Posted by JoeS on February 06, 2003 at 15:35:36:
In Reply to: Ultrasonic/Chemical Cleaning of a Tuba posted by Steve Marcus on February 06, 2003 at 13:11:47:
I would say that the answer to #2 is:
If you use a toothbrush before you play and swab out your mouthpipe tube every month or so...
...maybe not.
Here's one problem: Once you've lapped (through use) all of the brass oxide in your valve casings nice and s-m-o-o-t-h, you're pretty much "set" - except for contaminants. However, when you remove all of that nicely-lapped oxide patima with a couple of chemicals, you have to start all over again "breaking it in", since the newly-forming oxide will have to be lapped smooth as it forms.