Best brass accessories according to redditors

We found 165 Reddit comments discussing the best brass accessories. We ranked the 98 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

Next page

Subcategories:

Brass instrument bags & cases
Brass instrument care products
Brass instrument mouthpieces
Brass instrument mutes
Brass instruments stands

Top Reddit comments about Brass Accessories:

u/TootTootTootToot · 18 pointsr/trumpet

Mouthpieces don't wear out (they are solid metal). Give it a good wash and scrape inside with a mouthpiece brush. If the bottom is dented you can also fix that with a repair tool. Your band director might have one, or your local repair shop definitely will. If your mouthpiece is tarnished/dark, you can make it all sparkly and new with this trick.

Personally, I don't replace my mouthpieces when the plating starts to wear through, but you can get them replated or replaced at that point.

If you want to blow $50-100 on trumpet stuff, buy some sheet music or a new mute 😁

u/bucketmute · 10 pointsr/Trombone

It is sad that a slide-lube post gets more responses than something to do with actual music. <doh!>

Mixing products is not a good idea. You should not need to use a slide rod more than once a month, if ever. Flush the slide using some liquid dish soap and a snake.

Solution: after cleaning your slide, use some Yamaha Slide Lubricant, with no water. The price goes up and down on Amazon, but it should be around $7 or $8.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YAC1021P-Trombone-Slide-Oil/dp/B0049P5U7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452063778&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+slide+lubricant

If your slide has dents, all bets are off. As far as lubricants go, there is nothing better than the Yamaha product. Depending on the humidity, it might last a week. Or it might need reapplying in a day or two.

u/josolanes · 9 pointsr/Miata

Trombone brush. Yes, really

This is the one I picked up from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000EELFOM

Note the reviews, almost all about miatas

u/NewbieTwo · 8 pointsr/Miata

Most likely your drains are clogged in either the fenders or the rain well behind your head.

With the top up, follow the carpet behind your head until you find a finger size hole at either side of the car under the carpet. Those holes become clogged with crap and don't allow the water to drain, causing a sloshing sound in the cabin. If there is water pooling there and you can't clear the drain hole with your finger, get yourself a trombone cleaner and clean the drain all the way to the ground. Don't use anything that can damage the drain like a screwdriver.

If the drain area under the carpet behind your head is dry, then it's most likely water trapped in the fenders due to clogged drains. You'll need to pull the wheel well liners back and root around in there to clear the crap out. This video shows how it's done.

u/dilesmavis504 · 6 pointsr/trumpet

If you are willing to consider a non-electronic practice mute, Bremner’s “Sshh Mute” is practically silent with almost no resistance.

https://www.amazon.com/Bremner-SshhMute-Trumpet-Cornet-Practice/dp/B00C2DC8N0

u/callmetom · 6 pointsr/trumpet

Don't twist. You run the risk of breaking a weld making a free fix into an expensive one.

Fisrt thing to try is to dip the mouthpiece into a cup of ice water for a few minutes until the cold has a chance to chill the shank. Now put your hot hand on the receiver and try to remove it. The idea is to chill, and therefore slightly shrink the mouthpiece and then warm and slightly expand the receiver, there are other ways to achieve this, but I think this is the easiest.

If this doesn't work, take it to a shop and they'll pull it with a specialized tool, usually for free. If you don't have a local shop, call the local schools, I guarantee one, or all, of the local band teachers have a puller and would be happy to help you out. Or, you can buy your own on Amazon for $25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQYMHYL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TQqVCb076Y3AF

I've never used this one, but most of the reviews are positive.

u/FVmike · 6 pointsr/horn

Grab a bottle of Al Cass valve oil, a bottle of a bit thicker oil, like Hetman #12 or #13, then some Bach pink tuning slide grease. The Al Cass will be used on the inside of the valves and the Hetman will be used behind the valves and under the valve cap. These three should last you a very long time. I've had my bottle of Al Cass for 3 years now, and my Bach grease for over 5. You'll eventually also want a mouthpiece brush and a lead pipe snake.

In terms of books, it depends on how you learn. If you know nothing about reading music, you can pick up one of the beginning band method books like Essential Elements, but if you are easily bored by simple melodies then this book might not be the one for you. If you are a reader, you may want to consider picking up a horn pedagogy book like Farkas's The Art of Horn Playing, Frøydis Ree Wekre's Thoughts on Playing The Horn Well, or Eli Epstein's Horn Playing From the Inside Out. These books are geared more towards someone who already has some facility on the instrument, but if you lack a teacher, they contain information on things such as embouchure formation, breathing, articulation, dynamics, range, and other things.

