selmer53

Could someone explain this?
Thanks!

Toobz

Also known as de-zincification, here is a Wiki link that will explain it better than I can.

Red rot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You can also Wiki verdigris, this is the greenish tint that brass can take on as well.

Verdigris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had a Martin Bari sax that had a fair amount of red rot. Most brass cleaners will remove the red rot. Be warned, it may take some elbow grease, depending upon how dimpled the surface has become. If caught fairly early, red rot is no serious problem. If left unchecked, it can weaken the brass to the point where it will crumble. Bare brass instruments are highly susceptible to red rot, but if cleaned reguarly, it is of no real threat. This is the one major drawback to owning a bare brass horn.

brem

"Once you have Red Rot, there is nothing much you can do about it. If it is localized then you may be able to patch the part and extend its serviceable life. Otherwise, the part must be replaced."

from: About Red Rot

ozboy

I am guessing that you may have red rot in your horn or know somebody who has.
I had a calicchio and stupidly bought a second hand lead pipe from a beer drinking player (not knocking beer. I just don't drink it while I am working as I want to look after my horn).
Red rot showed up as little bubbles in the silver on the lead pipe. When you looked down the inside of the leadpipe, the surface looked pitted. I did a fair bit of research and bought a new lead pipe. I did this as I felt the pitting was affecting the air flow in the leadpipe and I didn't want the situation to deteriorate.
When I did my homework, it seemed that red rot was more prevelent in certain makes of horns. I could not ascertain if this was to do with the varying composition of the metals used in different lead pipes.
Having said that, I had a mate with a horn with redrot that is keeping it till it absolutely dies. The red rot has been in the horn for a number of years without really drastic effect.

Toobz

This is only true if the rot migrated from the inside out. If it is just surface rot, say from contact with sweaty hands, red rot can be removed . My Martin had several areas aound the neck and thumb rest that were suffering from red rot. All of these areas cleaned up.

t.luchies

I've got spots on the outside of my horn - under what looked like rust (but obviously was not), is light orange/pink spots. Should I be worried, or is it just discolouration due to what I wiped off?

Tim

oldlou

Using a good brass cleaner, remove the ruddy tone from your horn, then, coat it with a silicone base auto polish to seal it. You will be good to go for a long time. I speak from experience.


OLDLOU>>

t.luchies

Awesome.
Thanks OLDLOU - your experience is most appreciated.
:)

uapiper

After you play squirt some valve oil into the mouthpipe and blow through the instrument to distribute the oil. This can cut down on corrosion and helps wash some crap out too.

francolinni

Dude: Trouble with R/R is it's like cancer. Don't know where it will show up next. You're probably better off looking for a new horn. There's a tech in West Va. that I use exclusively. An old guy, (older than me even). Bach shop @ hotmail, or ya can find him on E-bay- Bach shop trumpets. This guy is incrediblely good,super honest. Save yourself some grief. Been workin with brass for 40 years,when the zinc goes,it's over. If ya bought the horn used & it wasn't cleaned properly, ya may have another bad spot hiding just out of site,and bingo. More good money after bad. Good luck. Franco
'55 Committee='58 Old's Opera & Super
'74 Getzen Capri= '06 Blessing ML-1, and
still searchin for that vintage N.Y. Strad