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How long does a rotary cork bumper typically last? I have only had neoprene, so I am curious. What are the conditions that accellerate the deterioration of the cork?

How long does a cork bumper last depends on:

a.) how much you play
b.) type of playing (circus band playing used to chew up bumpers really
fast)
c.) how cheap was the bottle of wine that you got the cork from

I got really good at making the cork bumpers when I was a student, and have used cork bumpers for well over 30 years. I also like the feel of cork better then any of the other choices. I have always made my own cork bumpers from wine (most often) or Scotch Wiskey bottle corks. Generally, the better the wine (up to a point) the higher quality and longer lasting the cork.

Mark

Mark E. Chachich wrote:Generally, the better the wine (up to a point) the higher quality and longer lasting the cork.

Unless drinking all that wine affected you sense of time...

Z-Tuba Dude wrote:How long does a rotary cork bumper typically last? I have only had neoprene, so I am curious. What are the conditions that accellerate the deterioration of the cork?

Until they break then spend 30 minutes replacing them all.

I have a number of horns from the 19th century with what appear to be original cork bumpers that work perfectly fine. If it lasts 150 years, I'd consider that durable.

-Eric

I have cork on my return bumpers and neoprene on the others. The cork has been there since I bought the tuba about a year and a half ago. The wear is noticable. Cork seems to work fine as long as you keep an eye on it to make sure you know when its gunna go