How To Repair A Draging Trumpet Valve

Professional Trumpet Repair and Restoration Services

At Doctor Valve, I offer my clients unparalleled adroitness and attention to detail for repairs and restorations, design consultation, and R & D (research and evolution) projects. My shop is equipped with the aforementioned type of tooling and machinery that was bachelor to me during my long tenure at Schilke. This enables me to give your trumpet, cornet, or flugelhorn the world-class service that it deserves and y'all expect.

All surface restoration, repairs, honing, plating prep work, assembly, and finishing are performed on site at the Doc Valve store. The only outsourced work is the actual plating or lacquering, and I employ the all-time in the business. Like many premier manufacturers and service technicians, all my plating is done by Anderson Silver Plating in Elkhart, Indiana. My lacquering is washed by Charlie Melk of Charlie's Brass Works in Griffen, GA.

Attention to item and client satisfaction are my primary goals.

Please or telephone call ane.708.482.8153 to schedule an appointment for your horn.
Payment options listed at the lesser of this page.

Price List - May 2022

Detailed descriptions are beneath.
Click "description" to spring directly to that section of this folio.

Valve Services
A Valve Overhaul is as well known as a "Valve Job."
Valve Overhaul with Unshielded Ports description- $450.00
Valve Overhaul with Shielded Ports clarification- $645.00
Optimum Port Matching Valve Alignment (OPM) description- $190.00
Shipping charges are non included

Delight note:The cost of Musical instrument Overhaul, Replating, and Relacquering services is adamant after an instrument has been inspected at the Doctor Valve shop. Photos of an instrument may be emailed to Steve@DoctorValve.com and a crude estimate can then be made prior to sending the instrument.

Instrument Overhaul Services description
Overhauls include Chem-Clean & Polish

Replating/Relacquering Services clarification

Other Services
Ultrasonic Clean - $125.00
Ultrasonic Clean & Polish description - $165.00
Chem-Clean (lacquered horns) - $185.00
Chem-Clean & Shine (silver, gilt, or raw brass horns) description - $225.00
Musical instrument Appraisal clarification- $lx.00
Shipping Kit for trumpet/cornet clarification - $20.00 + shipping
Shipping Kit for flugelhorn clarification - $24 + shipping

Custom Services
Services such as dent removal, slide repair, custom band or saddle fabrication, tube replacement, lead piping mounting, trigger installations, amado water key conversions, and other custom tweaks are billed at the shop rate of $100/60 minutes.

Notation: Prices do non include shipping costs, which vary based on services performed.
Prices subject to change without notice
The cost of the gold used with any gold plating services is subject to market fluctuations.

Description of Services

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price list

Valve Overhaul or Valve Job

A Doc Valve valve overhaul (aka "valve job") is a procedure that restores the fit of the valves to "like new," or often "ameliorate than new" condition.

It begins with a play test of the horn (when playable) and so that I have a baseline for that particular horn. During this process, I make notes about any playing anomalies and well equally the overall characteristics of the sound and bravado feel.

Next, the horn is disassembled, measured. and visually inspected. Some instruments will crave a chem-make clean, which will be washed at this betoken. The casings are lightly honed to cheque for whatever serious washouts or other issues. The valves and casing are so precisely measured to determine the necessary amount of plating build-up.

The valves are trued and sized on the hone in preparation for plating. Next, with a "Shielded Port" valve overhaul, the valve ports are then precisely shielded, so that the windways in the valves retain their exact original size. With an "Unshielded Port" overhaul, this stride is not executed. Other than this one difference, the Shielded and Unshielded port overhauls are identical.

After some other cleaning, the valves are advisedly packed, and sent to Anderson'southward. At that place they are built upwards with hard nickel plating.

Upon return from the platers, the valves are honed to a size slightly above the casing dimension, then the casings are carefully honed to the bespeak where the valves accept the verbal proper fit.

Each valve is then expertly hand lapped into its corresponding casing. The finished piston surface to casing wall fit yields a tolerance of approximately .0005" (half a thousandth of an inch.)

The horn and parts are then ultrasonically cleaned, and the musical instrument is reassembled with new valve pads and felts, valve springs, and waterkey corks.

It is and so tested to clinch proper playing part and playing characteristics. Whatsoever final tweaks are made and plated instruments are then given a complete polish job using 3M Tarni-shield polish. The finished horn is now ready for return shipping or customer selection-upwardly.

A special annotation near NY Bachs and instruments of "extreme age" or with severely damaged valves: In some of these cases, it is necessary to do a ii-step valve build-up process. This entails more work, and 2 trips to the platers. I only do this when the required build-up is besides slap-up to practice in a single nickel plating step. NY Bach valves were chrome plated at the manufacturing plant, and in order to reach skillful results, this chrome has to be completely removed from the outer valve surfaces prior to the build-upward. On some NY horns, I accept been able to do the valves with a i-step plating build-up (the usual method). On the other hand, some of these instruments do require a ii-stride plating procedure, because once the chrome is removed, the valves require a bigger build than is advisable in just nickel. In these cases, the valves get a first round build in copper, are re-honed and trued, re-shielded, and so sent to Anderson's a second time for the final nickel plating.

