crowmadic

If you know the most common problem for trumpet players in Florida raise your hand. I wish I could see how many of you got it. If you said "humidity" you're right. Today is one of our high humidity days, and I played a gig in a house without airconditioning. It took no more than 2 tunes before my valves began to stick, and my Conn Victor 22B got weird to blow. I use Ultra-Pure valve oil and am a great admirer of it. Ken, if you read this the question is directed to you as well. Is there anything I can do to avoid sticking valves do to humidity?..............crow

tatakata

I thought you were going to tell us you finally bought a trumpet from China?

mrmusicnotes

I live in new york and on the most humid of days never noticed a change in the way my valves react to the humidity.The valves are always full of condensation due to your warm breath passing through the horn.I am not saying that this is not possible,but maybe you should have your horn checked out to make sure its not a malfunction.Just a thought Don

crowmadic

I should have mentioned that I was playing alongside another trumpet player using a pro-level Le Blanc. When my valves went to s___t I turned to him and asked him if he was having trouble, his reply was "no". I asked what valve oil he was using, and he pulled out a bottle of Al Cass. I thought I was doing something wrong until the forth or fifth tune when I noticed him struggling to correct sticky valves. His horn went out of tune also. I was releived to find it wasn't only my horn or oil....SO...who's got something CONSTRUCTIVE to offer? If no one has a prooven solution I'll try using less oil, or thin it with something, or invent an Air Conditioned bag that raps around the trumpet with the bell sticking out. tatakata, no chinese horns yet.................crow

lschalberg

I live in western new york and in the summer we have several days of high humidity which causes much condensation. I have been using a valve oil from B flat music called "bills best valve oil" and have not experienced any sticking of valves since I have been using it, approx. 3 yrs. It might be worth a try.

rowuk

Crow,
I am not sure that humidity was the reason for your or your buddies sticky valves. Especially synthetic oil is pretty much impervious to changing properties in a moist environment. And if you had the valves properly oiled (oil directly applied to clean bone dry valves), there would be no metal surface free to get wet and keep the oil from doing its job.
I think there must be another issue that we are missing here, like fine sand (I do not remember what the process is called, but sand from the Sahara does find its intercontinental way) or salt particles in the air or something similar.

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Stan Harrison

Another consideration could be how often you clean the horn. A dirty horn can make the valves stick. Don't play immediately after eating. You'll be blowing stuff into the Horn. Sodas with their high fructose corn syrups make valves stick also.

Billy B

And I thought the answer was cocaine. Silly me.

crowmadic

Ah cocaine! I knew Billy was in touch with the experience. Kidding aside, I don't think anyone cleans their horns as much as me. I've even adopted the rowuk chamoise approach before each oiling. Lately I've taken to using a valve casing brush for more thorough cleaning. I can't speak for the other trumpeter's cleaning habits, but it sure is strange that both of us experienced it in the same location. It was an old house in the historic area of Gainesville where ghosts are known to wander. Perhaps the previous owner was a clairinet or violin player. We've got both in our group, and they can't stand us. I'll send a follow up to this thread as to the on going experience with the horns in question................crow

Vulgano Brother

Check for violists in the house's history who died of unnatural causes--they're resentful enough. Kinda spooky, huh?

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