It seems these days there are as many brands of valve oil as there are trumpets. Each one claims you’ll experience record valve speed. Some will clean your horn for you. Some smell like jet fuel while others smell like roses. You may turn in to an environmental steward if you buy brand “X”. Want lime green colored oil? No problem. Do you like blue? Good. What shade do you want? How about oil with no oil in it?
I say all of this is hogwash. Trumpet players are gullible. We buy all kinds of stuff with the hopes of finding the “magic bean”. I’m guilty like all other trumpet players. I have seven different brands of valve oil on my shelf right now. Having tried all seven oils (plus many more over the years) I’ve finally come to a realization:
It’s VALVE OIL folks. Keep your horn clean, oil your valves regularly, don’t drink the valve oil, etc. and your valves will work fine.
Staying true to “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mantra I’ve found that Holton makes a fabulous valve oil. Holton’s Electric Oil has been around since 1907. It’s clear. It smells like lamp oil mixed with rocket fuel. It doesn’t clean my horn. It’s under three bucks a bottle. It says “HOLTON” on the bottle. My valves work as well or better than they ever have.
Seems like they got it right in 1907……………………..