TromboneChat

So I play on a Silver Bach Strad 42 B and the trigger on that thing is quite loud. I oil the trigger regularly, any tips on dampening it?

When was it made? What kind of linkage does it have? Do you oil the joints on the linkage as well? Pretty much every joint needs to be lubricated, especially if it is one of the older style linkages. Those also need to be adjusted correctly with the lock rings or else they will clank badly.

If it's this older kind, you can unscrew the cup at the end of the thumb lever, and unscrew the set screw on the stop arm, pack grease into the enclosures, then tighten both again. (Make sure the locking ring is turned far enough that it's not stopping the cup from tightening all the way.) Tighten them until nothing moves at all, then back off slightly until it moves freely. Then snug the locking rings against the cups (without letting the other part turn at all). If you do this correctly, the linkage won't make any noise.
If it's the newer type, there's not much you can DIY on that other than lubing the ball joints.

brassmedic wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 12:05 am ….
If you do this correctly, the linkage won't make any noise.
….

Note to the OP, this is a load bearing IF. Expect to do it at least a half dozen times before you are happy. You will learn something with each attempt. Do enough and you will get a feel for it. It isn’t difficult, but it does require a feel.

Cheers,
Andy

brassmedic wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 12:05 am If it's this older kind, you can unscrew the cup at the end of the thumb lever, and unscrew the set screw on the stop arm, pack grease into the enclosures, then tighten both again. (Make sure the locking ring is turned far enough that it's not stopping the cup from tightening all the way.) Tighten them until nothing moves at all, then back off slightly until it moves freely. Then snug the locking rings against the cups (without letting the other part turn at all). If you do this correctly, the linkage won't make any noise.

I wish this was well-known. Back in college the 90s, everybody played a Bach, and they all clanked like crazy. I never heard of the grease idea until I had already replaced the linkage with something better.

Or you can just replace the crappy linkage with a string linkage. Much easier to adjust, needs less lubrication, cheaper to replace, no backlash, etc...

hyperbolica wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 8:17 am Or you can just replace the crappy linkage with a string linkage. Much easier to adjust, needs less lubrication, cheaper to replace, no backlash, etc...

That would require completely new lever and stop arm parts be made. Not cheap. Not simple

Grease it up, then save up for a nylon linkage conversion, very popular on noisy Bachs since the 80s. Thumb lever is retained, inexpensive job.

My old French horn has old style metal linkage vs string. Imagine 3 klacking valves. Never thought of grease before, think I’ll try it! What type of grease is recommended to use? Silicone, synthetic, bear grease??

BrassSection wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 4:00 pm My old French horn has old style metal linkage vs string. Imagine 3 klacking valves. Never thought of grease before, think I’ll try it! What type of grease is recommended to use? Silicone, synthetic, bear grease??

White lithium from an auto parts store, Dow Corning stopcock grease, a medium to light density tuning slide grease (Hetman and UltraPure make one); maybe even Vaseline petroleum jelly.. Something that's a gel at room temperature but liquifies with even modest movement.

Have white lithium on hand, thanks! Rainy day job, when I get a break from outside farm work.

hornbuilder wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 11:51 am

hyperbolica wrote: Thu Apr 17, 2025 8:17 am Or you can just replace the crappy linkage with a string linkage. Much easier to adjust, needs less lubrication, cheaper to replace, no backlash, etc...

That would require completely new lever and stop arm parts be made. Not cheap. Not simple

Not, cheap, not simple. But quieter, and faster.
The conversion to string linkage is the most recent work on my 50, thanks to Graham Middleton.

My 42 came with the mechanical linkage. It worked fine as long as I kept it greased up like brassmedic and elmsander describe.