Trombone Repair

Trombone Care and Maintenance Tips

1. Blow all moisture out of the trombone using the water key before storing.


2. Wipe off old lubricant before re-applying.


3. Always lock the slide when not playing the trombone. The locked position should prevent you from moving the other slide.


4. Slide cream and water are recommended to lubricate the playing slide at least once a week. A proper way to apply slide cream is to pull the inner hand slide almost all the way out, applying cream on only the very bottom section of the inner slide. This area is called the “stocking” and is slightly larger in diameter.


5. Tuning your trombone is done by adjusting the tuning slide until you achieve the desired pitch. Move the tuning slide at least once every two weeks to keep it limber and prevent it from becoming stuck. Bare brass will stick together when in contact for long periods of time.


6. Hand slides of trombones can be cleaned by filling the outside slide with water/dish soap. Insert the inside slide and work in and out. This loosens most of the dirt. Dry the exterior of the instrument with a soft cotton cloth. A trombone cleaning rod can be used to further remove dirt from the outer slide. To do so, cut a 4" square piece from a cotton cloth and insert it into the cleaning rod. Work the cleaning rod back and forth in - both tubes of the outer slide. This may have to be done several times with new pieces of cloth until the cloth comes out clean. Make sure you thoroughly dry the inside and outside of the slides.

General Care and Maintenance Tips

1. You can wash the mouthpiece with warm, soapy water, making sure you dry the inside thoroughly. The mouthpiece should not have any dents in the end of the shank. If the mouthpiece gets stuck, do not attempt to remove it as this may cause damage to the horn. At Ward-Brodt Music we pull mouthpieces for free!


2. Wipe down the exterior of all brass instruments with a non-treated cloth to remove fingerprints and residue (you can use a silver polishing cloth for silver instruments).


3. It is recommended that all brass instruments be taken to a professional repair technician at least once a year for general maintenance and professional cleaning. Doing so may prevent costly repairs in the future. Regular maintenance and professional chemical cleaning will also help prevent "red rot", a form of corrosion that eats through brass.


4. Broken solder joints should not be ignored. Have a qualified repair technician check out your instrument as soon as possible.


5. Never leave a brass instrument in a hot car or in your trunk. Extreme temperatures can damage your horn.

Maintenance and Replacement Plan

Your musical instrument is an investment worth protecting!

A well maintained instrument encourages beginners to practice more and allows experienced players to achieve the freedom and artistry they desire!

With the purchase of a musical instrument you have made a valuable investment you will want to protect. Our Comprehensive Maintenance Agreement offers you the opportunity to maintain your instrument in the most cost effective way possible. Over the years Ward-Brodt technicians have identified the maintenance and repairs most often required and with our plan all of these standard procedures are completely covered under one annual fee.

Instruments must be examined and approved by our technicians prior to coverage. New or used instruments purchased from Ward-Brodt are automatically eligible within seven days of purchase. Please note that Ward-Brodt reserves the right to refuse coverage on any instrument.

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