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water leaking from tuning slide?

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:49 pm
by davek
I have an older King 3b Silversonic (ca. 1967) which leaks water from the tuning slide. I can see that it is coming from the side closest to my neck and I see a drop or two every 5 min or so.

I searched the forum for other reports of this but didn't see any. Is this a common ailment for an old horn? Do I consider this a re-soldering type of repair? Just trying to decide whether to take it in or not.

(Re-posting this. I put it in the wrong section !)

Re: water leaking from tuning slide?

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 9:10 pm
by Bonearzt
Could be an unsoldered joint, could be the tubes fit too loosely.

Best to NOT use a heavier grease but get the tubes refit.

Re: water leaking from tuning slide?

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 11:12 pm
by JoeAumann
What Eric said!

Re: water leaking from tuning slide?

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:52 am
by tbonesullivan
Most likely a loose fit. I get some occasionally on my 3B. It's a reverse tuning slide, which means that if it's not a tight fit, water can very slowly work it's way through the slide. To avoid issues most production horns don't have very tight fitting tuning slides, and most of the resistance is provided by poor alignment. With a reverse tuning slide, the water can get between the outer sleeve and inner slide via gravity.

I had the alignment fixed on my Bach 42 a while back, and the slide then would just fall right in even with the thickest grease.

Re: water leaking from tuning slide?

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:57 am
by davek
thanks guys. I will take it in and see what happens. After reading your posts I eyeballed it and it almost looks like it's not straight -- like the upper section is not square with the lower section, (though it slides up and down ok...).
Could be/probably is/ just my perception. I will let the shop take a look and tell me for real.

thanks for the input

Re: water leaking from tuning slide?

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:06 am
by tbonesullivan
davek wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:57 am thanks guys. I will take it in and see what happens. After reading your posts I eyeballed it and it almost looks like it's not straight -- like the upper section is not square with the lower section, (though it slides up and down ok...).
Could be/probably is/ just my perception. I will let the shop take a look and tell me for real.

thanks for the input
Getting the alignment right on a tuning slide is always a pain, as it takes a lot of work to keep everything aligned during soldering, and particularly cooling.