How do I maintain my trombone?
To keep your trombone in top condition, we have listed a number of tips and tricks below. To keep it simple, we have divided this into time periods: things to do before and after playing, and things to do weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
Before Playing
Before taking your trombone out of its case, always first check if the slide is locked. Only then take the slide out of the case. Screw the slide onto the bell section and check that everything is securely fastened. Then place the mouthpiece on your trombone. The mouthpiece only needs to be inserted into the instrument.
Next, unlock the slide and apply a few drops of slide oil or a bit of slide cream to the inner part of the slide and move the slide up and down a few times. Also, apply a few drops of oil to the quarter valve if necessary. Now you are ready to start playing!
After Playing
First, lock the slide of the trombone. Also, lock the slide if you don't need to play for a while, as most damage to a trombone occurs when the slide is unexpectedly unlocked. Then blow all the water out of your trombone, remove the mouthpiece, and store it in your case. Wipe all fingerprints off your trombone with a lint-free cloth. Then store your instrument and close the case. Do not store loose items in your case. Also, do not stack anything on your case; if the case deforms under the weight, the trombone may get dented.
Weekly
Leave the case open at home for half an hour once a week to allow any remaining moisture to evaporate.
Cleaning the Mouthpiece
Clean your mouthpiece once a month using a mouthpiece brush, dish soap without citric acid, and lukewarm water.
- Rinse the mouthpiece under lukewarm water.
- Put a little dish soap on the mouthpiece brush.
- Then, thoroughly brush the inside of the mouthpiece with the mouthpiece brush several times to remove all dirt. You can check by looking inside the mouthpiece. If you still see dirt sticking to the tube, repeat this step or soak the mouthpiece in lukewarm soapy water for 10 minutes.
- Rinse the mouthpiece and the mouthpiece brush thoroughly. You don't want to taste dish soap the next time you play!
Greasing the Tuning Slide
Grease the tuning slide with a little slide grease.
- Pull the slide out, wipe it clean with a piece of kitchen paper, especially the parts where there is still a bit of grease.
- Then use a small amount of slide grease and apply it to the part that slides into the trombone. Carefully reinsert the slide with a rotating motion, starting with one side. Repeat this with the other side so that the slide grease is well distributed.
- Then push the slide all the way in and wipe away any excess grease with some kitchen paper.
Quarterly
Clean the inside of your trombone once every three months.
- Disassemble your trombone in a large basin or bathtub filled with lukewarm water and some dish soap without citric acid. Let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Be very careful with the loose parts. Any dent on the slide can cause it to malfunction.
- Use trombone swabs to clean the inside of the tubes.
- Rinse the trombone thoroughly with soap-free water and dry all parts well. This prevents water spots.
- Grease the tuning slide with slide grease, the quarter valve with rotor oil, and the slide with slide oil. Don’t forget to lock the slide.
Annually
Take your instrument to a specialized repair shop once a year. Also, visit a repairer if you think your instrument is not playing well. They will check your instrument to see if maintenance is needed. During such a visit, they will also inform you about any future maintenance required. This way, you are always well-informed and aware of the condition of your instrument.
