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I started using Monster oil exclusively on my horns (piston, slide oils, slide grease, and now their rotor oils) about three months ago to give them a thorough try and I have not had any problems like that at all.

I can confirm this. I have used the smoother and the original formulas with my school's miraphone 1291 and my Martin and not found any residue from the oil. I also had the great fortune to inform my colleagues about the blue stuff that "blue juice" leaves then help them clean it off... yucky!

I've been using Monster on my horns: piston valves + slides
I like their products, and haven't noticed any unusual slime/sludge buildup.

I use the Monster oils exclusively now. Have not had any problems with "funk". I include a bottle with each tuba I sell to try and encourage others to use it as well. I think it's great stuff. By the way, its a dollar a bottle cheaper on Amazon unless the monsters are running a special. Last time I checked the Monster website they didn't have the 10 bottles for$60listed.

Funk in the valves: After going on a valve oil safari over the past 3 years, it seems like funk or gunk turns up regardless of the make of oil. (Hetman, Monster, Fat Cat, Al Cass, Blue Juice, pretty much all of them) At least in my scenario, a cleaning one a week is pretty much in order. Beyond that, gunk just builds up in the recesses and crannies in the valve environment. At first I was convinced it was the synthetics, and then certain petroleum bases oils. Even with the simplistic Ultra Pure lamp oil with a few drops of glycerin, there is gunk. It seems like a form of mayonaise or an emulsion, where an oil along with an acid and a protein get whipped into a foam like mixture. (if you've ever made mayonaise in a blender you understand where I am coming from) Me thinks the solution is to simply clean the valves regularly.

PaulMaybery wrote:Funk in the valves: After going on a valve oil safari over the past 3 years, it seems like funk or gunk turns up regardless of the make of oil. (Hetman, Monster, Fat Cat, Al Cass, Blue Juice, pretty much all of them) At least in my scenario, a cleaning one a week is pretty much in order. Beyond that, gunk just builds up in the recesses and crannies in the valve environment. At first I was convinced it was the synthetics, and then certain petroleum bases oils. Even with the simplistic Ultra Pure lamp oil with a few drops of glycerin, there is gunk. It seems like a form of mayonaise or an emulsion, where an oil along with an acid and a protein get whipped into a foam like mixture. (if you've ever made mayonaise in a blender you understand where I am coming from) Me thinks the solution is to simply clean the valves regularly.

Is it possible this is a slide grease issue?

MonsterOil wrote:

PaulMaybery wrote:Funk in the valves: After going on a valve oil safari over the past 3 years, it seems like funk or gunk turns up regardless of the make of oil. (Hetman, Monster, Fat Cat, Al Cass, Blue Juice, pretty much all of them) At least in my scenario, a cleaning one a week is pretty much in order. Beyond that, gunk just builds up in the recesses and crannies in the valve environment. At first I was convinced it was the synthetics, and then certain petroleum bases oils. Even with the simplistic Ultra Pure lamp oil with a few drops of glycerin, there is gunk. It seems like a form of mayonaise or an emulsion, where an oil along with an acid and a protein get whipped into a foam like mixture. (if you've ever made mayonaise in a blender you understand where I am coming from) Me thinks the solution is to simply clean the valves regularly.

Is it possible this is a slide grease issue?

Probably anything inside the tuba can find its way to the valves through a path of little resistance. Working the 1st valve slide likely does discharge certain "stuff" down into the valve block. This is perhaps the singlemost reason I like to clean the horn often. Also oiling at least every day before playing (and if the horn will set a day or two,) then oiling before storing it. If you do a lot of serious playing you will want the valves and slides oiled/lubed for a smooth feel and good efficient compression. The more facetime on the horn translates as more frequency in the cleaning routine. I have enjoyed my valve oil safari and found a good deal of fine products out there. By means of comparison, clean valves are not unlike clean teeth and gums. Given time the build up and hardening of deposits will causes issues in how well everything moves. Best to stay ahead of the game. "A clean horn is a happy horn." (said by more than one horn guru)

The valve oil discussion comes up often -- maybe too often for some forum members like. In the end, someone usually suggests, "use what ever works for you".

