How often do you clean the inside of your tuba(s)?

[bisontuba]

Hi-
Bloke has an excellent post about the importance of properly cleaning the 'inside' of your tuba(s) out--including the valves--rotors and/or pistons. I thought I'd do a poll to see how often this neglected aspect is done by Tubennetters.
There is just nothing like acquiring a used/old horn and cleaning the inside of it out and finding 'globs of stuff' in the lead pipe and valves.
BTW, in the poll, inside cleaning also means cleaning not just valve casings, but valve ports ( if pistons) also....
Mark

[Dan Schultz]

I voted once a year but it actually varies quite a bit since I play several different horns in several different types of venues. If I was doing the majority of my playing on only one horn in situations where I had adequate prep time to brush my teeth and pay attention to personal cleanliness... I think once a year would be adequate.

However... I find myself cleaning SOME of my horns more often because I use them for gigs where I am eating between sets and at impromptu rehearsals where coffee and donuts are involved. For example... I normally use a King 2341 bell-front for jazz gigs and for Saturday morning rehearsals. It's amazing how quickly a fresh valve job can become 'sticky' with the introduction of doughnut residue into the leadpipe!

So.... in some ways, I think my BEST answer would have to be "I clean my horns when I feel they need it".

[Alex C]

Every six months. Bad things start to happen after six months.

[Sandlapper]

Is the article by Bloke on cleaning a tuba on this board? If not is it available at a different site?

Thanks

[Ken Herrick]

My King, which gets played daily gets a thorough internal clean approx. every 3 months. I HATE dirty, smelly tubas and regular cleaning helps prolong good valve action.

I'm more concerned about the inside than keeping the exterior shiny.

[bearphonium]

Couple times a year, per horn. Sousy only gets a good cleaning once a year, but used for about a 4 month period of time.

[Tubajug]

Every six months; summer break and Christmas break (it's easier for me to remember that way)!

[BVD Press]

I would go with once a decade. Not really, but I have done a few thousand rehearsals and performances since 2002 and hadn't even opened the valves until this week. They worked so why do it? When the corks started to wear away inside that was apparently a sign! They valves never did stick...

Alas this is what I found:

image_1364132028395933.jpg

I have never been in to appearances either hence the lovely looking exterior.

I don't recommend waiting this long and go with every year or so with maintenance in between.