[To Bottom of This Page]           [Back to Musical Instrument Repairs page]           [Back to The David Bailey Studio home page]

The David Bailey Music Studio
Musical Instrument Care Procedures

These procedures, if done regularly and carefully, can help an instrument work well and have a long life.

Clarinet     Flute     Saxophone     Trumpet     Horn     Trombone     Drum     

Clarinet Maintenance

Supplies: Swab, cork grease, key oil, talcum powder, mouthpiece brush, polishing cloth. Optional: pad-savers

Cork grease should be applied to the tenon corks (where the instrument goes together) each time
the instrument is assembled. Key oil should be applied to the mechanism, one
little drop at a time, where keys rub against either posts or other keys.
This should be done about once a month.
The mouthpiece should be rinsed out with warm water (NOT HOT!)
and brushed out with the mouthpiece brush once a month.
Or more often if it begins to look dirty.
The talcum powder is applied only occasionally, when needed, to sticking pads. The key is then closed and opened a
few times to get the powder to stick to the sticky part of the pad surface, and the excess powder should then be blown away.
The clarinet should be swabbed out EVERY time the instrument is used. The keys should be kept clean with the polishing cloth.
The optional pad-savers are inserted into the instrument and left there when the instrument is
not in use, to help keep the pads fresher and the inside cleaner.

Do not store music inside the case unless there is a separate compartment for it.

[To Top of This Page]           [Back to Musical Instrument Repairs page]           [Back to The David Bailey Studio home page]

Flute Maintenance

Supplies: Cleaning rod, polishing cloth, polishing cloth, key oil, talcum powder. Optional: pad-savers

The flute should be assembled with no cork grease or vaseline where the head joint
and foot joint attach to the body. The cleaning cloth should be placed in the eye
of the cleaning rod and used to swab out the inside of the flute,
every time the instrument is disassembled to be put away. Pad savers may be inserted in the body for storage to
help keep the inside clean and the pads fresh.
Key oil should be applied to the mechanism, one little drop at a time, where keys rub against either posts or other keys.
This should be done about once a month.
The head joint can be washed off under warm water, using a soft nylon-bristle brush, as necessary.
The talcum powder is applied only occasionally, when needed, to sticking pads. The key is then closed and opened a few times
to get the powder to stick to the sticky part of the pad surface, and the excess powder should then be blown away.
The keys and body should be kept clean of fingerprints with the polishing cloth

DO NOT PLAY WITH THE HEAD CROWN.
IT SHOULD BE KEPT SNUG, BUT DO NOT TRY TO MAKE IT REALLY TIGHT.

[To Top of This Page]           [Back to Musical Instrument Repairs page]           [Back to The David Bailey Studio home page]

Saxophone Maintenance

Supplies: Neck cleaner, mouthpiece brush, cork grease, key oil, talcum powder, polishing cloth. Optional: pad-saver.

Neither cork grease or vaseline should be used to assist in inserting the neck into the body.
Cork grease should be applied to the neck cork each time the instrument is assembled.
The neck should be cleaned with the neck cleaner each time the sax is put away.
The mouthpiece can be washed off using warm (NOT HOT!) water and the mouthpiece brush.
This should be done about once a month, or more often as needed.
Key oil should be applied to the mechanism, one little drop at a time, where keys rub against either posts or other keys.
This should be done about once a month.
The talcum powder is applied only occasionally, when needed, to sticking pads. The key is then closed and opened a
few times to get the powder to stick to the sticky part of the pad surface, and the excess powder should then be blown away.
The neck strap should be removed from the strap ring when the instrument is put in the case.
Keep the outside clean of fingerprints and other grease with the cleaning cloth.

Do not store music inside the case.

[To Top of This Page]           [Back to Musical Instrument Repairs page]           [Back to The David Bailey Studio home page]

Trumpet Maintenance

Supplies: Valve oil, slide grease (or vaseline), cleaning brush (snake), mouthpiece brush,
valve casing cleaning rod or brush, polishing cloth

The valves should be oiled every day.
The slides should be lubricated once a month with either slide grease or vaseline.
The mouthpiece should be washed out using the mouthpiece brush once a month.
The trumpet should be disassembled once a month and given a bath (using a little dishwashing soap in warm-- NOT HOT! -- water).
Leave the valves in the case, and take the slides all out, unscrew the bottom caps and place the body and the parts (except the valves)
in a large sink or bath tub. Use the long flexible cleaning brush (snake) to clean out the inside of the slides and the tubing of the body,
use the valve casing brush or cleaning rod with a small piece of cloth to clean out the casings. Rinse everything thoroughly.
Apply slide grease or vaseline to the slides and reassemble the instrument.
Rinse the valves off by hand under running water, apply new valve oiland place them in the correct casings.
Empty the condensed moisture out of the horn each time before you place the instrument in the case.
Keep the outside clean of fingerprints and other grease with the polishing cloth.

