A few notes of warning regarding this chart:
1. If you must change lubricant brands, try to remove as much of the old lubricant as possible from the instrument before applying the new brand. Although reactions between different brands are rare, it is a possibility and may cause the valves to get gummy. Should this occur, pull the slides out and flush the instrument with warm water before reapplying the new lubricant.
2. The higher the Hetman or Meinlschmidt number, the thicker the viscosity (with some exceptions). Substituting to a higher number will not harm your instrument in any way, but it may cause the horn to feel sluggish and “gunked up”. If it doesn’t work out for you, just wash the oil out and start again with a lighter formula. Substituting to a lower number will not harm your instrument, but you may need to apply more of the lubricant for maximum effectiveness.
| Application | Hetman or Meinlschmidt | Yamaha | Superslick | Ultra-Pure |
| Piston valves |
Normally, you'd use #1 on valves with little wear, #2 on valves with some wear, and #3 on valves with significant wear, but they are fairly interchangeable. |
Yamaha "Vintage" valve oil (YAC VVOX) | Superslick light valve oil (VO2Q) | Try ultra-light valve oil for #1, professional valve oil for #2, and black label "classic" valve oil for #3 |
| Mobile slides on trumpets and flugelhorns |
Normally you'd use #4 on slides with little wear, #5 on slides with some wear, and #6 on slides with significant wear, but they are fairly interchangeable. |
Try 1-3 tuning slide oil for 1st and 3rd slides | ||
| Tuning slides |
Normally you'd use #6.5 on slides with little wear, #7 on slides with some wear, and #8 on slides with significant wear, but they are fairly interchangeable. |
Yamaha synthetic gel slide grease (YAC SGG4) | Superslick tuning slide grease (TSG) | Try regular tuning slide lube |
| Rotary valve interiors, down slides |
Normally, you’d use #11 on valves with little wear and #12 on valves with more wear, but they are fairly interchangeable, and #3 will work in a pinch. |
Superslick light valve oil (VO2Q) | Try ultra-light valve oil for #11 and professional valve oil for #12 | |
| Rotary valves, on spindle bearing and under caps |
Normally, you'd use #13 on valves with little wear, #13.5 on valves with some wear, and #14 on valves with significant wear, but they are fairly interchangeable. #4 can be substituted in a pinch. |
Yamaha rotor spindle oil (YAC 1013P) | Superslick key and rotor oil (KRO) |
Try light bearing oil (closer to #13) OR Try linkage, lever, and key oil (closer to #14) |
| Trombone slides | Yamaha trombone slide oil (YAC 1021P) |