So I've been on a 1990's (I presume, at least) Besson Sovereign Euphonium that my band has. It hasn't led an easy life.

The last three months with the horn have been hell. After finally figuring out the dud notes and how to sort of get around them, the valves starting getting stuck, before the valve guide on valve 1 completely disintegrated at rehearsal one night. It broke apart and covered the valve in black plastic, after spinning in the valve casing.

A repair shop took it for a service, put new guides in, which then ruined every valve. They got stuck straight after oiling, and I mean stuck. Hard to pull up again stuck. I then get another set of valve guides and replaced them myself. I use Hetman Light Piston oil, and I've just picked up the horn to practice, the first time it has been out of it's case since Christmas Day, and now the valves have rust on them, mainly around the top of the valves.

Has anyone else had these kind of ongoing issues with a horn? Any thoughts on how to keep the rust building up? I have wiped them down as best I can and reoiled them, before it finally played ball.

I like the sound I can get out of the horn, but I have a hard time loving something that puts up such a fight to be played. It also has a knackered, cracked lead pipe, but that's another story.

On a side note, I am close to getting my own Yamaha YEP-642T (lacquered) later on this year, which will hopefully give me less strife!

Thanks!