Subject: RE: Bathing a trumpet --- Advice Wanted
From: Bernard - PM
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 01:10 PM

"Nowt to it, really... you normally remove the valves to oil them (you do, don't you?!!),"

Yes, I've been oiling the valves and greasing the slides about once a week.

"then all you really need do is run warm water through it for a few minutes, dry it off as best you can, oil the valves and replace them."

Thanks. I've got descriptions, but I just wanted to hear from a real
person that there's nothing special to watch out for.

"The valves should be 'keyed' to prevent them being shoved in the wrong hole, but even so, the holes through the valves are designed to line up with the tubing, so it should be easy enough to work out which one is which if you get them mixed up."

They're numbered and the numbers go in the front.

"Any good music shop will sell the correct oil for the valves..."

I've got oil and trombone slide grease and a cleaning set and mutes and four (!) different mouthpieces (I like to try things out).

"The idea is to try to stop nasty stuff growing inside... yeuk!! Unlike most woodwind instruments, you can't use a fluffy pull-through each time you've been playing!"

It doesn't seem that dirty yet, so I think I'll hold off on bathing it for the moment. I take each slide off and blow the spit out thoroughly every time I'm finished playing. At first I was a bit nervous about doing this, but now I just pull them off and put them back with wild abandon.

Thanks again, and to the other people who answered.