How to Restring a French Horn Valve With Fishing Lines

Restringing a French horn keeps the sound quality high.

The strings found in the rotary valve of a French horn wear out over time and must be replaced. Restringing the valve is best accomplished with monofilament fishing line. This type of line is manufactured from a nylon fiber and provides optimal strength and elasticity. Restringing a French horn yourself is far less expensive than hiring the services of an instrument repair specialist.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Scissors
• Fishing line
• Tweezers

Instructions

1. Remove the old string and the screws in the rotary valve. Use tweezers to reach inside the valve and pull out the worn or rotted string.

2. Use scissors to cut a 6-inch piece of fishing line. This is the French horn's new string.

3. Make two or three knots at the end of the string. The knots must be larger than the valve hole, preventing the string from falling out of the valve.

4. Insert the the unknotted end of the line through the valve's string hole. Pull it completely through and position it between the spatula and the stop arm.

5. Circle the string around the cylinder. Weave the fishing line through the rotor screw and the string screw. Create a figure eight in the line, and loop the string back around the cylinder. Secure the string tightly. The knot at the end of the string must press against the string hole.

6. Install the screws in the rotary valve. Cut off any leftover string using the scissors.

References

• Lyric Brass; Stringing Rotary Valves; Andrew B. Spang; 1997