I am a new one in this forum, and also trombone beginner, and have a few questions:

I have purchased this new student trombone, since they say is a good start for beginners. I have a few questions, hope forum members can give me answers.
- I separated inner slide from outer slide, to put the slide cream on stockings. But when I assembled it together, I turned the inner slide in wrong way so that lower inner slide tube came in a hole of upper outer slide, and upper inner slide in lower outer tube. I am beginner and this was the first time to assemble the slides. (Of course than the mouthpiece came in wrong position, and I reassembled the slides and put it in right position) I hope I didn't harm the slides, since the diameter of inner and outer slide should be the same, so I guess everything should be OK.
- What air tightness should be between inner and outer slide ? Is it true that when you take slides in your hand and put it in vertical position, then close both holes, and inner slide should not move out of outer slide. Because I did this, but my inner slide is moving out of outer slide. Is this OK ? How can the air tightness be tested ? As I see there are two different diameters, one is stocking diameter, and other is inner tube diameter. Out of stocking tube area, the inner and outer slide are not tight, but are loosened in orthogonal direction to the slide moves, for about 0.5mm or even more. When you touch them you can hear metal sound from knocking both slides together.
Some other experiences with this trombone?

I thank everyone for answers in advance

Venet

The slide on any trombone that I have played is only going to be air tight to a certain point. I tried what you did with my slide--which belongs to a large bore professional King from 1975--where you cover the mouthpiece receiver and the the section that connects to the bell section, and my slide did creep it's way down ever so slowly.

There will be a little play 0.5 MM or so on the inner slides up until you get to the thicker stock of the slide. ESPECIALLY on Student line horns. They are simply not made as carefully or as precisely as modern professional trombones.

At this point in the game, though, you should just make sure that you ALWAYS lock your slide when not playing, and you are very careful not to bang your slide around.

Small dents on the outer slide are very annoying to most trombone players since it feels like a tiny hitch, and any dent that makes the slide simply stop or require more than relaxed wrist movement is just unbearable.

-Raul


<Added>

AND...

You didn't harm the slides at all by flipping the slide around.