Record something on this for us !
Record something on this for us !
John,
I am in the process of buying a used E2 with trigger. Your photos have explained a lot about the trigger. I've never played a horn with a trigger so it will be new to me. My question(s): What lubricant do you use for the main tuning slide? Something like Slide-o-Mix? Same question for the mechanism ball joints...
I am probably not the best person to ask, because, I really don't do much of anything with the main tuning slide other than put on regular slide grease, very little and a light grade, then sometimes put a drop of valve oil on each slide tube. I so rarely use the trigger that I don't spend much time figuring out what the best thing to put on it is. There is a little bit of extra "slop" in the slide because with the trigger they make it so it doesn't fit as tight as the other slides. I think if you use a very light grade of grease and do as I do with a drop of valve oil, that may be sufficient. I know some have done what you might do on a trombone slide with good results. Cold cream and water is one method. Slide-o-mix should also work. I frankly did not want to have to spend a lot of time putting stuff on then caring for it or wiping it all off and doing it over every few days. I went with the minimalist approach. And, as I said, I rarely use the trigger, just don't really need it much. As for the two ball joints on either end of the screws that go into the barrel adjuster, I have not done anything with them. They seem quite fine and happy, of course did I mention that I don't use the trigger much? If I were to put something on them, I might use what others put on their linkage for their trigger assemblies for trombones. I got some oil with my Edwards trombone for that and it had a needle like end on the tube and you could direct the oil pretty precisely to where you wanted it. Heck, I think maybe even a little squirt of WD-40 might do the trick, seems to work for just about anything else. (Go to WWBW and look for Hetman Synthetic Ball Joint Lubricant - this or something like this would work perfectly for the ball joints.)
Good luck with your Adams. I am sure you will love it, I sure do love mine. I have had it about 3 1/2 years now and every time I play it I am completely enamored with it. It just doesn't disappoint at all. Even when you have one of those days where you just aren't happy with your playing and your chops seem to be in the next state, I just put it down, admire it for a little while sitting in the stand, then pick it up and play any nice melody, and I am in love again. Besides my wife, kids, and family, there is nothing in this world that I get as much pleasure out of as playing my Adams E3!
Oh, and a Hint from Heloise (actually from me): If you take the main tuning slide off for cleaning or lubing, you will unscrew the barrel from the screws to remove the slide. I at first tried to screw the screws at each end of the barrel into the barrel simultaneously when putting the slide back in. Often with some colorful language. Seemed liked I needed three hands to do it. Then I had a "duh" moment and realized I could screw one end in a turn or two, THEN put the other screw in the other end and screw it in along with the one already in the barrel. This is probably obvious to most, but to me, it took a while to realize what a boob I was and learn the easy way to do it.
I use Hetman #6 Slide oil. It is designed for trumpet 1st and 3rd valve slides which have to slide similar to a main tuning slide trigger. Works great on my current Sterling and my prior Prestige.
I highly recommend Resilience Oils Kick Gel. It's a gel designed for kick slides, or slides that need to be moved quickly and smoothly. I've used it on my Besson trigger and I use it for my 1st, 3rd, and 4th valve slides on my CC tuba for adjusting. Works amazingly! https://www.resilienceoils.com/produ...kick-slide-gel
In the past I used trombone slide products, but these slides are not lapped in the same way as a trombone slide, so I was always having to cut it down with valve oil or something. This stuff works great as is!