If the two-step plating process is required, add together $225 for an initial copper build.

At that place is a $30 shipping charge for shipping the valves to the platers and back to the shop.

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Optimum Port Matching Valve Alignment

An Optimum Port Matching Valve Alignment is a process that optimizes the valve port and casing port match-up, which improves the evenness of response of the musical instrument.

My basic approach to this is to NOT modify the existing metallic parts. About of the fourth dimension, this is possible; sometimes it is not.

Beginning, the trumpet is playtested, and the existing alignment is inspected. Following this inspection, custom pads are cut, installed, and adjusted with shims to optimize the alignments of the ports in the valves with the ports in the casing. I use a variety of composition (not-felt) pads which are Not weather sensitive and maintain correct alignment for a very long time.

On many instruments, because of the way the casings and valves were drilled during manufacture, perfect alignment of all the holes is not possible. In these cases, the optimum port alignment is called based on my understanding of the musical instrument as a trumpet actor and my knowledge of the physics of air period through the instrument.

If requested, your previous pads tin can be bagged and tagged with specific locations indicated and so that you could reverse the process, and return to your original setup.

The rate for an Optimum Port Matching Valve Alignment on near horns is $190.

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Instrument Overhaul

The musical instrument overhaul service is an all-encompassing rebuilding and refinishing service for your instrument. Information technology begins with a play test of the horn (when playable) so that I have a baseline for that particular horn. During this I make notes about any playing anomalies and well equally the overall characteristics of the sound and bravado feel.

I then disassemble the instrument and give it an initial ultrasonic cleaning. All parts are carefully inspected for cracks, rot, and other bug that might require role replacement or patching. Depending on the findings of my inspection, I often confer with the client at this point, to determine exactly what path they wish to follow.

Sometimes it is decided that the original pieces exist retained and perhaps patched over, rather than risk altering the playing characteristics with replacement parts. This is because fifty-fifty "identical" parts tin vary slightly and tin sometimes play and feel slightly different. Alternately, information technology may be decided to supercede parts so that the instrument volition look as close to new as possible when completed. If this is the case, any new parts are measured and tweaked as necessary to match up equally closely equally possible to the parts being replaced. This is very important because pocket-size differences can make big playing differences, especially if you have played a horn for xxx years or and then, and know the horn's characteristics totally.

If the instrument was lacquered, the lacquer (or what is left of it) will be removed. Many older instruments were finished with the former nitrocellulose lacquer; most modern instruments have a broiled-on epoxy lacquer. A short give-and-take with my take on lacquer and lacquered instruments tin can be found here.

The next footstep is removal of the bell and leadpipe from the body of the instrument. All onetime solder is removed from the parts and horn body. All pieces are chemically cleaned to remove the lime scale and other crud from the inside surfaces.

If the valves are also being overhauled, the valves are prepped and sent for plating at this fourth dimension. The bell and leadpipe are straightened, minor dents are removed (major dent removal is extra), and surface pitting is advisedly removed, as much as safely possible. Some pitting may remain if I feel that removing all of it would make areas of the horn overly thin.

If the horn is getting whatever new tubes, they are at present fabricated and mounted. The body, bong and leadpipe are buffed as split up pieces ensuring full and even make clean-upwardly of the surfaces.

At present the pieces of the horn are ready for reassembly. The braces are carefully adjusted to reduce tension to a minimum. This can yield significant gains in the way an instrument plays peculiarly in the evenness of response throughout the entire range of the instrument.

The parts are then expertly resoldered together, and the horn and parts finished buffed. Everything then gets ultrasonically cleaned to remove all buffing residual. The parts (valve slides and valve caps) are and then put back on the horn and the musical instrument is shipped to Anderson'south for plating.

When the instrument returns from plating, the valve overhaul is completed, or the valves are expertly hand lapped in the casing to smooth the plating that deposits onto the inside casing surface. The horn and parts are and so ultrasonically cleaned once more and the horn reassembled with new pads, felts, valve springs, and waterkey springs and corks.

It is then tested to clinch proper playing function and playing characteristics of the "new" horn are compared to the notes made prior to the overhaul. Any concluding tweaks are made and the instrument is then given a complete smooth job using 3M Tarni-shield polish. The finished horn is now ready for return shipping or client pick-upwardly.

The toll of these services is determined after an instrument has been inspected at the Medico Valve shop. Photos of an instrument may exist emailed to Steve@DoctorValve.com and a rough estimate can so be made, prior to sending the instrument.

