Valve Guard or No Valve Guard?

[nyctrumpeter]

I usually use one on my horn but I'm wondering if it interferes in the vibration of the horn or not. Is it better to protect the plating and have a little comfort or not. What are your thoughts? Thanks.

[Crazy Finn]

I've never needed one. My hands haven't worn the finish off any of the valve section on any of my horns - even my well-used Yamaha Bb that I've played since I got it in 1990.

For me, they're uncomfortable and unnecessary. That's just me, though.

Some valve "protectors" actually cause greater wear on the finish on the valve sections. I've seen it. A colleague of mine had a pretty new looking trumpet - the finish was almost perfect. When he took the valve guard off that he had put on when it was new, the whole area was badly worn.

Also, some materials promote tarnish on silver plate. Leather is often one, but not always.

Vibration? Beats me.

As far as cosmetics? I think they look lame. To me it's like having the plastic protector on the couch or those one of those "bras" on the front of your car.

I guess if your hands are acidic, then you need some sort of solution, but if not - I'd just skip it.
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[Nuck81]

I just bought a trumpet from Quality Brass that had one on it.

I thought it looked asinine and took it off. I'll probably end up giving it to one of my kids at the school...

[etc-etc]

Just use a nice handkerchief instead.

[Scott42486]

I actually use them and probably always will. I make sure to use only the Leather Specialties or Dillon variety though as they have a liner to prevent wear from the protector. Note though, my hands are REALLY acidic. I can eat through some lacquers in under a week. Silver plating isn't that much better off for me either.
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[Crazy Finn]

[Ed Lee]

Everyone is complaining about acidic hands and I believe I've the solution to the problem. Just dust your hands with baking soda before you pick up your horn. Too, an open box of baking soda in your case when you store it might help keep it sweet smelling. You may have to recycle an old talc or baby powder container to transport the baking soda so that you can reclose it. Baking soda neutralizes mild acids.

[etc-etc]

Ed,

Very valid point - in fact, if your wet hands were acidic, baking soda should start to fizzle when in contact.

If, however, you have more enzymes on the surface of your hands than an average person, baking soda would not help a lot.

[chrisf3000]

I used to eat through trumpet after trumpet so I started using a hand guard. What I found was that the guard actually made it worse! The acids in the sweat seemed to be soaked up by the leather and then held against the metal valve casing. At first it helped, but in the end it was worse.

Combine that with some of things I've learned since going to Wayne Tanabe at Yamaha - the extra weight on the valve section is not helping with resonance at all. Your best bet is honestly to ditch the hand guard and wipe the fingerprints off of your horn after playing it each time. I started doing this several years ago and my horns look like new. I get laughed at for polishing my horns every time I play, but it does work!

[VetPsychWars]

This is definitely one vote in favor of epoxy lacquer... nothing hurts that stuff!

Tom
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[brassjunkie]

IMO anything you put on a horn can make a difference to some aspect of how it plays, response, sound etc. I used to use a rubber protec valve guard....till it was demonstrated to me by a well known professional player that it changed the response of my horn for the worse.
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[davidkoch]

I used to use one, and I liked it. I saw no adverse playing affects at the time. For some reason that I cannot recall, I no longer use any. Now when I even put one on a horn it makes a HUGE difference. My horns are now losing plating, but I don't care, because frankly I would rather have a well playing horn that might need to be replated, or replaced sometime in the not-so-near future than a trumpet that doesn't play well for sake of the finish.
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[etc-etc]

Holding with a handkerchief can change the sound of the horn, too, making it less zingy.

[Blue Trane]

I can wear out a Bb in 5 - 7 years so now that I have a 43* from the early 70's that I really like I want to do everything I can to delay having to replate it. I use Leather Specialties valve guards and Osmun (same thing I think) and I take it off the horn every week or so and put a new one on while I put the used one through the wash. I wipe down the silver or exposed brass when I change them. I also put tape (clear packing or electrical) on the worn areas of the horn that aren't protected by the guard.

I greatly prefer to play a horn without a guard but I'd like to play this particular Bb for twenty or more years instead of 4 - 5.

[natetpt]

I use one more for comfort than protecting the plating, havn't noticed any adverse playing effects yet!!

Nate

[Hack001]

I used one for about 10 years. I had one of the leather specialties full cover guards. Loved it. Believed that there was no way it could affect the sound. Until I took it off. Could be just me or my head, but the horn rings more without it. So I don't use them anymore.

FWIW, the Leather Specialties guards have a plastic layer in between the velvet and the leather preventing moisture built up in the leather from transferring to the horn, so those would probably be best if you have corrosive skin.
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[giakara]

For laquer and matt laquer horns i always use valve leather gard but on silver horns it dont work at all for meafter two days of use the silver under the gard turns to black .
I just clean the silver with a soft cloth before i put the horn in the case and thats it.

Regards
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[Ed Lee]

[chrisf3000]

One other thing - slightly off topic, I suppose - is that Hagerty's Silver Spray is amazing! If you haven't discovered it yet, check it out. They sell it at Dillon's and other places in a large blue can.

I guess what I'm saying is it's not too late to take that sucker off, spray it down with some Hagerty's (to polish and protect, of course) and then keep it shiny and protected by wiping it down afterwards. Your horns will look like new much longer.

[trombahonker]

If you choose to use a valve guard, make it a point to remove the guard at least once a week to wipe off the casing. "Stuff" will get between the guard and plating, and if left between for a long period, will "rub" and damage the plating. A good valve guard (Leather Specialties, etc), that is washed regularly, and who's instrument's valves are wiped regularly, will not damage the plating.

My few $.02
Aaron
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