Amado keys yes/no?

[kehaulani]

What is the consensus on Amado water keys?

Right now, I have a stuck one that I just can't get loose. I'll probably have to send it out. This has happened in the past on other horns, too, as well as another one going limp (unusable) on me.

Is there a fail-safe way of keeping them in order or should I just get them replaced with conventional water keys?

Thanks
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"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[dr_trumpet]

[yourbrass]

Valve oil on the piston of the key will keep it moving, once you get it unstuck.

When I service an Amado, it gets oiled after cleaning. Unfortunately it isn't user-friendly if it freezes or the circlip breaks.
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[kehaulani]

Maybe it just sat in the case for too long. This is on my cornet which doesn't get played (hence oiled) regularly.

It's not a PAITA but seems a little irritating to have to take it out of the case to oil every few days if I'm not using it. I have never had that problem with lever keys.
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"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[GeorgeB]

I don't like Amado keys but if you got them you have to oil them every time you use your horn if you don't want trouble.

George
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GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet

[Richard III]

Stick a pin in the little hole on one side and work the whole thing back and forth. I've never had one stay stuck.

That being said, I also find them annoying that I have one more thing to maintain.
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Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

[shofarguy]

Most people don't like maintenance chores, but if you want something to work correctly for any length of time, you have to maintain it. Horns, cars, homes, marriages... A person has to learn the value of good maintenance.
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Brian A. Douglas

Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb Trumpet in copper
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Flugelhorn in copper


There is one reason that I practice: to be ready at the downbeat when the final trumpet sounds.

[jengstrom]

I took a couple years off the horn and the Amado key on the M/K slide for my C wouldn’t budge. Period. I soaked it in warm soapy water overnight and that loosened it. I try to keep it oiled, but if I go more than a week or 2 it sticks. But not like it did after 2 years.

If you can get it to move at all, the metal tip on a Pentel mechanical pencil fits perfectly in the vent hole to push it back. Don’t ask how I know.

John
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Bach 196 picc

[Dayton]

I replaced mine. Despite what I believe to be proper maintenance, I had one fall apart while I was warming up backstage before a performance. It is easy to make a temporary fix if anything fails on a lever water key; not so with an Amado-style key (to the best of my knowledge).

[chef8489]

I really don't care for them at all and won't purchase a horn with them on it. I'll request a horn maker put the traditional water keys on them.
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Current horns
2023 Bach 19072G/43 pipe with 1st trigger
1966 H.N. White King Silver Flair
1965 H.N. White King Super 20 Sllversonic Symphony 1st trigger

[Leatherlip]

Aside from the occasional sticking, I've also found that the Amado water hole in the tuning slide and 3rd valve slide is smaller that a traditional lever / cork water key. At first, I tried to blow water out as usual, but discovered that with the smaller hole, I just blew the water past the drain hole and into the horn.

I have since replaced the Amado water key system with Saturn water keys, and
also had the tuning slide hole opened up. Very happy with this setup. The weight of the Amado and Saturn is about the same, as was concerned that it might change the horn a little.

[ericmpena]

I like Amado keys better than levers with corks. I’ve never had issues with Amado, but I also play my horn daily and clean/oil it weekly at the very least.

If you let a horn with Amado keys sit untouched for months, the keys can get firm and possibly stuck. There are plenty of videos online how to take it apart and clean it though.

Currently I’m using Saturn keys and they’re probably my favorite, although they look bulky and can take a little time getting used to using. Saturn keys hold a better seal than Amado and are easily serviceable with no tools needed.

So if you want something low maintenance, I’d pick Saturn. If you want something small but requires proper maintenance, Amado is fine.
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Thane Performing Artist
www.youtube.com/ericmpena
https://thanetrumpets.com/

[Croquethed]

I've never had one stick, but I did have a circlip on a virtually new horn somehow spiring loose and go shooting across the room. I somehow found it on the floor, but no matter how careful I was with tweezers and a plastic bag, I could not replace it. Had to take it to a tech.

Good thing I have some backup horns.

[tptptp]

I don't like them.

My main horn has them. The tuning slide Amado sticks a little bit even though I oil it every time I play. I'm not looking forward to the day I have to take it apart, because I've done it before, and I find it to be difficult:

I wear safety glasses to prepare for the 50 mph cornea-lacerating clip. I even have a special plier tool for the job. I disassemble it inside a ziplock bag, but I've still lost clips somewhere in space. A real pain.

Never had a traditional water key malfunction or need servicing, despite years of total absence of any maintenance from me.
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Craig Mitchell

[nieuwguyski]

I have trumpets with amados and trumpets with lever water keys. Given the choice I would choose levers keys, but I buy trumpets based on how they play, not on what type of water keys they have. Once purchased, I've never bothered having an amado replaced -- I deal with them.
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J. Notso Nieuwguyski

[jlambmusic]

With the amado waterkeys, I have always felt that you are using the wrong gesture when emptying the spit since you are pushing the button/spring to the left which can slightly jerk the horn left. You would have to use more pressure with your fingers than you normally would with traditional waterkeys.

[dr_trumpet]

[LittleRusty]

[kehaulani]

I use Hetman an on the cornet.

I've got a pin coming tomorrow (none in the apartment). If that doesn't work. it's off to a tech and may get lever keys installed while I'm at it. I'm just not a DIY kind'a guy and don't ned the aggravation.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[stuartissimo]

Never took particularly well care for the ones on my student Getzen (other than the occasional drop of valve oil every other year or so) and they still work like a charm, even after having the horn hung on the wall for months (then again so do the valves...it is a Getzen after all). But that's about as much experience as I have with them

Hopefully you can sort out the issues with yours. In theory the lack of cork would seem like an upgrade maintenance-wise, but I can see how water keys getting jammed would get annoying really quickly.
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1975 Olds Recording trumpet
1997 Getzen 700SP trumpet
1955 Olds Super cornet
1939 Buescher 280 flugelhorn
AR Resonance mouthpieces