In another forum one member who happens to be a chemist, explained why many have problems with ANY synthetic valve oil with yellow funky buildup. Below is a copy of that post:


"The 'gunk' that is accumulating is from bacteria. It's the biofilm that bacteria excrete as they buildup their environment. The fact that it appears when a synthetic valve oil is used is consistent with the tendency of synthetic fuels to contain heteroatom compounds that the bacteria use as food. The type and quantity of those 'food' compounds has been changing as fuel manufacturers explore other, and more 'green', feed stocks and new methods to produce synthetic fuels. Early synthetic oils were very 'petroleum' like, and did not contain the food compounds (or if they did, at much lower concentrations). This same problem has been occurring with biodiesel, big time. The 'greenest' biodiesels are also super good at feeding bacteria, and have seen tremendous fouling of fuel tanks, pipes, filters, etc. The solution is a synthetic that has been treated to convert any of the oxygen containing functional groups into simple hydrocarbons. It costs more, takes more time, but easily solves the problem, for the transportation industry and for the music industry! As for why the euphonium or tuba might see the problem where a trombone did not, the euphonium or tuba has lots of places for the bacteria to setup and hang out, not so much in a trombone (the big slide). The tubing between the valves is ideal for bacteria and a biofilm. Also, be warned that some bacteria are corrosive and can, over time, damage the horn. Proper maintenance and cleaning will prevent that."

I used many different synthetic valve oils... some worked better than others. But eventually there was some nasty yellow buildup in the valve ports and/or slides. I thought it was maybe the synthetic slide grease, but it wasn't. Once I switched away from synthetic valve oil, the buildup went away. I DO still use a synthetic slide grease and have no problem with yellow buildup. Some time ago, Matt at Dillon's suggested, "Try Blue Juice, you'll thank me later". Thank you Matt!

PaulMaybery wrote:

MonsterOil wrote:

PaulMaybery wrote:Funk in the valves: After going on a valve oil safari over the past 3 years, it seems like funk or gunk turns up regardless of the make of oil. (Hetman, Monster, Fat Cat, Al Cass, Blue Juice, pretty much all of them) At least in my scenario, a cleaning one a week is pretty much in order. Beyond that, gunk just builds up in the recesses and crannies in the valve environment. At first I was convinced it was the synthetics, and then certain petroleum bases oils. Even with the simplistic Ultra Pure lamp oil with a few drops of glycerin, there is gunk. It seems like a form of mayonaise or an emulsion, where an oil along with an acid and a protein get whipped into a foam like mixture. (if you've ever made mayonaise in a blender you understand where I am coming from) Me thinks the solution is to simply clean the valves regularly.

Is it possible this is a slide grease issue?

Probably anything inside the tuba can find its way to the valves through a path of little resistance. Working the 1st valve slide likely does discharge certain "stuff" down into the valve block. This is perhaps the singlemost reason I like to clean the horn often. Also oiling at least every day before playing (and if the horn will set a day or two,) then oiling before storing it. If you do a lot of serious playing you will want the valves and slides oiled/lubed for a smooth feel and good efficient compression. The more facetime on the horn translates as more frequency in the cleaning routine. I have enjoyed my valve oil safari and found a good deal of fine products out there. By means of comparison, clean valves are not unlike clean teeth and gums. Given time the build up and hardening of deposits will causes issues in how well everything moves. Best to stay ahead of the game. "A clean horn is a happy horn." (said by more than one horn guru)

Body chemistry can also be a factor. Perhaps you have more aggressive saliva than the average bloke.

I have switched completely over to Monster Oils and I advocate any piston or rotor valve instrumentalists to use their products. My horns do not build up any gunk and it has even made the valves in my Besson (which need replating) work without any issue. I've been very impressed with their products. So much so, I bought the 10 bottle package deal.

Their customer service is great too! Upon purchasing a bottle of the rotor oil, a few weeks later I received a second bottle with an apology note saying a couple of the first generation bottles had leaked and a free replacement with no need to send the first back. That's the kind of thing that will keep me coming back.

Now if they just bring back the 10 bottle deal.

bloke wrote: I can guess what it is (and no, I won't speculate here or in a private message - not to friend, foe, or really-good-buddy).

Sheesh. Now we all have to wrack our brains for the next two weeks until we figger it out...

I came up with a strong candidate last night. If I'm thinking the same as you, I agree that the savings is not huge, at least in a quantity a guy in his 50s could expect to use in this life.

Ahhh...I see where this is going.

Just to be quite clear - do NOT put our slide grease on any of your "personal" areas. It was not developed for that. It was developed for the aerospace industry.

Look what you started Bloke!