How to Restring a Trombone Valve
The valve trombone is an alternative to the slide trombone. Rather than moving the slide, you adjust the valve to alter the pitch of the note. Typically its easier to play fast on a valve trombone, but you get a smoother sound from a slide trombone. The valve in your trombone is operated by a string. When you press down on the valve button, the string pulls against the valve lever, opening and closing the valve to control the airflow. It’s important to change the strings to prevent them fraying and breaking.
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Instructions
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Place the trombone on a towel with the bell to your left.
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Place the wooden dowel over the top of the valve cap. The wooden dowel has a hole in the center which fits snugly over the top of the valve cap. Rotate the dowel counterclockwise and lift up the loosened valve cap. Removing the valve cap exposes the string attached to the valve lever and stopper arm.
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Loosen both of the screws on the valve, but don’t remove them. One screw is attached to the stop arm and one is attached to the valve lever. The stop arm is perpendicular to the valve lever. Loosen the screws to release the string.
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Remove the string from the underside of the valve lever and stop arm. Pull it out and discard it.
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Cut a 6-inch length of string. String choice is a matter of preference. Choose string that is rated no stronger than "50 lb. test."
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Make a ball knot 2 inches from one end.
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Thread the non-knotted end of the string into the hole in the valve lever. Thread it toward the inside of the valve array. The knot acts as a stopper to prevent slippage.
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Loop the string in a “figure-eight” shape around the stop arm and stop arm butt.
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Tighten the stop arm screw to keep the string in place.
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Thread the string through the second hole at the end of the valve lever. This takes the string underneath the section with the knot.
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Loop the string around the valve-lever screw. The thickness of the string determines how many loops you can make. Aim for at least three loops.
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Tighten the valve lever screw so it compresses the looped string and holds it in place.
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Test the string tension by pressing down on it with your finger. The valve should move briskly with no slack. If the string is so tight as to appear rigid, it is likely to snap sooner. Restring any strings that appear rigid. Trim off the excess string.
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Tips & Warnings
Singe the ends of the string with a lighter to prevent them from fraying.
Replace the valve strings every six months.
Cut five or six lengths of string and make a ball-knot in the end of each. This way, should a string break at an inopportune moment, you can save time repairing it.
Typically, thicker string lasts longer, but the valve action is slower due to the heavy-duty nature of the string. Thin string results in a quicker valve action, but it is more likely to snap. Look at the packaging as it typically states a pressure-test figure. For example, “50 lb. test” indicates that the string has been tested to withstand that amount of pressure.
References
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