King 2b slide sticks

[rjmarshall17]

Hi,

I have a King 2b I bought some years back. When I got it there were some issues with the slide out of the gate. I sent it off to get it fixed and it improved a lot. But I never really spent much time playing the trombone. So I didn’t think about it that much for the rare occasions when I did play it.

I decided to get more serious about practicing and learning how to properly play about a year ago. One of the things I’m still learning is how to lubricate the slide. Normally after freshly lubricating the slide it seems to work pretty well for one, maybe two practice sessions. But then I start to notice it sticking a bit in 2nd and 3rd positions.

I’m wondering if there may be a slight bend in the inner or outer slide, or both, or the slide may be out of round. Is there an inexpensive way to determine if and/or where the problem may be?

Thanks for the help,

Rob

[greenbean]

A good repair tech can diagnose it.

[jorymil]

Be sure that you thoroughly clean your slide, both inside and out. That's the first thing a repair technician will do. Of course, if there are obvious dents, it makes diagnosis easier

[brassmedic]

Here's the secret, no cost, 100% foolproof way to tell if your slide tubes are bent, without taking it to a tech:

First, you

[ssking2b]

Why do you expect your lubrication to last a long time? Wipe off the inners and gently rag out the outer slides when you put it away. Don't forget to pull a small cloth thru the inner tubes! Get in the habit of keeping your slide pristine EVERY TIME YOU START PLAYING, and you will be happy.

[Posaunus]

As noted, you probably should have a tech look at your slide to ensure it’s straight and dent-free. In any case, you should not expect your slide lubricant to last for several practice sessions. If you want your slide to last without repeated trips to a tech, you should adopt a regular maintenance protocol.

I have a designated “trombone cleaning kit” which now includes:
• A toothbrush, to clean any debris from my teeth before I start playing
• A mouthpiece brush (used very seldom, since my mouthpieces stay clean)
• A soft cloth to wipe off any lubricant from the outside of the inner slide
• An HWP Brass-Saver (soft pull-through brush with a long plastic lead ribbon)
• A Yamaha trombone cleaning rod
• Strips of cotton bedsheet to use with the cleaning rod,
• A Slide-O-Mix terry "towel sheath" and cleaning rod (red sheath for medium-bore; blue sheath for large-bore slides)
• Sprayer with distilled water
• A microfiber cloth to wipe clean all the exterior lacquered brass surfaces

Using this kit, I implement my trombone hygiene protocol regularly (ideally every day). In any case, I (usually) use these items – in particular (after wiping the inner slide dry) [1] the Brass-Saver and then [2] the bedsheet-wrapped or towel sheath-wrapped cleaning rod – in both inner and outer slides, before my trombone goes back into its case, so that it’s stored completely dry. [Note that I only use the wrapped cleaning rod in the upper inner slide by inserting it from the distal end, until it nearly touches the downstream end of the lead pipe, so as to not harm or dislodge the lead pipe.]

For my F-attachment trombones, I regularly oil the valves with 3 Hetman lubricants (valve oil, rotor oil, and bearing & linkage oil).

Before I play my trombone, I remove the dry slide (from the case or stand) and apply a very small amount of liquid lubricant (Yamaha Slide Lube or Slide-O-Mix Rapid Comfort) – a few drops to the stockings and another few drops to the upper slide. A spritz of distilled water and I’m ready to go.

Every few months, I also give my trombone slides a bath with dish soap and warm water, then thoroughly swab and dry the slides before storing in the case. I may also spray the lacquered surfaces of the trombone with a thin coating of liquid spray wax to preserve the lacquer.

Since I've adopted this protocol, my slides are all pristine, and I expect that they will stay that way as long as keep up my trombone hygiene routine.

[rjmarshall17]

Hi,

Thank-you to everyone for the great suggestions.

As far as finding a good repair technician, I live in Mid-Coast Maine. I have never dealt with any of the stores around here, let alone any who do repairs. So I'm open to recommendations if anyone has some.

I am learning as I go. I played trombone from 4th grade on through High School, but was very spotty about playing it for many, many years. I am just now getting back in to it and working at practicing regularly. And I am realizing I have a lot to learn. Like keeping my slide clean and cleaning it regularly. I'm working on it.

@posaunus, where did you purchase your HW Products Brass Saver?

What are people's preferences as far as cloth to clean the slide? I have seen some videos where they recommend cheesecloth and others where they recommend muslin and recommend against cheesecloth. Does it make that much difference?

Thanks again for the help,

Rob

[BGuttman]

I don't know anybody in Mid-Coast Maine. Maybe some of our Maine contingent have a recommendation. The "go to" repair operations in this area are Osmun Brass in Acton MA and Ken Pope in Boston. I know a repairman in Nashua NH who does a credible job but that's still quite a haul from you.

[CharlieB]

Is there an inexpensive way to determine if and/or where the problem may be?

Yes. When the slide is acting up, you might try these simple tests.
For this, make sure the slide is squeaky clean; no lubrication at all.
1). Remove the outer slide and reassemble one side only. Work it throughout its length, rotating the outer, feeling for the drag. A localized drag might be a dent crossing the stocking. A continuous drag might mean that one or both of the tubes is bent.
2). Do the same with the tubes on the other side.
3). Both sides slide smoothly? Reassemble the slide and see if the drag returns. If it does,the four slide tubes are not perfectly parallel. The slide will need to be realigned.

This is not nearly as comprehensive an examination as a tech will do, but it can give you an idea of whether you are facing a minor dent repair or a major slide alignment ($$$$$).