New Horn Day - Shires Q36 & Bent Cleaning Rod

[Fireinthebones]

I Have been playing on my schools Bach 50B2O for about 3 years. I have loved how it sounded in the upper register but the valve register especially with both engaged was questionable so much so that I play in 6th & 7th simply because I preferred the sound because of this I tuned the first valve to which has been a minor problem for me as I am instinctively playing Those notes at the end of the slide when it is un necessary and sometimes more effort in terms of moving my slide longer distances.
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I bought a Shires Q36YR With much help from my parents and grandmother all of whom I am so incredibly thankful for, this and paying for 4 years of lessons, paying my band fees so I can partake in marching band, driving me to and from rehearsals (Now paying for my insurance and gas) and mainly putting up with my practicing & to my grandmother(A former Piano teacher) for teaching me piano and playing duets with me.
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I love this horns sound and its ease of playing. I am still getting used to this horn in regard to the independent valves. I just recently played Devils Waltz in State S&E so as I was familiar with that song I used it along with melodious etudes and my solo from the previous Year, New Orleans by playing passages and experimenting with different positions and valves combinations. I am especially glad that on this horn unlike the Bach, in 6th actually sounds good as well as Bb with the valves. I find myself playing D and Db with the first valve instinctively due to my dislike of playing with the second valve on the Bach.
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Now to talk about storing my cleaning rod. I like to clean my slide after playing but I have no clear spot to put. Having searched for a thread on this I saw that trying to store it in the case in a spot it does not belong is risky so I thought about storing it in a spot it most certainly does not belong on the outside of the case... There are two hooks for attaching a shoulder strap which I have no intent on using, My thinking is that I could slot the rod through those. It keeps it rather secured in it due to there being a curve which makes me think that over time the rod would get bent. Would a bent cleaning rod damage the slide?
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I do wish there was a mouthpiece slot in the case, nevertheless the case is smaller than the old Bach case by a mile. I am enjoying that I Don't cut my hand on the spring of the second valve saddle whenever I pick up the horn, and a working slide lock is also quite handy (The schools horn is missing the bit where the lock attaches to the outer slide).
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[bitbckt]

Christian Griego sells a collapsible cleaning rod that is much easier to tote around. You might consider that option, if your case doesn’t have a dedicated spot for a long rod.

[baileyman]

The rod may be longer than needed. If you trim a standard rod to just long enough to do the job, the benefit is it fits better, and the chance of breaking on through to the other side of the slide bend is low.

I'm currently modifying plastic bling wands to do my cleaning and lubing as it's getting hard to find aluminum rods. A 20g shotgun brush does a magnificent job lubing with yamasnot.

[ghmerrill]

A 20g shotgun brush does a magnificent job lubing with yamasnot.

I'm not feeling that. You mean a cotton mop rather than a brush? But also, the standard (and recommended) technique is to apply the lube to the inner, and not the outer. ???

[baileyman]

Well, get the nylon brush with thin bristles. The thick bristles are harsh.

A couple drops in the outer swabbed in with the brush will evenly distribute over the entire bearing surface.

And if there is any crud the brush will try to knock it off.

I'm sure Bill Watrous would hate this.

[Posaunus]

Suggestions:

1. Get an HWP Brass-Saver (soft pull-through brush with a long plastic lead ribbon – will pass through the entire outer slide, including the end crook!) Use the “Tuba” size for your bass trombone. This brush can be passed through both inner and outer slides at the end of each playing session, and collapses to almost nothing (so can be stored in the case). It's much more effective and gentler than the classic stiff-brushed "snake."
Note that for effective water removal, the Brass-Saver brush should be wiped dry with a small absorbent towel between multiple passes through the slide.

2. Get a Slide-O-Mix terry "towel sheath" and cleaning rod (blue sheath for your large-bore slide). Unfortunately, this rod (better than a standard aluminum rod) may be a little too long for your case, but you'll already have a pretty clean and dry slide when you encase your trombone, and you can use the towel sheath to polish the outer slide when you get home.

