A lot of funny boozings. But what do to prevent valves getting sluggish ? Oil them with care. Use a clean thin acid free synthetic oil. Do not over oil them.
Very important: water empty the horn carefully after playing & oil the horn then before laying it down for a while. Rinse the horn several times a year, using a very mild detergent (dish washer additive). Do not feed yourself during intermissions or just before you start playing. Or, clean your teeth before playing. Prevents a lot of trouble. Get your valve rotors cleaned every few years by using some ultra sonic device as jewellers use. This device is for sale & costs just about 50.-USD or so and is easily stored away (small). Rotors are placed in a liquid & all dirt (if any) falls off then. Carefully oiling & replacing the rotors in the casings, bearing plates on top, a small tube plain cut on top & light hammering on the plate to fix it, closing the valve cap. Thatīs it. Your valves will last long, remaining tight exceeding your life long playing activity easily. You might not compare the rotor action with any machine action. It is not comparable. If you handle the horn carefully, there is no wear inside or outside the horn. It all depends on your action. Well, some individuals might produce some very aggressive body liquids. They might rinse the horn every week. It is not an extensive effort & takes just a few minutes, including the re-oiling & fresh greasing the slides . I am fortunate not to produce aggressive exhaust & do not produce sweat in my left hand, so my horns were never affected by corrosion. The oldest horn is over 25 years but still tight as on the first day. There is no repair patch. Nor is there any hand guard as a protective (this is another chapter of corrosion besides dampening influence for the sound). And I use(d) the horn under "heavy duty" conditions. But the horns duties are shared now with two other horns of the same model since 1996. My horns might be in the top class price-wise, special at the current exchange rate, but they are exclusive special checked long lasting "toys" for those interested in the true "old fashion" horn sound (in the best meaning of the words). As the horns are produced in a low number only, I can care about every single horn & test play it in regular performances or solo including Long Call, to keep the high level. Now they come only as polished silver plated & partly gold plated with mother-of-pearl inlays at the valve keys, valve caps & back screws. Believe me, I would not care that much if the product would not be worth the care. Individuals really interested might visit my home page. BTW: some new horn concertos are ready: Johann Anton Andres: Concerto (sounds near Mozart, no wonder, he was his publisher), Dornaus & Andre: Concerto for 2 horns op.14 (new edition, sounds near Mozart also), 4 Concert pieces by Carl Matys (cellist friend of Flying Dutchman first performer hornist Carl Daniel Lorenz = C.D.Lorenz), lovely romantic concerts (piano reductions as well as score & parts), a lot of horn quartet collections by Erich Pizka (originals in the style of Anton Wunderer & Karl Stiegler, arrangements, total 5 volumes, all written with Finale, score & parts). Sorry to advertise here, but some list members might be interested & new members probably have never heard about my publishing or about my web site. Prof.Hans Pizka, Pf.1136 D-85541 Kirchheim - Germany Fax: 49 89 903-9414 Phone: 903-9548 home: www.pizka.de email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
