd) will occasionally become sluggish. I'll check the valve and casing for any lint or debris and find nothing, re-oil it following the UltraPure directions, and then after 2-3 days, it'll work without any problem or need for oil until I next clean the trumpet. Anyone have any thoughts about this? Is it just the price I pay for having a 40 year old trumpet? Or should I just not clean it so often!?
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robertgrier
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

EmEm09 wrote:
Hello
I don't claim to be any sort of expert, but I am relatively conscious of keeping my Olds Recording clean because I always used to look after my instruments, and because the trumpet is 40 years old and I reckon both it and I deserve all the help we can get.

1. I use a commercial lead pipe swab after every practice/performance
2. I also clean all the tuning slides after each practice/performance using a swab I made from a length of thin polyester cord, a microfibre glasses (spectacles) cleaning cloth, and a tiny nut (as in bolt and nut, not peanut!). I tied the cord at one end to the cloth with a clove hitch/rolling hitch, and at the other to the small nut. The nut acts as weight to help guide the cord through the tubing (this is really only an issue on the main and third valve tuning slides).
3. I disassemble and wash the trumpet every c.4 weeks. As most people seem to, I use dishwashing liquid and lukewarm water. I use a snake on all the tubing and follow up with the microfibre swab. I use a little metal cleaner on the slides and occasionally on the lacquer. I follow it up with a silicone based car polish.

The only problem I've had is that occasionally the valves are a little sticky after cleaning. I always wash them with slightly soapy water, including inside them, rub them down with a microfibre cloth, rinse them with water, and leave them to air dry. Same with the valve casings. For the first day or two after I've done this, a valve (usually the 3rd) will occasionally become sluggish. I'll check the valve and casing for any lint or debris and find nothing, re-oil it following the UltraPure directions, and then after 2-3 days, it'll work without any problem or need for oil until I next clean the trumpet. Anyone have any thoughts about this? Is it just the price I pay for having a 40 year old trumpet? Or should I just not clean it so often!?


Your valves probably have normal wear. This means they need a thicker oil so that they work smoothly.
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EmEm09
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Joined: 10 Feb 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Melbourne, AU

PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Robert
thanks. Any recommendations? I was using Al Cass but it gummed up more than UltraPure.
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robertgrier
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Location: Greensboro, NC

PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Google Hetman. They have thicker oils.
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shastastan
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I clean my horns about every 3 months. This is adequate for the amount of playing I do. I use Dr Dan's horn soap and a bottle has lasted me 3 years! I clean my mps and leadpipes more often and also the tuning slide. I wash the valves along with everything else disassembled. I use Ultra Pure valve oil and Zaja slide oil. So far no problems with sticking valves or slides. Charles, at Kanstul, told me they have done a lot of repairs caused by some folks who mess around with their horns too much. I have read on this forum that some folks clean their horns everyday. To each his/her own.

Update: I just ordered another bottle of Dr Dan's Horn Soap on Amazon. There's no place to buy it around here.
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Franz
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Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Posts: 16

PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I enjoy giving my baby a bath every month or two, and have found the following perfect for saving on water and protecting the tub at the same time, an inflatable baby tub the trumpet fits perfectly in one of these, available for $14 at Baby's R Us IIRC.



I also have found the hard way that if you want to use silver polish, do it BEFORE the bath, not after, otherwise you can't get the compound off without getting black on everything for a little while afterwards. I just put my horn in the tub, everything else goes in the sink, with valves in a cup as mentioned.
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