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So, my King 1240 seems to be a valve oil glutton. The valves move really fast and really smooth when I oil them, but within a matter of days they are already sluggish. I cleaned the horn out really well over Christmas and after I bead blasted it, so I know it's clean. Are older horns just thirsty for oil? There's still a fair amount of "pop" when I pull a slide, but could they be getting worn out? Any thoughts would be helpful! Thanks!

If you oil it daily and it works fine, that just might be the reality? I'm not sure that constitutes a problem, as much as what your horn needs for maintenance. I seem to remember oiling my Sousaphone in college all the time.

Also, what kind of oil are you using? Some of the cheapo stuff works just fine, but evaporates quickly. I switched to synthetic oils and it seemed to last a lot longer for me.

I am a lazy player. I only play my horn once a week at community band. I got my King 2341 brand new in February 2007. It was fresh from the factory and the valves were OK, but not great. I figured they'd get better...but they never did. Sluggish, noisy....and always needed oil. It was almost a weekly occurrence for a valve to completely stick when pushed in right out of the case.

Well, last August I took my horn in to get a good first cleaning. While there, I also replaced the stock valve guides with nylon ones.

...the horn plays very fast and quiet now! However, I've adjusted one thing. I've always used Hetman's, but now I oil my valves before I put the horn away. Every week since... my valves have stayed awesome! My horn has never played better and the valves are just great. Maybe you could try that?

My Conn 40K's valves seem to work flawlessly all the time despite never being oiled in the two years I have had it....they really USED to know how to make horns!

jc

Valve oil is cheap and effective. You should be applying it every day. Sometimes I apply more than once a day. The conditions and environment in those valves aren't exactly "perfect". Give that horn some love and it will love you forever.

I've never understood people that spend hours polishing their horns with cloths, but then never oil their valves.

Sounds like I just need to oil more often with this horn! I use "Blue Juice" mostly, but sometimes it's just whatever I have at hand. Thanks for your input!

Tubajug wrote:Sounds like I just need to oil more often with this horn! I use "Blue Juice" mostly, but sometimes it's just whatever I have at hand. Thanks for your input!

Ditto - oil it at least daily, and I've found Blue Juice is excellent on the nickel-plate valves.

J.c.S.

bloke wrote:Forget Blue Juice. Try new

With all the people ditching that stuff there should be plenty to go around!