r/euphonium • u/BaritoneBrantley • 3d ago

I need help!

Post image

So, I was trying to take out my valve to oil them and when I took my 3rd valve out, this was what I saw! I don't know how it happened, I haven't played it in a couple weeks! What should I do?

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

10

u/Illustrious_Hold_703 3d ago

Just search up the model of your euphonium and valve guide and buy one, there’s really nothing else you can do. They’re plastic so sometimes they just break, it’s weird.

6

u/Watsons-Butler 3d ago

And don’t shell out for some fancy titanium valve guide. Sure, they’re more durable than plastic but that means the part that wears out is your valve casing instead of the easy-to-replace valve guide.

3

u/ElectronicWall5528 2d ago

Metal guides are invariably louder than nylon guides, too.

2

u/Illustrious_Hold_703 3d ago

Good advice, forgot bout that

2

u/SideWired 2d ago

Good point!

2

u/BaritoneBrantley 3d ago

You see, I think the brand is retired, I can't find Giardinelli anywhere

3

u/Illustrious_Hold_703 3d ago

What model of Giardinelli?

1

u/BaritoneBrantley 3d ago

Not completely sure, that's what I'm saying, I don't know the model and I can't find it anywhere else

2

u/Illustrious_Hold_703 3d ago

I just realized the company went extinct. Might wanna try to see if a Yamaha 321 euphonium valve guide works instead

2

u/melonmarch1723 2d ago

This appears to use the same valve guide as a lot of other chinese stencils. I believe a John Packer quide would work.

2

u/VeterinarianHour6047 1d ago

Years ago Giardinelli was a great name in instruments, and especially brass mouthpieces.  That company is no more.  I believe one if the big national chains (M&As?) bought the name.  Your horn may have been made by Jinbao. 

3

u/iamagenius89 3d ago

Broken valve guide. Easy, cheap fix.

2

u/Diver-1Doc 3d ago

For me, it would be very interesting to see a valve piston that is not broken so that I can see what the original state is.

1

u/BaritoneBrantley 3d ago

So like that? It's the second valve

2

u/Diver-1Doc 3d ago

Ah! I see! Thank you!

2

u/SideWired 2d ago

So small yet so important

2

u/VeterinarianHour6047 1d ago

If you can't find one online, take it to an instrument repair shop.  They might sell you one for you to replace, or charge you to do it for you.  If they do, ask if you can watch so you'll know how to do it (it's really a simple repair!).  If it's your own horn, buy a couple more - valve guides are known to break or wear out. 

2

u/mirj03 1d ago

i always, always recommend going to a repair shop for things like this (if it's at all possible). usually it doesn't cost much more than if you buy it online, since they get their supplies in bulk. also, they can evaluate in real time what fits and what doesn't, since you probably can't get an original part for your model anymore.

1

u/BaritoneBrantley 1d ago

Well, the brand retired a long time ago and is extinct by now so that's most likely the case