The most common etude books are Kopprasch 60 Selected Studies and Maxime Alphonse Deux Cents Etudes Nouvelles, but even at the beginning they are pretty advanced with regard to range and technique. I'd start with Getchell's First Practical Book of Studies for French Horn. There is a second book to this series, but at the end of book one you may want to jump to Miersch's Melodious Studies for French Horn. At the end of that book, you can probably make the jump to Kopprasch.

I'd also grab a scale book like Pares Scales for French Horn, though at the beginning it may exceed your range, so it's fine to wait on this one.

If you have any other questions, let me know!

Edit: as /u/Conn10D said above, I'd highly recommend getting a teacher. Even a month of lessons is enough to nip problems in the bud before they become bad habits that hinder your progress and ultimately take the fun out of it.

u/jgshanks · 5 pointsr/Trombone

If you have any non-aerosol Pledge or some old timey Pond's cold cream, those could work. Coconut oil is going to be too much. Whatever you try, try just a liiiiittle bit and mist it with water.

Or you could invest $9 and get the best slide product known to science:
https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YAC1021P-Trombone-Slide-Oil/dp/B0049P5U7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487888330&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+trombone+slide+lubricant

It says "oil" but it's really more like a mix of silicon and soap. Traditional oils are horrid compared to the modern lubricants like Yama-snot, Trombotine, Slide-o-Mix, Rapid Comfort, SuperSlick, etc.

u/BigBassBone · 5 pointsr/startrek
u/graves420 · 4 pointsr/Trombone

So slide o mix can be pretty thick stuff. It sounds like you’re using too much. Or not enough of the smaller bottle? Are you using a spray bottle of water with it too? They do make a slide o mix light for slides with a tighter tolerance. That might be necessary with your brand new horn.

I personally like the Yamaha Slide Lubricant. It comes in one tube, and you don’t need a spray bottle of water.

u/Konraden · 4 pointsr/boardgames

That's hilarious, I've never actually noticed anything unusual before in stuff like that. But now that you mention it...

Turns out car\Miata stuff pops up on this trombone cleaner.

u/mmmsoap · 4 pointsr/trumpet

I’ve played the show, it’s definitely not that high. For the most part, even if there’s a stinger, you can take it down. One thing that will help (in any show) is mute holder to make quick changes easier, because there is definitely stuff where you have only a few beats to swap from one to another—not just to open. There may have been some solotone stuff iirc, but you can usually sub a Harmon or cup for solotone if needed.

u/SirBrass · 3 pointsr/trumpet

I have the first model, this black, oval, thing.

The back pressure is pretty intense, I try to not use it unless I really, really need to and even then only for warmups and light etude work at best. I think the modern ones are probably much lighter and work more effectively, but I'd say in a pinch the older one will work.

u/merrchant · 3 pointsr/Miata

I don't have a garage, so unfortunately mine stays out in the elements year round. It had a small leak at the window seal when I got it, but I adjusted the windows and now it seals and I have had no problems since. It was a little blacker in color when I got it but the dealership probably used some restore stuff to shiny it up and I could do the same and it would be fine. It gets dumped on with pine needles and pollen and rain all the time but I wash it a lot to help. When it's summer and dry and pollen gets on it sometimes I have to use a soft brush when I wash it to get the pollen out of the textured surface. I think that's about it. Mine has held up fine. But I'd be a million times happier if I had a garage.


Edit: get a trombone cleaner to clean the drain holes, mine get plugged with pine needles so it's regular maintenance.

Edit: here's the trombone cleaner I use:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K3E9KO/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_pHZ9Bb38HVDAY

u/Zoocher · 3 pointsr/Trombone

It might be a bit dry with the oil but it also seems like the slide itself might have a few kinks. Try either the Yamaha brand (personal favorite) or Slide-O-Mix brand of slide oil.

u/meme_madness · 3 pointsr/trumpet

Get the K&M stand, every trumpet player needs one

http://www.amazon.com/K-M-Trumpet-Stand-KC/dp/B0002F7ME0

u/SilverAg11 · 3 pointsr/Trombone

I don't know about their gig bags, but I have a ProTec case that works really well for me. It is light and provides a lot of protection. The only issue I have (and everyone I know who also has this case) is the velcro on the handle is all messed up after using it for a while. I would definitely recommend it. (They also make gig bags.)

u/A_m8_U_know · 3 pointsr/Trombone

Yes I recently made the switch to a trigger Trombone and I got pain from practicing. But it's all about strengthening the muscles in you hand that you normally don't use, so if you still get pain from holding it after a few weeks then I recommend this neotech grip. one of my buddies used it for his bass trombone but I tried it on my tenor and it works fine. Good luck.

u/TbonePlayerNumber1 · 3 pointsr/Trombone

The ultimate protection case would probably be the tank cases, but they're not all that easy to move. Marcus Bonna has a few, the regular tenor case, the super light case, and the compact case. I believe you can use backpack straps with all of them. Like /u/The_WhiteRhino said, the Eastman cases are also good. And of course ProTec's Contoured case is a favorite from where I'm from, and don't forget their backpack straps either! As you can see, hard cases have a somewhat hefty price tag, but it's worth it for the protection they offer.

u/chejrw · 3 pointsr/Trombone

I bathe my horns every 6 months or so.