Good luck.

[ghmerrill]

Well, get the nylon brush with thin bristles. The thick bristles are harsh.

A couple drops in the outer swabbed in with the brush will evenly distribute over the entire bearing surface.

And if there is any crud the brush will try to knock it off.

I'm sure Bill Watrous would hate this.

Well, to each his own, I suppose. If it works for you, then go with it.

[ghmerrill]

Suggestions:

1. Get an HWP Brass-Saver ...
2. Get a Slide-O-Mix terry "towel sheath" and cleaning rod (blue sheath for your large-bore slide). ...

I've had the towel sheaths for some time and use them when I do one of my "thorough" slide cleanings, as a final step in cleaning the outer slide. In between thorough cleanings, I've been using 2.5" doubled gun patches in the standard rod for a quick swab, but ...

I just got one of the Brass Savers and think it's great for the quick swabs. The trombone one seems to work fine for me. I don't think that for my purposes I need one more tight-fitting than that.

[tbonesullivan]

Doesn't the Q36YR case have a compartment inside for storage of items like mouthpieces, etc? That's what the pictures I am seeing show.

Personally, I only clean my instruments at home inside a secure environment where I don't have to worry about things like other people getting in my way or possibly bumping me while cleaning. When the slide is apart is when it is at the most vulnerable to damage.

[Posaunus]

Personally, I only clean my instruments at home inside a secure environment where I don't have to worry about things like other people getting in my way or possibly bumping me while cleaning. When the slide is apart is when it is at the most vulnerable to damage.

I'm lucky - we're retired empty nesters, so I've converted our seldom-used guest bathroom to a trombone hygiene room. Soft towel spread on the counter to set slides while cleaning them. Polishing cloths, swabs (Brass-Savers), rods, sheaths, valve oils and slide lubes, etc. at close hand. No one else in that room but me. I play in various ensembles, with different trombones for most; I often play 3 or 4 different instruments each week. But I try to clean my slides within a day or two of when they're played. I'm very happy with the results.

[Fireinthebones]

Doesn't the Q36YR case have a compartment inside for storage of items like mouthpieces, etc? That's what the pictures I am seeing show.

It does have a compartment but I am referring to an actual designated slot for the mouthpiece like the bach case I had.

I feel they could have added a spot for it in the far right corner, maybe the q series with the axial f wrap sticks out further preventing this.

IMG_1090.jpeg

[ghmerrill]

If you're talking about the sort of "slot" where the shank of the mouthpiece fit so the mouthpiece was held vertically in the slot, with the cup up and exposed, then I think that approach fell out of favor some time ago with manufacturers in favor of something more along the lines of an internal box with a lid that the mouthpiece (and perhaps other accessories) would fit into. This was because those old slot holders often resulted (under different circumstances) in the mouthpieces falling out of the "holder" and damaging the instruments. People came to realize that the "convenience" of just dropping a mouthpiece in a slot was outweighed by the risk of damage that might result in. They also came to realize that a mouthpiece was much better off being in its own protective case.

So if that's what you're looking for, I'm not sure you can find a case with that sort of thing any longer. The best approach is to get a mouthpiece case, use it, and don't put the mouthpiece in the same compartment the horn is in.

[tbonesullivan]

It does have a compartment but I am referring to an actual designated slot for the mouthpiece like the bach case I had.

I feel they could have added a spot for it in the far right corner, maybe the q series with the axial f wrap sticks out further preventing this.

Could be that it didn't fit, or more likely as mentioned by ghmerrill, that type of design really has fallen out of favor. Most of the higher end aftermarket cases don't have dedicated mouthpiece slots, as many people prefer to keep their mouthpieces in pouches that offer better protection from oxidation and such when inside the case.

There is also the bigger problem of making a mouthpiece slot that will hold the mouthpiece securely, but still actually fit the mouthpiece. Yamaha professional bass trombone cases come with mouthpiece slots, but many of my mouthpieces will not actually fit into them. Some have a shank that is too large, or have a body that is too large, or even sometimes the rim.