When the trumpet arrived the valves were not smooth and stuck down irregularly despite re-oiling, but they improved with wear over a period of a few weeks and with regular oil. As this is a backup school trumpet we did not send it back or complain, but buyers of this model should beware that although the basic trumpet is well made, the valves might not work very smoothly. This was a bit disappointing, as our other experience with Thomann products have been first class.