Four Easy Ways to Reduce Low Brass Repair Bills

1) Play the Instrument regularly

Like most mechanical devices, a good Tuba, Euphonium, Baritone, etc. will actually last longer if it is used regularly. If your horn sits for weeks or months without use, the lubricating oils dry up, leaving a gunky residue that can't always be cleaned at home.

2) Clean your instrument after every use

Lets face it...there's a lot of saliva moving through a properly played brass instrument. If it's cleaned regularly, the added moisture won't hurt the mechanism. If it sits there and dries up on its own...it will hang up the valves and slides. Your music teacher can show you how to take things apart and clean them, or bring the horn into McClellan's and we'll show you. Click here for a recommended list of low brass accessories.

3) Give it a bath once in a while

Even with the best care, if the valves start to hang up, or your instrument just isn't playing right, you might want to bring it in for a bath. Our ultrasonic cleaning tank can gently shake loose the accumulated gook you can't reach at home.

4) Keep it in the case (or on a stand).

We see lots of dents and dings on larger, low brass instruments...They're heavy!  Some are just cosmetic, but others can affect the way the trumpet plays. Handle your horn like a newborn baby when taking it out of the case, but spank it hard when you play! If you have a good quality horn, we can usually massage the dents out of it here at McClellan.

If the unexpected happens, here's a rough guide to how much we'll charge you to fix it:

(Bring it in for a free estimate, anyway).

Ultrasonic Cleaning

Baritone / Euphonium $65

Tuba (3 Valve) $75

Tuba (4 Valve) $84

Stuck Slides $15 each

Valve Repair  From $25 per valve

Resolder Brace/Flange $15 - 20

Resolder Oversize Tubing $25 - 40

Remove CA Glue or Tape Residue $25 - 50