TromboneChat

So, i have a dent on the bottom of my recently bought Bach trombone slide, it's not very deep but it's noticable enough. I took the slide to a Tech and he said that, although he can repair it, it's best to leave it like that because since the instrument is so old, and it has been repaired before, there is a risk if he removes the bottom of the slides and then puts it back. This due to the trombone being worn can cause the bottom of the slide to come off after a few years and make it unplayable.
I really don't have much problem with cosmetics, but since the dent is on the slide i'm concerned that this can affect tuning and sound.

Anyone with some information can tell me if i should remove it anyway or play out of tune with a dent.

When you say "bottom of the slide", do you mean the crook? The curved part?

brassmedic wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 10:03 pm When you say "bottom of the slide", do you mean the crook? The curved part?

Exactly!

(After reading that word for so mamy years I 've just realized it's named like that)

It's probably not going to affect tuning unless it's a really big dent. Is it dented on the guard part? If not, it's actually possible to do a decent job of removing the dent without taking the crook off. You can't get the exact sized dent ball in there because the crook is oversized on the Bach42, but there is some rebound when you hammer the brass, so a good tech can get the dent out even though the dent ball is a little undersized. And other Bach models don't have an oversized crook anyway. Doesn't sound like something your tech likes to do, though.

Now, if you smashed in the guard strip, then that might have to be removed and put back on.

I don't know what is meant by the "bottom of the slide coming off" in a few years. I've never heard that one before.

brassmedic wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 12:49 am It's probably not going to affect tuning unless it's a really big dent. Is it dented on the guard part? If not, it's actually possible to do a decent job of removing the dent without taking the crook off. You can't get the exact sized dent ball in there because the crook is oversized on the Bach42, but there is some rebound when you hammer the brass, so a good tech can get the dent out even though the dent ball is a little undersized. And other Bach models don't have an oversized crook anyway. Doesn't sound like something your tech likes to do, though.

Now, if you smashed in the guard strip, then that might have to be removed and put back on.

I don't know what is meant by the "bottom of the slide coming off" in a few years. I've never heard that one before.

What i thought he explained me (and he's one of the best techs on my town) is that since tha trombone is dirty or has been repaired before, the trombone crook would come off after a copule of years if he removes it and puts it back. And then the horn is no longer usable.

This is the dent in question

Looks like it's been taken off before.
But that doesn't matter. If soldering is done correctly it won't come off.
Those ferrules don't look normal for a Bach, to me... but I could be wrong.

Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 1:33 am Looks like it's been taken off before.
But that doesn't matter. If soldering is done correctly it won't come off.
Those ferrules don't look normal for a Bach, to me... but I could be wrong.

He mentioned that it's gonna come off because of the presence of "tartar" on the slide. At least he said that after moving the un-lubricated slide and heraing the noise.

This is a Bach model 6 from 1945. So those ferrules are not the originials?

Old Bach ferrules have that look.

You need to find a better tech. There is absolutely no reason not to take the crook off, remove the "tartar" (it isn't called tartar, and never has been) remove the dent and reinstall the crook. Easy. If you know what you're doing.

I posted a question here 5 years ago about slide repair and the first response I got was "you need a better tech". That turned out to be the right advice. It seems to me that very few local techs are excellent at slide repair even if their overall skill is top notch. I'd guess that requests for "top level" slide repair are a very small percentage of overall brass repair requests. Top level slide repair seems like a very specialized skill. Anyway, in my case I shipped my slide to brassmedic and it came back in perfect condition. https://www.trombonechat.com/viewtopic. ... 68#p179668. A vintage Bach 6 is probably worth getting fixed properly.

Yeah, that repair shouldn't be difficult at all, and taking the crook off and reinstalling wouldn't be a problem for anyone who knows what they're doing.

Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 1:33 am Looks like it's been taken off before.
But that doesn't matter. If soldering is done correctly it won't come off.
Those ferrules don't look normal for a Bach, to me... but I could be wrong.

I think the NY Bachs had ferrules like that.

Fgal409 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 1:20 am
What i thought he explained me (and he's one of the best techs on my town) is that since tha trombone is dirty or has been repaired before, the trombone crook would come off after a copule of years if he removes it and puts it back. And then the horn is no longer usable.

This is the dent in question

Yeah, uh, unless this really bothers you, ignore it and just play the darned thing?

Also, either you have a communication issue with your tech or you need to just find somebody else. Parts of trombones don’t fall off because they have been repaired. If they do, they aren’t being repaired properly.

Nice looking old horn,
Andy

it definitely wont just fall off. as long as he solders it back in place properly and/or cleans away the previous solder or whatever it's called away before reattaching it, it'll hold properly.

it sounds like the really just slide needs to be tossed in ultrasonic cleaner for a bit and cleaned. Maybe an acid bath or chemical bath. and maybe an alignment. lube generously applied and then just used as you would normally

me personally, that dent is not enough to warrant the amount of work that your tech is conveying would need to go into it right now. from what it seems like, your tech is saying it'll be a big job and your slide is on its way out. If you are already having the slide taken apart for another reason and the crook has to come off anyway, then yea have the dent addressed. otherwise that dent is nothing significant at all.

No offense to your tech, but I would find a different one. Either they are not as good a tech as you need or they are finding excuses to avoid working on your horn.

It won't affect the sound one bit. Still, a second tech opinion might be an idea........I don't put up with dents.

KingThings wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 11:02 pm a second tech opinion might be an idea........

There have already been several "second opinions" here from other techs...

hornbuilder wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 7:00 am

KingThings wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 11:02 pm a second tech opinion might be an idea........

There have already been several "second opinions" here from other techs...

I was rather referring to someone willing to repair it........

I would be happy to do the work. I'm sure Brad would, too.

I fear it will be a rather expensive repair for the benefit. I'm sure that Matt, Brad, Eric, or Benn could do a great job.