Help! I want to fix my trombone!

[Jim2195]

Okay, so hello everyone. I am new to this forum.
Three months ago, I bought a secondhand trombone from goodwill. I don’t know who used it before I got it.
It is of the brand “Prelude” and cost me $16. The bell has a bent spot as well as a lot of small dents that I’d like to get rid of. Also the interior slide part is getting rusty, or I believe so. It makes a scratching noise when I move it, and there are some patches of stuff on it. Also the case has a hole in it. I haven’t bothered to fix it or anything in the last few months until the slide problem happened.
If anyone here can help, that would be greatly appreciated. My family doesn’t have too much money so going to a professional is not really the way to go for me.
Please leave suggestions or ideas here! Thanks!
I have pictures attached:

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[BGuttman]

You are going to need some specialized tools to fix the problems you show. The dents and bends aren't something you can simply fix with a pair of pliers or a broom handle.

The hole in the case is tough to fix. I would suggest covering it with sheet plastic and taping the edges down. Molded plastic cases are more difficult to fix than wood ones. Still, you might be able to find a replacement cheap. Watch Goodwill.

You haven't shown pictures of the slide, but I suspect there are a few problems:

1. The inner slide is chrome plated. There may be holes in the chrome plating. If the edges are sharp they can grind against the inside of the outer slide which can cause problems.

2. If the slide "catches" at different points, it may mean there are dents in the outer slide. You need special tools to fix this; nothing you can just buy in a Home Depot. The cost of slide repair tools can easily exceed the cost of taking the instrument to a professional to fix them properly.

3. The "rust" spots on the inner slide are oxide deposits. There is actually hope here. You can remove the deposits using a very fine steel wool (0000 grade) or something like Nevr-Dull. The area under the deposit will look like brass. You can put a dab of slide cream on it to help the slide go over smoothly.

4. If you have alignment problems in the slide you may need a pro to fix them since it's easy to make the problems worse if you don't know what you are doing.

Can you play the instrument as it is? That may help you learn the instrument. The Prelude is a Bach student instrument and once you get your abilities you may find that you will want something better.

[Jim2195]

You are going to need some specialized tools to fix the problems you show. The dents and bends aren't something you can simply fix with a pair of pliers or a broom handle.

The hole in the case is tough to fix. I would suggest covering it with sheet plastic and taping the edges down. Molded plastic cases are more difficult to fix than wood ones. Still, you might be able to find a replacement cheap. Watch Goodwill.

You haven't shown pictures of the slide, but I suspect there are a few problems:

1. The inner slide is chrome plated. There may be holes in the chrome plating. If the edges are sharp they can grind against the inside of the outer slide which can cause problems.

2. If the slide "catches" at different points, it may mean there are dents in the outer slide. You need special tools to fix this; nothing you can just buy in a Home Depot. The cost of slide repair tools can easily exceed the cost of taking the instrument to a professional to fix them properly.

3. The "rust" spots on the inner slide are oxide deposits. There is actually hope here. You can remove the deposits using a very fine steel wool (0000 grade) or something like Nevr-Dull. The area under the deposit will look like brass. You can put a dab of slide cream on it to help the slide go over smoothly.

4. If you have alignment problems in the slide you may need a pro to fix them since it's easy to make the problems worse if you don't know what you are doing.

Can you play the instrument as it is? That may help you learn the instrument. The Prelude is a Bach student instrument and once you get your abilities you may find that you will want something better.

Hello I’m the OP of this question. For some reason after the third picture it wouldn’t let me provide any more.
So here I have some pictures of the slide. The dents and the bent part are only annoyances to the cosmetics of the instrument, not actually affecting the playing. I’m 90% sure it’s the slide.

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[Kingfan]

Before you start using steel wool or an abrasive on the slide, clean it really well. The "patches of stuff" may just be dried on old lube. Pics of the slide would help us know for sure. Try soaking it in warm (not hot) water with a mild soap (dish soap, for example) and use a soft cloth to wipe off the crud, then gently wipe dry with another soft cloth before you apply some fresh lube. Cleaning the inside of the outer slide is tricky unless you have a cleaning rod and the right kind of cloth. If it is a student horn you may be OK using a cleaning snake, which you can get for $5 on eBay. The dents in the bell section won't affect the sound of the horn very much if at all, just how it looks, so don't worry about them. Put the horn in first position and look where the bell rim would hit the slide. A small dent on the slide can be hard to see but can still affect the slide movement. If you can give an idea of what city you live in, maybe a forum member can meet with you and take a look at your horn. If you are in the Cleveland/Akron area, for instance, I would be glad to help.

