how to unstick a tuning slide, any suggestions? Options

[Alison]

The title says it all really. My son's tuning slide won't budge (on tenor horn). I'm also wondering what would happen in an exam if the instrument could not be tuned to the piano?

[Susie]

Is it in a position where you could put it in/pour some warm water over so as to expand the outer metal and thereby release it?

Do you have some slide grease that you could put round the edge of the slide to see if it would seep into the join of the slide?

We have had similar problems to yours with son's trumpet and had to resort to the trumpet shop to release stuck bits! Good luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Scooby Doo]

Try some valve oil and let it soak in for a bit before you try again. Don't force anything, and probably best to ask teacher or instrument shop to fix it if you really can't budge it.

It's unlikely to be wildly out of tune (presumably teacher / accompanist would have noticed by now?) so don't panic if you can't fix it before the exam. Depends a bit on the grade as to how many marks could be lost for poor intonation. It won't be enough to make a very significant difference. Your son could always mention to the examiner that he is having a problem with his instrument - they are human!

[owainsutton]

Is it in a position where you could put it in/pour some warm water over so as to expand the outer metal and thereby release it?

Note: warm, not boiling, or you could have other problems with joints coming loose!

Regarding exams: the examiner has to assess what they hear. If a Grade 1 player is clearly in tune with themselves, if unable to tune to the piano, it won't be a problem. Higher grades, where a greater accuracy of intonation is expected, would be a problem.

[boneman]

Just get it to a repairer, saves a lot of time.

[Roseau]

It may well be slightly bent - my daughter managed to do this to hers - it wasn't really visible that it was not quite aligned unless you looked really closely but you couldn't move it. It took the repairer about 10 minutes to sort out.

[Minstrel]

I'd take it to a repairer or specialist shop and ask their advice - we've had the occasional niggle along these lines with Boneson's trombones , which the wonderful people at Windblowers in Nottingham have always managed to resolve very quickly and easily.

Whereabouts in the country are you? Perhaps if you can give us a very general idea there may be someone on here who can advise you where to take it.

[KixMusic]

WD40 works a treat on most cases, if WD40 can't move it, PLEASE don' t try forcing it - get it to a brass repair specialist.

TIP - If you can WD40 it and leave it covered in a plastic bag for 24 hours the WD40 will have time to permeate and do it's job. So says my very good local brass repair specialist (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)