Get yourself a trombone snake. Then fill the bathtub with maybe 10 cm or so of lukewarm water, a few drops of mild dish detergent like Dawn, and put a towel down on the bottom of the tub (yes, in the water) to keep your horn from being damaged by the tub or vice versa.

Take your horn apart (Inner slide, outer slide, bell section, tuning slide, trigger slides if you have them), plop them in and make sure they fill with water, let them soak for a few minutes, then snake them out well and wipe everything down with a rag. Then rinse thoroughly and wipe with a clean cotton towel and let it all air dry. Re-lube and assemble.

I have a 30 year old horn that's been bathed at least 50 times that way and its kept it in great shape (and I used to eat and drink while I played a lot back in high school and college, some fun stuff floated out when I cleaned it in those days )

Mouthpieces I generally boil (I boil a kettle and then pour it over them, I'll do all my mouthpieces in one go), and then if needed soak them in some white vinegar to remove scale from the inside. All my mouthpieces are gold, so I don't need to worry about acids but if you have silver then you could etch them, so dilute the vinegar a bit first.

u/tropicflite · 3 pointsr/trumpet

I have not tried it because it's $131.56 on Amazon but I might have to suck it up and pay (unless I can find one used).

edit: Happy Cake Day!

u/maestro2005 · 3 pointsr/trumpet

I would just recommend this instead.

u/mhart92 · 2 pointsr/trumpet

I've never used a gig bag, but one of my friends messed up his horn using one. To be fair, he was on a bike and some idiot in front of him randomly stopped and he fell.

I've been using [this Protec case] (http://www.amazon.com/Protec-CLASSIC-SLIMLINE-TRUMPET-PRO/dp/B0002MM6PS/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1374639171&sr=8-13&keywords=protec+trumpet+case) and it is pretty solid and pretty small as well. I don't think it comes with a backpack strap, but I'm sure you could get something for it.

Gig bags are definitely convenient, but if you do want a little more protection I would recommend that case.

u/OceanicMeerkat · 2 pointsr/trumpet

Here's my recommended stand! Very sturdy, simple and fairly cheap.

u/Astronom3r · 2 pointsr/Miata

> Are there places on the car that are particularly prone to rusting?

This is anecdotal, but my buddy's NB got a spot of rust in the engine bay that ended up eating a hole through the side of the frame. It didn't seem to cause any structural problem, but it's the only time I've seen that. Other than that, not really. Miatas are relatively rust-resistant. The main thing is to prevent water from pooling anywhere. Given enough time, water will find a way through just about any material. The only place I know that Miatas pool water is in the rocker panels if the rain rail drain ports aren't kept clear.

When you buy a Miata, get one of these, and immediately use it to clean these. The brush should come all the way out to the bottom of the car. Do this at least once a year, preferably after the trees have finished dropping their leaves.

u/Ipadgameisweak · 2 pointsr/WhitePeopleTwitter

If you really want to solve the problem and still encourage someone to develop as a musician a practice mute would save you a lot of a sound and still allow them to play. As long as everyone stops playing at 10 o' clock no one is breaking any laws.

u/wannamotor · 2 pointsr/Miata

/u/Champagneshallow is correct. Drain holes for rain. You should have another on the passenger side.

Buy a trombone brush and give them a clean once in a while. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000K3E9KO

u/andersberndog · 2 pointsr/Trombone
u/xHaZxMaTx · 2 pointsr/Miata

Shop vac and maybe a heat gun on a low setting so as to not melt the carpet fibers? As for cleaning rain drains, I've heard you can use a brush for horn instruments which you should be able to pick up from a music shop or online.

u/Faloopa · 2 pointsr/Miata

A trombone brush works great for cleaning the drains behind the seat belt towers. Just be careful pushing it all the way through and yanking it back out: there are little rubber flaps at the bottom that can rip off if you jam them too hard.