[Doug Elliott]

It might help to know where you are in case somebody nearby and more knowledgeable can help.

[tbonesullivan]

Probably a Bach "Prelude" student model, correct?

Unfortunately as others have stated, the things you want fixed are not really those that can be done without specialized tools and knowledge. Even with the tools, a dent roller can make dents just as easily as it can fix them.

Looking at the slide, I'm going to guess that the plating is coming off of the inner slide tubes. There unfortunately isn't much that can be done. Though, as a student horn, most likely the slide is also out of alignment, and probably has more than a few dents along the outer slide tubes that are degrading the movement of the slide.

Aside from cleaning and scrubbing out the inside of the horn, there isn't much that can be done I'm afraid.

[Kingfan]

Yep. Now that I see the slide, I agree that it isn't just old caked on lube, the plating has worn off. To check alignment, take the outer slide off and try and put it back on. If the inner slides don't match up exactly with the outer slides, you have an alignment problem. If you lay the inner slide down on a flat surface like a table top and the slides are not parallel, that is also an alignment issue. Same with the outer. I use a local music repair shop run by a guy who did horn repair for a large city school system and he can often tweak a student horn slide back to alignment without tools, but he has been doing this for over 30 years and knows just how much pressure to apply and how much NOT to apply. If cleaning and lubing your slide doesn't bring it up to where you can play it, the only option is to take it to a shop. Good luck!

[DougHulme]

So Jim

Where is your location?

Are you still at school/what level do you play at?

Doug

[Jim2195]

So Jim

Where is your location?

Are you still at school/what level do you play at?

Doug

Hello,
Yes I am still in school, I am in ninth grade (first year of high school). I live in Los Angeles, California.

[Jim2195]

Yep. Now that I see the slide, I agree that it isn't just old caked on lube, the plating has worn off. To check alignment, take the outer slide off and try and put it back on. If the inner slides don't match up exactly with the outer slides, you have an alignment problem. If you lay the inner slide down on a flat surface like a table top and the slides are not parallel, that is also an alignment issue. Same with the outer. I use a local music repair shop run by a guy who did horn repair for a large city school system and he can often tweak a student horn slide back to alignment without tools, but he has been doing this for over 30 years and knows just how much pressure to apply and how much NOT to apply. If cleaning and lubing your slide doesn't bring it up to where you can play it, the only option is to take it to a shop. Good luck!

Thank you, your reply helps a lot.

[DougHulme]

Jim

I've had a word with John Sandhagen - one of the best repair men in the world. If you take your horn along to him he'll see what he can do and I'll pick the tab up.

He's at 524 Bishop Place, Claremont, CA 91711 tel 909-926-2796 he has a website too if you google him.

Best wishes... Doug

[Molefsky]

Wow, people helping people in here. A beautiful thing!

[DougHulme]

Or not, as the case may be... young Jim seems to have gone AWOL!! Heard nothing now and its more than a week... Doug

[Jim2195]

Hello to all,
I have been offline recently over the last week or two because of school and things, but the trombone seems to be doing a bit better. The sound comes out good but the slide makes noise whenever I move it, no matter how much slide oil I put on it. Does slide cream work better then slide oil? I don’t know if it’ll prove better results, I haven’t tried it before. I have been practicing my trombone a lot more frequently and it seems as if my constant use of it has helped it get in better shape.
I will be checking on this chat whenever I can, and as much as possible.
-Jim

[DougHulme]

Take it to John - you'll be amazed at the difference he makes to it.

[Posaunus]

Jim,

Your trombone slide is misaligned and / or dented. Slide lubricant will not improve it.

Doug Hulme has made you an incredibly generous offer. Take advantage of his kindness!
And listen to whatever John Sandhagen tells you about your trombone and its care and maintenance.

Good luck.