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Instrument Replate

The musical instrument replating service is sometimes an selection for refinishing your instrument. It is much less involved than an overhaul and is nigh often used on instruments that are in very skillful to excellent condition.

It begins with a play test and then that I accept a baseline for that particular horn. The horn is and then disassembled and ultrasonically cleaned.

If the instrument was lacquered, the lacquer (or what is left of it) will then exist removed. Many older instruments were finished with the old nitrocellulose lacquer; most modernistic instruments have a baked-on epoxy lacquer. A short discussion with my have on lacquer and lacquered instruments can be found here.

If the valves are being overhauled, then the valves are prepped and sent for plating at this time. Later on disassembly, (and chem-cleaning, if necessary) minor surface problems are addressed and the body of the horn and the parts are carefully buffed. Everything then gets ultrasonically cleaned once again to remove all buffing residue.

The slides and valve caps are then put back on the horn and the instrument is shipped to Anderson's for plating. When the musical instrument returns from plating, the valve overhaul is completed or the valves are expertly mitt lapped in the casing to shine the plating that deposits onto the inside casing surface.

The horn and parts are then ultrasonically cleaned again, and the horn is reassembled with new pads, felts, and corks. It is and so tested to assure proper playing function.

Finally, information technology is then given a consummate polish job using 3M Tarni-shield polish. The musical instrument is then ready for return aircraft or client pick-up.

Hither are some examples of where the re-plate service is an appropriate choice.

A straight, undamaged instrument, perhaps with a few pocket-size dents or other small surface imperfections where the plating is beginning to wear through but the surface has not pitted extensively.
A new or like new lacquered musical instrument that the owner wants silvery or gold plated (lacquer removal is not included and tin can be performed for a reasonable extra charge.)
Another circumstance where this service could be used is on a fragile thin instrument that is in good shape, or had any bug addressed separately, that would benefit from having a bit more metallic put on for immovability and for increased mass.

There are many reasons why this might not be the best choice for some instruments, so I must personally inspect the instrument earlier deciding that this would be an appropriate refinishing option.

The cost of these services is determined after an instrument has been inspected at the Md Valve shop. Photos of an musical instrument may be emailed to Steve@DoctorValve.com and a rough approximate tin can and then exist made, prior to sending the instrument.

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Chem Clean and Smoothen

Earlier

A trumpet should have a chemic cleaning on an regular schedule: annually if yous play a lot, more ofttimes if you play in extreme conditions (table salt air for example), less often if y'all play just occasionally, or are very meticulous in keeping your musical instrument clean.

A chemical cleaning removes build-up on the inside of the instrument, and is followed by an ultrasonic cleaning and polishing (for silvery, gold, or brass) and an ultrasonic cleaning and blow dry for lacquered horns.

This service is included with instrument overhauls and full restorations.

After

Instrument Appraisement

A current instrument appraisement is crucial for recovery from the unfortunate outcome of loss or theft. The used Martin or Bach yous paid $400 for in 1985 might exist worth $2500 or more today. Doctor Valve can provide an accurate and complete description in the form of an Instrument Appraisal and Valuation done at the time of servicing your musical instrument.

If your trumpet, cornet, or flugelhorn requires no work, and you just need an appraisal for insurance or other purposes, the instrument can be brought to the shop. Delight call or email for an appraisal appointment. This service takes about 45 minutes, and your formal Musical instrument Appraisal and Valuation will be mailed to you within one week. (appraisal samples: -1-, -2-, -3-.)

The rate for a stand-solitary instrument appraisal is $60.

How long volition information technology take?

I know you desire you lot instrument dorsum as shortly as possible, and I do my best to accomplish this. Within each service category, I work on horns in the order they arrive in the shop, and complete each chore as promptly as fine craftmanship will allow.

With an appointment, an Optimum Port Matching Valve Alignment or a Chem Clean and Polish, or other miscellaneous repairs or customizations can exist washed same mean solar day. Otherwise these services are turned around within 2 weeks.

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What almost shipping?

Rates listed higher up practice not include shipping. Aircraft charges consist of insured return shipping of your horn, and depending on the services performed, may include aircraft to and from the platers. Invoiced aircraft charges depend on the services performed, and your location. These charges are detailed in their own department of the aircraft page.

UPS Second day Air and USPS Priority and Express Mail each have a 100% success rate with me for safe horn shipping. Of course, proper packaging is crucial. Please encounter the principal section of the shipping page for stride-by-pace details on a recommended method of horn packing.

If you need an appropriate box and supplies, "The Md Valve Safe Shipping Kit" is available here, and includes everything you need to properly package your instrument.

Payment Options - Credit Cards, Checks, etc. in Person or by Phone

For your convenience, Doctor Valve accepts credit card payments (in person or by telephone to 1.708.482.8153). You may also pay for services by mailing a check or coin order to:
Doctor Valve, 479 5th Street, Lemont IL 60439-4115

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