Water/moisture outside/on Reverse Leadpipe

[Rhondo]

Hello Folks

My Bach 37 that was converted to a reverse leadpipe gets water on or outside the leadpipe, on the portion that’s inserted into the tuning slide. Droplets of water are visible on top of the grease on the leadpipe when the tuning slide is pulled out farther than its normal position.

The conversion was done by a reputable tech before I got the horn. It doesn’t seem to cause any problems, other than that I might wipe off and reapply the grease more often, but is it normal? I wouldn’t think the fit between leadpipe and tuning slide should be any more snug than it is, but I don’t know.

[etc-etc]

This is not normal. Usually, the grease gets wet if there is overly loose fit of the tuning slide tubes. There might also be a pinhole leak in solder, in the lower leg of the tuning slide, or in the matching tube leading to the third valve.

[Dayton]

Try a thicker grease, such as Ultra Pure Heavy Tuning Slide Lube, and see what happens. Good luck!

[Bájoc Music]

[Rhondo]

When I first got the horn, I used one of those inexpensive grease sticks (that looks and is applied like ChapStick). That, along with Bach slide grease were supplied in the trumpet case… I’m pretty sure the grease stick was what was on the leadpipe when I got the horn, and I don’t recall seeing water then.

After I bathed the horn a couple months ago, I bought Schilke slide grease (having forgotten I had Bach grease) because the grease stick would cake up after moving the slide. I think with the Schilke grease is when I noticed the water. After that I cleaned the area and applied the Bach grease, which also didn't prevent water.

Looking at it just now, after reassembling the horn last night after another full bath and dry, and playing for 20 minutes or so, pulling out the slide, I barely see a bit of water. Could it just be normal condensation?

[Rhondo]

Anyone else care to weigh in on this before I contact the tech to ask about it?

[etc-etc]

Remove all slides except the tuning slide.

Use a piece of string to secure the tuning slide to the trumpet body and prevent the tuning slide from falling out. Hold the trumpet with the bell pointing down, without the mouthpiece.

Use a small funnel to help with filling the leadpipe with water. You can also fill the leadpipe directly if the water stream is reasonably narrow.

Alternatively, you can fill water from the bell using a pitcher and stop the water flow from the leadpipe with your index finger once a continuous water flow is established. Then, rotate the trumpet to point the bell down. With this method, however, some water will flow out of the bell once you flip the trumpet.

Once the leadpipe is completely filled with water, wipe off the trumpet and tuning slide body. Wait to see if any water is leaking - it should not, but given the past history, it will.

Adjust the tuning slide to your usual playing position and further out. See if the leak gets worse.

See if you can detect the exact point from which the water is leaking. It may be inside and not visible.

[Louise Finch]

[abontrumpet]

[Rhondo]

Word from on high is the water seepage usually isn’t a problem unless the slide is really loose, which it is not. Comment that Bach reverse leadpipes are not the best in that area (not sure exactly what is meant by that).
Recommendation to use a heavier grease.

I did reply when I had the tuning slide half out a couple weeks ago it fell 2 feet to the laminate floor but I couldn’t detect any damage. I’m pretty sure that happened well after I noticed water seepage though.

This horn does ‘gurgle’ more noticeably than seems normal, where it wants release of water. I don’t notice it with the Olds Ambassador I got last week as a back-up, and don’t remember it with the old standard leadpipe Strad I had 30 years ago. Maybe in the small space I practice in I’m holding the bell pointed too low?

[LittleRusty]

I had a 37 non-reversed leadpipe that had seepage on the upper leg of the tuning slide. I had a tech expand the leg’s tubing slightly which remedied the issue.

This turned out to be very controversial on the forum. I personally didn’t notice any change after the fix. YMMV

[Man Of Constant Sorrow]

Your playing environment (studio, practice space, gig venue, etc.) might be on the chilly/colder (temps) side.

Am wondering (?) if the situation you are experiencing might not occur in a warmer playing environment.
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Sub-Optimal Hillbilly Jazz

[etc-etc]

[J.D. Heckathorn]

To echo earlier statements I’d definitely reach out to the tech if it was just worked on. Another temporary fix is using a thicker slide grease that won’t thin as much due to the horn getting warm as you play and extra condensation. I bought the thick Hetman TSG before I got the leadpipe replaced on my horn which had a looser than normal tuning slide and that did the trick.
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Antediluvian Projekt - An Experiment In Trumpet & Progressive Metal
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[Rhondo]

[Rhondo]

[Rhondo]

[Rhondo]

Revisiting this issue:

Water again showing up on the reverse leadpipe even using Ultra-Pure Heavy slide lube. For the first couple weeks using the heavier grease I thought the problem was mostly solved, but the horn seemed to ‘clog up’ while playing last night. I pulled the slide out all the way, saw water droplets on the leadpipe as a big drop of water came out of the leadpipe, reinserted it and it played fine. I had cleaned the outer section of the leadpipe and re-applied grease just a few days ago.

I’m told water between slide tubes should in no way affect playability but that I should have the tubes tightened up, which seems like a contradiction. The other 4 horns I’ve ever owned never ‘gurgled’ while playing to the extent blowing through with water key opened didn’t clear the horn. None of those horns were reverse leadpipe. The fit of leadpipe to tuning slide on this Bach seems snug to me, but it’s not smooth and easy as my Olds Ambassador, just funky.