[Dixielandjazz] Dirty Trombone

[Elazar Brandt]

Question for you bone players:

I bought a fairly old Amati silver plated tenor trombone in Prague last year, and have been renting it to a student. The instrument
is in reasonably good condition, but the slide was sluggish from non-use. We cleaned it up thoroughly with warm water, soap, soft
and hard nylon bristle brushes, swabs, etc. until water ran through it clear as a mountain stream and the slide moved freely.

The problem is, every couple days, the student reports black gook building up on the slide and it starts getting sluggish again. He
cleans it every week, and I have cleaned it with him several times, but the black stuff returns.

He's been using slide oil to lubricate, but last time we cleaned it we tried cold cream and water, only the results were worse. So
we're back on slide oil.

The only thing we can think of is that he smokes. But is that enough to cause a gooky buildup that will slow down the slide? He
can't be the only bone player who smokes!

Anyone have any wisdom for us. You can answer off line if this mystery is deemed not to be of interest to the list in general.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Elazar
Misrad HaJazz
Doctor Jazz Band
Jerusalem, Israel
<www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz>
Tel: +972-2-679-2537