As far as the water in there now, soak up as much as you can, dry with a hair dryer (being careful not to burn or melt the carpet), and if it's still a little damp an RV Dehumidifier can remove the rest of the moisture in the cabin.

u/YCANTUSTFU · 2 pointsr/trumpet

Instrument Maintenance 101

This video starts out discussing some common issues that are caused by not keeping a trumpet clean and lubricated, and then shows how to clean your horn.

If you want cleaning brushes like the ones Monette uses, it's these:

Valve casing brush - The picture is wrong - it shows a mouthpiece brush. But this is the one used in the video, and it is your best friend for cleaning your valve casings. You can use it on lots of the other tubes on your horn as well, even though it looks too big. The bristles are soft enough that it fits into smaller tubes and does a great job.

Mouthpiece brush - Useful for things other than mouthpieces. Works great on piston ports, and you should brush out the mouthpiece receiver on your horn with it as often as possible because that's where lots of gunk tends to accumulate and cause problems with mouthpiece sealing and mouthpiece shank wear.

Snake - It says it's for trombone, but trust me - this is the one you want for trumpet as well.

u/Tetrachord · 2 pointsr/trumpet

I've used the Hercules stand with the little ball on top, and I don't really like them. I've used this K&M trumpet stand for a couple years and I love it. There's a cheaper 3 leg version, but I like the stability of the 5 legged version.

u/mudroom · 1 pointr/Trombone

Yamaha slide oil/lubricant is what you're looking for. It's not actually "oil" like a horn player would think of it - it's kind of viscous and actually contains soap that keeps your slide in excellent shape (especially for beginners and those who don't play too often!). I've been using it on my horns exclusively for almost 5 years, and I'm only on my second bottle. It lasts forever.

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YAC1021P-Trombone-Slide-Oil/dp/B0049P5U7A

u/tkirk34 · 1 pointr/Albany

I got one of these for my trumpet and it works pretty well: link

u/AmphibiousAlpaca · 1 pointr/trumpet

I had no idea they existed until today either. Mouthpieces like this

u/ocarina_21 · 1 pointr/fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu

Invest in a Silent Brass Mute. I've got one for my tuba, and one for my bass trombone. Quiet in the house, and with the added benefit of being able to use effects pedals in performance.

u/iridisss · 1 pointr/Cartalk

+1 to drain holes. When it rains, water will naturally run into the seam between the top and the body of the car. Most of it overflows, but Mazda designed a rain rail in that area to drain it through the interior of the car. This is what you're looking for. You need a trombone cleaner for this process. Push the trombone cleaner into that hole, and aim towards the shifter. Then snake it downwards until it exits through a hole in the bottom of the car. Pull it out. Note that the hole is actually vertical and faces towards the inside of the car, so you'll have to go by blind feel. It'll occasionally bend back upwards or get caught on something, so it'll take a few tries until you figure it out. And never go upwards from the hole in the bottom, only go downwards from the hole in the top. There's a 1-way flap.




This is a very common occurence and practically a rite of passage for a new Miata owner. Read the reviews on this trombone cleaner to see what I'm talking about.

u/tyerker · 1 pointr/trumpet

I agree. The mutes also look homemade.

My best suggestion is to get one of these: http://austincustombrass.mybigcommerce.com/abs-trumpet-mute-caddy/

Or these: http://www.amazon.com/Hercules-HA100-Mute-Holder/dp/B005I7JDBW

And attach it to your favorite belt.

u/Yeargdribble · 1 pointr/trumpet

I've employed the drop and stab method a lot in theatre shows. You probably need to use a smallish cardboard box with a towel in it.

Your change situation is a bit tough though since harmon is the middle mute and does lend itself to stabby insertion.

Depending on how much time you have, you might pre-fog the bell before putting in the straight... twist, drop, stab. The residual moisture (from the gap in the corks) should help the harmon grab... then you can quickly secure it or hold it as you play.

Of course, these are for the extreme situations where a mute stand just isn't fast enough which are honestly few and far between.

Additionally, writing a strongly worded letter to the arranger who is too stupid to understand the physical limitations of mute changes is an option to get out your frustrations.

u/tilleulenspiegel98 · 1 pointr/Trombone

I am not a trombone player, but I have the horn version of this case and it works well for me. It's about $108 Canadian dollars ($85 USD). This case is made by the same brand and costs about 255 CAD, and looks fancier, but you have to buy the backpack straps separately (about 20 CAD).

