Cleaning The Instrument - Yamaha Sousaphones Owner's Manual

■ Twice Yearly Maintenance
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Cleaning the instrument

1.
Make a brass soap water solution.
Prepare a brass soap water solution using
between 10 to 15 parts warm water (30° C
to 40° C) and 1 part brass soap.
Before putting the instrument into the soap
water solution, remove the pistons, valve
casing parts, and slide valves.
2.
With the instrument removed from the wa-
ter, apply some soap water solution to a flex-
ible cleaner and use the cleaner to clean the
inside of the instrument's pipes.
3.
After cleaning the instrument, use clean
water to thoroughly rinse out the brass soap
water solution. After completely removing
all moisture with a gauze, apply oil and
grease, and then reassemble the instrument.
Flexible cleaner
Maintenance
CAUTION! When cleaning the internal
parts on a rotary tuba.
Never dismantle the rotors. Also, when
rinsing the pipes with water, run water
through tuning slides in the opposite di-
rection of the airflow. If water is run
through the instrument from the
leadpipe, dirt can become clogged in the
valves causing the valves to become
sluggish.
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Cleaning the mouthpiece
1.
Dip the mouthpiece brush in the brass soap
water solution and use the brush to clean
the throat of the mouthpiece. Rinse the
mouthpiece out with clean water.
Mouthpiece brush
31