Are trumpet pistons interchangeable from one trumpet to another?

I have a trumpet, the pistons have some scratches and some dings around the holes. The inside of the valve looks OK. Can I buy new pistons and put them in the old trumpet? Or can pistons be polished or repaired?

Are trumpet pistons interchangeable from one trumpet to another?
Trumpet pistons are only interchangeable between trumpets of the exact same manufacturer, model, bore size, and vintage -- and even then, it can be iffy. The pistons from a brand-new ML bore Bach Stradivarius will probably fit another brand-new ML bore Bach Stradivarius, but they'll never fit a Schilke or a Conn.





That said, it is possible to have your existing pistons ground and re-plated, assuming that the damage is only limited to scratches and dings on the plating. You should definitely take your horn to the best repair tech in your area and get an estimate, beacuse a bad valve repair job will ruin the horn. If this is a valuable instrument, consider sending it to one of the major restoration shops, like Osmun Music in Boston or Dillon Music in NJ. (The Osmun website will give you an idea of how much it could cost.)
Reply:I would have picked this answer and given it 5 stars but the Voters beat me to it. Anyway, great answer.


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Reply:I don't know for sure, but I say go to a local college and see if you can have a student (for instrument fabrication %26amp; repair) try and help you for less money than a professional and if you're lucky, as good of quality.





My sister fainted at our Memorial Day service last year and actually fell on her trumpet (eek...) and our band director's nephew fixed it for her. It's only got a gash in it now, but it still plays good!

Dancing