Ask Dave: 9 Ways to Prevent ‘Dingers’

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Ring a ding, dinger…

A customer brings a horn in for a cleaning, pulls out the bell, and says, “And can you do something about all these little dents?”

Yes, I can, but so can you.

Customers never know where those pesky little dingers come from. They come from something hitting the bell, of course!

Dos and don’ts

  1. Do remove your rings or other jewelry that can cause dents.
  2. Don’t let your mouthpiece or other small objects get loose in the case.
  3. Don’t hold your mouthpiece in the palm of your hand while holding your horn with the same hand.
  4. Do be careful inserting or removing your mute. Consider putting a very small bit of stick-on felt on the small end to cushion any hits to the bell flare.
  5. Do be careful screwing the bell on and off.
  6. Don’t pull your third slides so quickly that they bang into the bell.
  7. Do take care when having a third slide water key installed, making sure it won’t interfere with the bell.
  8. Do take care around others’ instruments and around music stands.

And lastly number 9 – don’t EVER leave your horn unattended, unprotected, or sitting on top of a chair.

University of Horn Matters