Yamaha Tubas Owner's Manual - Page 15

Maintenance ■ Twice Yearly Maintenance ● 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 flexible cleaner and use the cleaner to clean the inside of the instrument's pipes. Flexible cleaner 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 direction 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. ● 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. 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. Mouthpiece brush 31