INSTRUMENT MAINTENANCE TIPS
| PROPERLY CARING FOR YOUR INSTRUMENT WILL SAVE YOU VALUABLE TIME AND MONEY. REGULAR MAINTENANCE ALSO ENSURES THAT YOU WILL BE PERFORMING AT YOUR BEST, WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT MECHANICAL FLAWS. FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME AT ANY TIME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING MAINTENANCE, ROUTINE CARE OR REPAIRS YOU NEED FOR YOUR INSTRUMENT. |
BRASS
- First and foremost, always remove the mouthpiece when storing your horn.
- I recommend using a swab to clean moisture out of the lead pipe after
playing, this will help to prevent red rot and holes in the lead pipe.
- Do not mix synthetic and natural valve oils. The resulting chemical reaction
creates a "sludge" inside the valve casing. This slows down valve action and
over time can result in a stuck piston.
- Regularly remove all slides, wipe down the inner slide tube and clean out the
inside of the outer slide tube. Use fresh grease when replacing the slide. This
will help prevent frozen slides.
- Yearly visits to a technician for porting of the valves is inexpensive, and the
only way to ensure that air is flowing uninhibited through the instrument.
- A chemical flush is recommended on a yearly basis, however, I believe that
an instrument that has been well maintained will likely only need a thorough
detergent bath. A chemical flush should be performed no less than every other
year for a regularly used horn.
- If the horn will be sitting for a long while without being played, remove all oil
from valves and remove grease from all slides (including trombones). The
horn should be absolutely clean.
- Do not store music books in the case. Anything that does not fit in
designated pockets or storage areas should not be in the case! If you have to
force the case closed, you will be causing damage to the instrument.
- First and foremost, always remove the mouthpiece when storing your horn.
- I recommend using a swab to clean moisture out of the lead pipe after
playing, this will help to prevent red rot and holes in the lead pipe.
- Do not mix synthetic and natural valve oils. The resulting chemical reaction
creates a "sludge" inside the valve casing. This slows down valve action and
over time can result in a stuck piston.
- Regularly remove all slides, wipe down the inner slide tube and clean out the
inside of the outer slide tube. Use fresh grease when replacing the slide. This
will help prevent frozen slides.
- Yearly visits to a technician for porting of the valves is inexpensive, and the
only way to ensure that air is flowing uninhibited through the instrument.
- A chemical flush is recommended on a yearly basis, however, I believe that
an instrument that has been well maintained will likely only need a thorough
detergent bath. A chemical flush should be performed no less than every other
year for a regularly used horn.
- If the horn will be sitting for a long while without being played, remove all oil
from valves and remove grease from all slides (including trombones). The
horn should be absolutely clean.
- Do not store music books in the case. Anything that does not fit in
designated pockets or storage areas should not be in the case! If you have to
force the case closed, you will be causing damage to the instrument.
WOODWINDS
- First and foremost, completely disassemble (incuding reed) the
instrument when stored.
- Always swab out the moisture after playing the instrument.
- Have a technician oil the keys at least once a year.
- Yearly visits to a technician for routine adjustments will ensure the
instrument is free of mechanical defects.
- Wood instruments should be oiled by a technician yearly.
- Loose tenon rings need to be repaired immediately. Failure to do so
will likely cause cracks in the body of the instrument.
- NEVER touch anything to the pad face (including dollar bills, baby
powder, etc.) The only exception is gum-free cigarette papers to
remove excess moisture.
- Do not use gum to reinstall a pad that has fallen out. In an
emergency, use hot glue to reinstall the pad. Take the instrument to a
technician as soon as possible.
- Regularly use cork grease on tenon corks to preven them from
drying out, cracking and falling off.
- Do not store music books in the case. Anything that does not fit in
designated pockets or storage areas should not be in the case! If you
have to force the case closed, you will be causing damage to the
instrument.
- First and foremost, completely disassemble (incuding reed) the
instrument when stored.
- Always swab out the moisture after playing the instrument.
- Have a technician oil the keys at least once a year.
- Yearly visits to a technician for routine adjustments will ensure the
instrument is free of mechanical defects.
- Wood instruments should be oiled by a technician yearly.
- Loose tenon rings need to be repaired immediately. Failure to do so
will likely cause cracks in the body of the instrument.
- NEVER touch anything to the pad face (including dollar bills, baby
powder, etc.) The only exception is gum-free cigarette papers to
remove excess moisture.
- Do not use gum to reinstall a pad that has fallen out. In an
emergency, use hot glue to reinstall the pad. Take the instrument to a
technician as soon as possible.
- Regularly use cork grease on tenon corks to preven them from
drying out, cracking and falling off.
- Do not store music books in the case. Anything that does not fit in
designated pockets or storage areas should not be in the case! If you
have to force the case closed, you will be causing damage to the
instrument.
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THE MUSIC BOX