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Re: Instrument gripes

To: "Brass band list postings" <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Instrument gripes
From: "Judith Hayes" <judith.hayes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 21:43:27 -0000
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Barry Swallow  wrote:
  ....within 3 weeks the middle valve started to grate and then jammed
completely with normal use. I have no idea how it happened or even how they
repaired it at the shop !!  Has anyone else ever  come across this with a
valved instrument ??  ....

Well Barry, if you have never had cr*p valves you are a lucky pixie!

I think I posted something on this last year, but the band bought a new
Sovereign SP flugel a few years back, which had pretty rough valves.  I
tolerated them for 6 weeks, thinking they would "wear in".  Needless to say
they didn't.  A smoke test revealed that one was reasonable, one was too
tight, and the other too loose.  The shop fixed them by giving me a Bach
Strad instead!

And so to the Bach.  The valves had always been a wee bit temperamental, but
I found I was having increasing trouble with them this summer, despite
always keeping them clean, using a bit of oil but not too much, occasionally
polishing them (yes I'm sure that's not sensible but when things get
desperate...).  I tried changing to a different oil (Blue Juice) which
helped (thanks, David) but it didn't fix the problem.  They were locking up
rock solid on the fast bits.  Very disconcerting.

I finally worked out what was wrong - I had gradually got into the habit of
not pressing them down dead straight - so insidiously I hadn't noticed.  I
am now training myself out of the habit - a NIGHTMARE!  I have an attractive
small piece of Blu-Tak stuck to the edge of the valve cap so I can feel when
my finger is slipping to the side...  it is working, but it would have been
better not to have got to that stage in the first place!

So there you go!  It does sound like the valves on your horn are dodgy.
Take it back and get it tested.  It may be that they are machined to too
tight and any slight off-centre force on them causes them to jam, as mine
did.

Good luck!
Jud (Blu-Tacky flugel)


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