Removing Solder "Blobs"

[Horn of Praise]

This past summer I experienced two things: I got acclimated to the freeblowing feel of my Eclipse horn, and I underwent a successful embouchure change with the Caruso Principles. So...what does this have to do with solder blobs?

Well, as the summer progressed my Getzen seemed more and more stuffy. My air delivery was getting better and the horn wasn't able to take it as easily. So, upon the recommendation of several people, I took the Getzen to Melk's in Milwaukee to get it checked out. Charlie Melk told me that Getzen's usually don't have much solder on the inside to restrict airflow, but I had it checked anyway.

Well, Charlie removed solder from three separate locations inside the horn, one of which was the main tuning slide. I also had him check the mouthpiece gap. The factory setting was ".090 (standard for Bach mouthpieces). The horn was reset to ".110 (standard for GR mouthpieces).

Well, the removal of the excess solder and the ".020 increase in the mouthpiece gap noticeably increased the airflow and quite dramatically increased the response. It was a $35.00 well spent. More than fair.

I brought this up because I have read numerous posts, in the last three years, from many people who have gone on mouthpiece safaris or traded horns because of "stuffiness" issues. Before you spend a lot of money, spend a little and satisfy your curiousity. I'm glad I did.

Also, I'm considering having Charlie make me a single radius tuning slide, for the Getzen, to open it up just a little more. The price I was quoted was quite reasonable.

As always, I hope this helps. Most production horns could probably use a little "tweaking".

All the best.

[Tootsall]

Interesting, Paul. I found a good sized "blob" of solder inside the bottom ferrule for the 3rd slide on my Bach Strad. This after I had owned it for a year and the previous owner who played it for three years! I also discovered a "void" inside the 3rd valve casing where the solder had obviously run out....my conjecture is that the horn was assembled in a jig in a certain position and too much heat was used so that the solder ran out and ended up inside the slide ferrule.

Quality control? naaaa..

[Horn of Praise]

Hi tootsall,

When I originally spoke to Charlie this past summer about his standard tune-up, he told me that Getzens usually don't have many inside solder problems, but that Bachs are known for it.

I'm not bashing Bachs, but many Bach owners would probably be pleasantly surprised if they got their horns similarly "tweaked". Really, for any horn, it can't hurt. Maintenance is always a good thing, in my book.

I hope this helps. All the best.

[Tootsall]

Paul: In my case I was lucky...I found the blob myself and, being an engineer, can never figure out why I should pay someone else to do what I can do for myself. Just "happening" to have a chainsaw sharpening file handy, I used that to remove the offensive little "blob" right then and there. (solder is awfully soft so go easy...and don't scrape the file against any of the tubing or valve casing surfaces!)

I do recommend that when purchasing a horn, take a small, focussing flashlight and give that horn a real "going over". Pull all slides. Peek and peer down every bit of tubing you can find. Sight down each valve casing like you would a rifle barrel and make sure that there is nothing to be seen that shouldn't be seen (ie...NOTHING but bright, shiny, polished metal surface). Investigate missing lacquer, looking for signs that just maybe there is red rot underneath.

Inspect the spring casings, springs, felts, water keys. Listen for "clunks and clanks". Check the threads on top and bottom valve caps for any previous "cross-threading". Pull the tuning slide and use a bright light and peer down the leadpipe. You'd be surprised at what you might find! (and hopefully, pleasantly surprised...in which case "make an offer")! ;D

You would go over a used car, even taking it to a mechanic for a checkover, before purchasing...why not a trumpet? You'd even pay a building inspector several hundred dollars to crawl over a house you might be considering buying as "cheap insurance". If you don't want to be bothered taking the time to do the checks yourself, take it to your favorite trumpet techy. They know what to look for. Cheaper than buying a "pig in the poke".

[Trptmaster]

Interesting thread! One time I had a Bach C trumpet Large Bore 229 25H. I dropped it and messed the bell up. So I had my repair man take the bell off fix the dents put the thing back together with no stress and gap the bell to the horn just right. Well when he went to gap the bell he noticed that the bell was ML where it met the trumpet

So the horn was a large bore and then all of a sudden it hit a medium large bore bell. Does that make sense? Anyway he fixed it and the horn played even better. L bore Horn to a L bore bell. Thanks Bach

TM