Do not store music inside the case.

[To Top of This Page]           [Back to Musical Instrument Repairs page]           [Back to The David Bailey Studio home page]

Horn Maintenance

Supplies: Rotor oil, slide grease (or vaseline), cleaning brush (snake), mouthpiece brush, polishing cloth

The rotors should be oiled once a week. Sometimes they need to be oiled more frequently, but usually once a week will keep them working well.
To oil a rotor, unscrew the back cover and apply a drop of oil to the hub, where it rotates in the middle of the back bearing.
Move the rotor to work the oil in. Replace the back cover. On the hub where either the string wraps around or the mechanical linkage attaches,
place a drop of oil between the rotating hub and the casing. Be careful not to apply too much oil. Again move the rotor to work in the oil.
The slides should be lubricated once a month with either slide grease or vaseline.
The horn should be disassembled once a month and the slides should be washed out
(using a little dishwashing soap in warm-- NOT HOT! -- water). Place the slides in a large sink or bath tub.
Use the long flexible cleaning brush (snake) to clean out the inside of the slides. Rinse everything thoroughly.
Apply slide grease or vaseline to the slides and reassemble the instrument. Apply new rotor oil.
The mouthpiece should be washed out using the mouthpiece brush once a month.
Empty the spit out of the horn each time before you place the instrument in the case.
Keep the outside clean of fingerprints and other grease with the polishing cloth.

Do not store music inside the case.

[To Top of This Page]           [Back to Musical Instrument Repairs page]           [Back to The David Bailey Studio home page]

Trombone Maintenance

Supplies: Cleaning rod, cheesecloth, cold cream, slide grease (or vaseline),
spray bottle with water, polishing cloth

The tuning slide should be lubricated with slide grease or vaseline once a month.
The outer hand-slide tubes should be cleaned out with a small piece of cheesecloth
placed through the eye of the cleaning rod, once a month (possibly more often as slide
action suggests.) The inside hand-slide tubes should be wiped off and a small amount of cold-cream
should be placed on the bottom 6 inches (the stockings - where the inner slide tube widens just a bit).
The inside slide should be placed inside the outer slide and the two pieces should be moved in and out
to help spread out the cold cream. Then remove the inner slide and wipe off the excess cold cream.
Place the inside slide section back inside the outer slide section and with the inner slide extended
most of the way out (think of seventh position) spray water on the inner slide tubes.
Work the outer slide in and out to get the best slide action.
Keep the spray bottle of water with you while playing and
occasionally spray water on the inside slide tubes as the action becomes sluggish.
Wash out the mouthpiece using the mouthpiece brush one a month (or more often if necessary.)
Keep the outside free of fingerprints using the polishing cloth.

Do not store music inside the case.

[To Top of This Page]           [Back to Musical Instrument Repairs page]           [Back to The David Bailey Studio home page]

Drum Maintenance

Supplies: Tuning key, polishing cloth

Drums should be handled carefully to avoid puncturing the heads.
Wipe the drum off with the polishing cloth regularly to keep it shiny.
Drums do not need much maintenance as long as several points are remembered:
1.) Don't play around with the muffler knob. Set it and leave it alone.
2.) Don't play around with the tuning lugs. Once your teacher has helped you tune the drum properly, leave them alone.
3.) Don't play around with the snare strainer adjustment knob. This helps keep the drum sounding tight and proper.
4.) Heads can be washed off with a cloth soaked in lukewarm, soapy water and wrung out.
There is often room inside the drum case to store lesson books and music but be sure
to keep it neat and avoid exerting extra pressure on the drum heads.


(This page last updated on February 25, 2003.)
[To Top of This Page]           [Back to Musical Instrument Repairs page]           [Back to The David Bailey Studio home page]