connloyalist

I have a rule that whenever I am done playing for the day I put a small (plastic) funnel in the receiver and run water through the leadpipe and the main tuning slide. And, I also rinse through my mouthpiece everyday when I am done. Makes a huge difference. I do clean it out entirely once every 6 months or so, but rarely see anything come out or notice a difference. Recommended.

Reminds me of the kid that used to oil his valves with salad oil. When he complained that his cornet wasn't working properly anymore the teacher took it home to clean it out thoroughly, which gave rise to the question: "What HAVE you been oiling the valves with???".

Regards, Christine

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Main instrument: 1948 22B New York Symphony
Member of the Elkhart-Conn 22B Fan Club

Hardnut

Reading through some of the comments in the post, I was wondering what the benefits of a chem-clean would be? At the moment I carefully clean out my Bach Strad every 2-3 months, and am always made ecstatic by the light, responsive feel that the horn has. So would a chemical clean increase that feeling?

Thanks,

Chris.

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Haydn wrote a Trumpet Concerto?

stchasking

I think the green stuff is organic with a copper oxide. I think brass has copper in it and the oxide leaches out. Let me check......sure enough there is a lot of copper in brass.
(Most of the brass in your American made horns is made at the "tube mill" in Alton, Illinois which is Olin Brass Company. They also make bullet brass and shotgun shells (for 40cal). At one time they spun bells for instrument manufacturers from tube.)

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"I was performing professionally at age 17 and have never had a real job." Allen Vizzutti

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murph66

I clean mine about every three months. I just disassemble in the bath tub and go over every section with a brush or rags. The gunk I get out is a bluish gray rather than green. The main difference I notice is that the valves are smoother and faster.