u/mkingsbu · 1 pointr/Trombone

I owned one of the ProTec ProPac cases (https://smile.amazon.com/Protec-Tenor-Trombone-Contoured-Case/dp/B0006JDQR4/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1526777912&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=protec%2Bpropac%2Btrombone&th=1). Technically you can fit a trombone stand inside of it but you have to not have the compartment zipped shut which is not so great for the zippers. They also weight quite a bit. But if the extra weight is worth it to carry the stand it might be an option. I'd lean towards the Bonna honestly but I also am not a huge fan of that style of case either.

u/TrippyHomie · 1 pointr/pics
u/whydoyoulook · 1 pointr/Trombone

Less than $20 for this one!

u/bdonreddit · 1 pointr/trumpet

Protec hard-ish case, kind of like this one, mine's probably an older version. Slings over the shoulder nicely and I'm too clumsy to use my gig bag regularly. I've got an extra bag for mutes that clips on to the strap rings; it's a little cramped but I make it work by putting them in socks so they don't scratch each other up. Packing up takes a while, though.

u/bargugl · 1 pointr/Trombone

That particular Jupiter is what is called a small bore horn and uses a small shank receiver. Bach 5g are available in small shank, but they are a little harder to find as that is a large mouthpiece to use on a small bore horn. You may want to instead consider a Bach 6.5al, which is slightly smaller than the 5G, but still much larger than the 12c. If you want a cheaper version of this mouthpiece look for the Faxx 6.5al. Available many places, but here's one

https://www.amazon.com/Faxx-Trombone-Mouthpieces-small-shank/dp/B001VO9FNM

There are many options available for horns with F attachments. They most commonly come in large bore sizes (so a large shank Bach 5g is actually a nice mouthpiece in this case). However, they can also be found in medium and small bore. The question is how much are you wanting to spend? Have you talked to your band director about it at all?

u/invisibo · 1 pointr/hookah

For cleaning, I'll scrub it out with a trombone snake and drying I'll use an air compressor followed by hanging.

Trombone snake: http://www.amazon.com/Venture-1041-Trombone-Snake/dp/B0006VWY9I

u/greenm71 · 1 pointr/trumpet

I like the Bremner shhhhmute a lot. It's quiet and the blow is very similar to the unmuted horn.

http://www.amazon.com/Bremner-SshhMute-Trumpet-Cornet-Practice/dp/B00C2DC8N0

u/ibeckman671 · 1 pointr/LosAngeles

There is always Silent Brass, although I suppose that's not a great long term solution if you're practicing for that amount of time

u/lnlspiderpig · 1 pointr/StonerProTips

I have a long brush made to clean trombones. It works amazingly well.

Here's a link to a cheap one on amazon. They definitely lengthen the lifespan of your whip.

Venture Trombone Snake https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006VWY9I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BRCFxbNHM0MK6

u/densetsu23 · 1 pointr/Edmonton

The Silent Brass mutes have been good for me. With the most recent generation it doesn't really feel like there's a mute. There's barely any sound "leakage", and if you put a 3.5mm splitter in, you can easily record.

At just north of $200 they're pricey, but IMO they're worth it. No hassling with finding practice rooms, just play wherever you are. I have the trombone one, but I assume the trumpet will be just as good. Make sure it's the latest generation; there were some issues with earlier ones.

u/RefuseBit · 1 pointr/trumpet

Yamaha Silent Brass, expensive but you may decide it's worth it.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-SB79-Silent-System-Trumpet/dp/B0002F5DGE

u/bronzedburrito · 1 pointr/trumpet

There is two models for trumpet the new one and the older model I have the newer one, it is smaller and you can store it in your bell and it should still fit in your case. Ive heard the older one is just as good.

Whenever I use it, 9/10 times I'm just using the mute and not with the system or headphones. So look into other mutes as well that do the same job, but are cheaper without all the electronics. Wallace makes a good one and ive heard the trumcor is really good.

u/thewaterballoonist · 1 pointr/Trombone

I have a bullet brace for my horn but have a couple students with [these.](Neotech Trombone Grip https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040ZNMNI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_e8tYAbTB45C8K)

u/ImTheCaptainInMyMind · 1 pointr/Trombone

This 6 1/2 AL on Amazon would be a fine beginner mouthpiece. $35.

https://www.amazon.com/Faxx-Trombone-Mouthpieces-small-shank/dp/B001VO9FNM

u/briand1967 · 1 pointr/Trombone

Great case. Bought one this spring.

Protec MX306CT Tenor Trombone (F-Trigger or Straight) Case https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BAJO4Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Wh5WDb4ZRMJEY

u/ILikeLenexa · 0 pointsr/trumpet

you can probably make this style of puller with wood and machine screws/wingbolts if you don't want to get a real mouthpiece puller.

https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Young-Professional-Mouthpiece-Brass-wind/dp/B01MQYMHYL