fiberglass sousaphone, numbs tongue and mouth

[bud]

Fiberglass harmful?

Anyone else have a numbing sensation from fiberglass horns? Or kinda like you just burned your tongue on too hot coffee?

Are fiberglass sousaphones poisonous?!

Lately, I've been playing a new King fiberglass sousaphone with a brass bell.

Just as always when I play any horn, some of my inhalation air comes from inside the horn. I don't notice that fact on metal horns, but when playing fiberglass, I taste a chemically flavor. And I feel a numbing sensation in my mouth!

I've briefly played 3 different fiberglass sousaphones. First, 17 years ago, I played an ancient stinky beater. Next, a few years ago, I played a brand new Jupiter. And now, I've played the new King. They all have the same chemical taste in my inhalations. They all cause my tongue to go numb. If I play for a while, even the back of my throat has a little of the numbing sensation. My tongue stays numb, gradually wearing off, for several hours. To give an idea of the level of numbness, my speech is even ever so slightly disturbed as my tongue loses about 5% of its agility.

I noticed at one point today, that I was playing with a lot less air than I usually do, and then I realized I had been subconsciously avoiding my normal full-fill-up inhalations. My instincts were telling me to avoid inhaling deeply to avoid getting any air from inside the horn.

[nobody]

I played a fiberglass souse for a couple of years because I had nothing else to play. The only adverse reaction I had to it was that I seemed to run out of breath a lot faster. The fiberglass didn't resonate like brass does and the only way I could tell if I was in tune or not was to play louder than everyone else.

[kontrabass]

never heard of this happening but it sounds like an allergic reaction. maybe you're allergic to fibreglass??

[opus37]

When was the last time the horn was really cleaned inside? There maybe something in there that is causing the problem. Unless the horn is very new, the likelihood that the fiberglass is the problem is very remote.

[Dan Schultz]

The resin used in the production of fiberglass is a thermoset polyster that's considered to be inert once it's hardened. I'm going to concur with an earlier poster and suggest that there could be something in the horn like mold. Give it a bath and add a little bleach to the water. Hose it out well and let it dry inside before you play it.

[Donn]

I put on my on-line instant scientist hat for a couple minutes to try to sort this out, but I'm taking it back off. You should should steer clear of fiberglass sousaphones, not because other people have problems with them, but because you do. Three strikes, plastic is out.

We can see if we can find out what exactly they use to make current Kings, including whatever mold release, cements, etc., and sort through the off-gassing possibilities and any known tendency for individual sensitivity. But don't expect much out of that. Meanwhile, get a brass body to go with that brass bell.

[iiipopes]

Since it is a new horn, have you washed the entire instrument out thoroughly, including valves and valve slides, to make sure all the residual fiberglass or resin dust, lapping compounds, etc. have been removed?

[Bill Troiano]

I play on an older 36K CC sousaphone at least once every week. I've never experienced anything similar to what you describe. The brass on mine is raw brass, for the most part, so I do get the raw brass smell on my hands, but that's about it. I would second giving yours a good bath.

[Three Valves]

It says right here it's all in your head!!

[aprilmary]

Well apearently there is such a thing as fiberglass allergy : http://www.livestrong.com/article/17889 ... -symptoms/" target="_blank

This is probably not the cause though as the effects are loss of breath rather than numbing sensation, and the instrument would most likely be coated.

Is this a school instrument or is it yours? If you bought it brand new, I would probably talk to the representative about it. I'm going to keep looking for information about this: I have never had a problem playing fiberglass sousaphones before (although the ones I played were very old and used)

[opus37]

If all the horns are brand new, there there could still be off gassing from the resin. This does go away over time, but some people are hyper sensitive. (My wife is one of them). A good cleaning with a little bleach should help, but time is the best solution. If this person is hyper sensitive to the resin off gassing, he would likely have trouble around most organic solvents too. The usual symptoms are coughing, shortness of breath and a headache. The symptoms usually go away quickly once the exposure is stopped. From what was originally described, this is a possibility, but a remote one. I still believe the most likely cause is something else in the horns.

[Donn]

Sure, could be something else in there ... but to get there, you more or less have to discount half his story. Over 17 years, 3 different fiberglass sousaphones, same disturbing symptoms. One of the sousaphones was new. One was old.

I guess it makes sense, though, to doubt him. I mean, you have to wonder why he keeps playing fiberglass sousaphones.

[cjk]

I put on my on-line instant scientist hat for a couple minutes to try to sort this out, but I'm taking it back off. You should should steer clear of fiberglass sousaphones, not because other people have problems with them, but because you do. Three strikes, plastic is out.

We can see if we can find out what exactly they use to make current Kings, including whatever mold release, cements, etc., and sort through the off-gassing possibilities and any known tendency for individual sensitivity. But don't expect much out of that. Meanwhile, get a brass body to go with that brass bell.

I can't say this better than Donn did, so I quoted it.