Quick start guide for your new Medlin Horn

I’ve been working on a user manual for my horns for many years and like many things that aren’t building new horns, it gets less attention than it should and is still far from being completed. The information is important so here is some good information to get you started until I can make a formal guide a priority.

Before I get into it, I’d like to thank you for being patient and giving me the space to do my best work to build your horn. I know that waiting is hard and not always enjoyable. I’ve chosen a horn building process that is long and complicated but produces what I believe to be the best horns in the world. I hope that this horn will bring joy to your horn playing and that you have a very long and fruitful relationship with it.

That said, onto the practical advice!

Unbox the case:

The case is shipped separately. There is nothing special about the box with the case. It’s a tough case, it will survive anything. When the case arrives, you should unpack it immediately and prop it open while you unpack the horn. The foam that the case is made of will initially give off an odor which will dissipate over time. Airing it out will speed up that process. There is some debate over if the fumes from the case discolor the horn, I have no data of my own to offer. I’ve not seen it myself but I have no reason to doubt those that claim to have.

There is an instruction card in the case about attaching the straps with a link to a video if you still need more help. I recommend that you pay careful attention to this…

Unbox the horn:

When you unpack your new horn, do it slowly and pay close attention to the orientation of the foam pads that secure the horn in the box. SAVE THE BOX AND THE FOAM PADS! They are custom fit to the horn and are the safest way to pack and ship the horn. If you ever need to repack and mail the horn to me or anyone else for any reason, this is the best way to do it.

Remove the wrap:

The horn is packed inside the box in a sealed bag which has had as much air removed as is possible. This helps protect the horn from particles and also reduces the amount of oxygen available to begin the oxidation process of the surface. There is no need to save the bag, simply cut the knot off with scissors and remove the bag.

Oil the horn:

The horn is shipped with light oil on the rotor faces and bearings. Light oil breaks down and washes out of the valves faster than heavier oils, but it allows for much tighter tolerances in the valves. I put a high priority on very tight valves since tighter valves wear significantly slower than loose valves. That said, tight valves require a bit more diligence to maintain. When the horn arrives, you should oil the horn first thing after unpacking. Oil the valve stem from the back of the horn and under the valve cap with the light bearing and linkage oil first. To oil the rotor faces, drop 5-10 drops of light rotor oil into the leadpipe and blow air through the horn (without the mouthpiece) while you work the keys to distribute the oil. Do not remove the slides to oil the rotor faces.

Oil the amado water key piston and the pivots of the key levers as well using the light bearing and linkage oil.

Set up the left hand hardware:

I’ll have put the duck foot and the adjustable pinky hook in a reasonable place but you should fit it to your hand before you start playing the horn. The larger of the two hex keys included will fit the screw in the ball joint and allow the posts to be loosened, adjusted, and tightened. Never try to move the hardware without loosening the the joint. It’s tempting to think that you can just nudge it a little bit in a hurry, but you may snap the joint between the ball joint and the plate. The post should not move when they are tightened but avoid cranking down on the screw with extraordinary force.

The smaller hex key is for the plate on the thumb lever. If you like, adjust the length and orientation of the thumb plate with the small hex key, but double check the the adjustment that you make does not result in the thumb plate striking the side of the bell tail when the lever is depressed fully.

Set the slide position:

Before playing for the first time, go ahead and pull the slides to their standard starting position. All slides except for the main tuning slide should be pulled 3/8 of an inch to start with. The main tuning slide should be pulled 1/2 inch. The actual slide positions that you finally settle on will vary from person to person and are dependent on many other factors such as desired reference pitch, general temperature, and mouthpiece choice, but this will get you started.

Screw on the bell:

The bell ring will screw easily onto the horn. Cross threading and ruining the bell is very unlikely if you’re careful. If you need extra help, you can put a little sharpie dot on both sides of the ring where the threads begin to help you align the bell. The sharpie can be removed with acetone when you feel comfortable.

Insert the mouthpiece:

The mouthpipe inlet is a Morse number zero taper which is standard across all mouthpieces which feature an “American shank”. Do not put a mouthpiece with a shank that is out of round, damaged, or European; you will damage the inlet irreparably. A proper Morse number 0 mouthpiece shank should go into the leadpipe easily and with a slight quarter turn, seat firmly into the inlet.

Play your first notes:

You’ve waited a long time and very patiently unboxed and set up everything, it’s time to enjoy the first notes on your new horn. I hope you find the experience delightful!

Put the horn away:

The best advice I can give you with respect to keeping the horn in good shape for a long time is to make sure to empty the horn completely when you’re done playing it.

The second best advice I can give is to not store the horn closed in the case for an extended period of time. If possible, the horn should be stored safely on a stand in your studio and only put into the case to carry it from one place to another. I realize that is not possible for a majority of people and that’s okay. The horn will be fine stored in the case during periods of regular use even if it’s not ideal. Avoid storing the horn in a case for longer than two or three weeks without removing it. If you do store for that long or longer, make sure that the horn is completely empty and dry before closing the case. If you are putting the horn into “deep storage”, I recommend propping the case open slightly to allow any dampness to escape or including a desiccant for extra absorption.

Moisture, especially from your breath is the primary cause of every problem related to corrosion, tarnish, and brass red rot. The worst thing you can do is trap moisture in the horn in a confined space (the case). So keep the horn wiped down and dry on the inside, and you’ll be rewarded with extended life of the brass.

NOTE: some say lacquer solves this problem, but it doesn’t. Most red rot and corrosion starts from the inside and works through the tube, appearing underneath the lacquer. Additionally, some see a lacquered surface on the outside of the horn and assume the horn is clean on the inside, which is not usually true. Raw brass finishes can show you from the outside when it’s time to give the horn some extra attention on the inside.

Care for the horn during the first few weeks and months:

There are a couple of things to track as you get to know your new horn over the first few weeks and months.

First, check the screws on the valves regularly. As the horn settles in, some of the screws can become less tight. To get the best playing characteristics, all screws should be firmly tight (but not cranked). These include the valve caps, the stem screws on the valves, all the tiny screws that hold on the bumper plates and the strings, and the small knurled post that holds the thumb lever in place. If you find any that are loose, tighten them firmly but don’t crank them with extra effort. The bell should also be screwed on firmly but not cranked to transfer the most resonance over the bell joint.

Second, maintain the slides. Slides on a Medlin horn are very precise parts. The horn is shipped with light slide gel on the slides which, much like the light valve oil, will break down more quickly than you may be used to. This is intentional, the gel is sacrificed to keep the metal intact. You will have to wipe the old gel from the slide legs and replace it occasionally. If you find that the slides feel loose to you or they move on their own, you can go up a weight to the regular slide gel, or even the heavy gel to lock the slides in place. Many, if not most, horns keep the slides in place by pinning them in place with extra tension in the slide legs. Medlin slides don’t share this problem but do require more regular maintenance to ensure long slide life.

Contact me with any questions:

I hope you love your new horn. I am always available to answer any questions so please don’t hesitate to ask! Go and enjoy your musical life, I believe it’s not a bad way to spend ones time on Earth and I wish you all the best!