TubaTinker wrote:I have one the expensive Meinl harnesses for long stand-up gigs but for just occasional strolling about, a Wal-Mart rifle sling will work. Cheap fix.
Dan,
Would that sling also work for a euphonium, or would I need a pistol holder??
How would I attach the sling to a euph?
I am starting to find that I need some kind of device...
Thanx...
Jim
For the rifle sling fix, I'm thinking more along the lines of the German tubas that have elongated loops... like the Miraphones. Just a flat leather belt works well with those horns.
There was another harness around called the 'Blue Note Strap'. I haven't seen it in a while but I think it's still out there. It came with a couple of attachment loops that wrapped around anywhere on the horn that you wanted to put them. Then... the strap was attached to the loops.
EDIT: ahah.... here it is! Dillons handles the Blue Note Strap. Cheap, too! It's difficult to tell from the picture but I think this is the same one that comes in three pieces. ... two parts that are attached to the horn with velcro... and a strap. Buy one and let me know how it works!
Last edited by Dan Schultz on Fri May 29, 2009 12:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker" http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
I haven't tried it on a euphonium, but I see no reason it wouldn't work since it doesn't require loops on the instrument itself. I have used the Neotech both sitting and standing on my tuba and it works just fine either way.
Out of the Blue Note Strap, Neotech Tuba Harness, and American Music Products Tuba Strap, which one do you suppose is the most durable? How about it fitting a plus-size man? (we are tuba players, right?)
sc_curtis wrote:Ok, wow, I see there are some choices.
Out of the Blue Note Strap, Neotech Tuba Harness, and American Music Products Tuba Strap, which one do you suppose is the most durable? How about it fitting a plus-size man? (we are tuba players, right?)
Haven't compared them, so cannot address the durability comparison question. The Neotech fits me. It's heavy duty. I'm 5'6" and 225 lbs. It comes in standard and extra long sizes. I bought the extra long figuring it was easier to make it shorter than make it longer. I do find it gives me better support for the tuba than a single strap sling. YMMV. I use it maybe twice a year.
sc_curtis wrote:Ok, wow, I see there are some choices.
Haven't compared them, so cannot address the durability comparison question. The Neotech fits me. It's heavy duty. I'm 5'6" and 225 lbs. It comes in standard and extra long sizes. I bought the extra long figuring it was easier to make it shorter than make it longer. I do find it gives me better support for the tuba than a single strap sling. YMMV. I use it maybe twice a year.
Several of these say they come long or short. I wonder if I were to get the long and I couldn't get the mouthpiece high enough? Anyone know which ones fit which models? Any Mirafone 186 owners out there have any experience one way or the other?
Thanks for all the information so far!
Scottw
scottw wrote:......Any Mirafone 186 owners out there have any experience one way or the other?....
I'm about 6' tall. I've used the Meinl harness with a Mirafone 186, an Allora 191, a Carl Wunderlich (B & S stencil), and a Mirafone 183 (little Eb). It works on all of them except of one very minor problem.... the bottom hook is substantial. On several of those horns that have the elongated strap loop... I had to slightly spread the loop on the horn slightly for the harness hook to work. Minor problem.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker" http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
sc_curtis wrote:Ok, wow, I see there are some choices.
Haven't compared them, so cannot address the durability comparison question. The Neotech fits me. It's heavy duty. I'm 5'6" and 225 lbs. It comes in standard and extra long sizes. I bought the extra long figuring it was easier to make it shorter than make it longer. I do find it gives me better support for the tuba than a single strap sling. YMMV. I use it maybe twice a year.
Several of these say they come long or short. I wonder if I were to get the long and I couldn't get the mouthpiece high enough? Anyone know which ones fit which models? Any Mirafone 186 owners out there have any experience one way or the other?
Thanks for all the information so far!
Scottw
On the Neotech the "long" has to do with the supplied strap lengths, which are all adjustable. You cannot make a short strap long, but you can always take up extra strap through the buckles. Everything adjusts on the Neotech.
You can get the mouthpiece wherever you need it. I'd bet you can get the mouthpiece wherever you need it on all the mentioned harnesses, or they'd be pretty worthless, wouldn't they? The size options have more to do with whether there's enough harness to get around you.
Jim "At some point you've just got to try one on" Wagner
The size options have more to do with whether there's enough harness to get around you.
Jim "At some point you've just got to try one on" Wagner[/quote]
When I saw that one of them fits up to 27 inches and the other fits from 26 to 36 inches, I got the impression that it might have more to do with the horn size than me---there is nothing on my body that is 26 inches! Certainly not chest, waist, gut measurements.
Yeah, that's the guy... looks like Bill Clinton. And yes, he speaks English.
I can't find the one I have. It will probably turn up when we are finally able to move back into our house... whenever that is, hopefully later this summer.
I met him at the tuba conference in Budapest a few years ago. Am I remembering wrong about his English?
His tuba support system looked excellent so I got one even though I don't play tuba... I thought somebody would want it someday, and now I can't find it.
Very few brass instruments related matters can be patented. The Blaikley compensating system was one of them. But then Selmer and other French makers made compensating double horns with long pistons during the patent period. Only they used a rotor for the shift valve.
As for the type of harnesses discussed here they likely will have more companies making them. Meinl-Weston used to show them at their site, but I didn’t find them last time I looked.
I have been fooling around with a set up which is unique for me since I have a Stewart Stand on my tuba. I borrowed a colorguard flag holster from my high school's colorguard. They have a box of about 25 of them that they no longer use.. Remember back in the day when colorguards actually used these things? now the American Flag squad is the only group who use them.
Anyway I can put the post of the Stewart Stand right into the cup on the holster and it supports the weight of the horn. I still have to hold the horn to balance it and keep it against my chops but I no longer have to support the weight of the horn with my hands while i try to play at the same time.
i will post some pix here soon.
ken k
B&H imperial E flat tuba
Mirafone 187 BBb
1919 Pan American BBb Helicon
1924 Buescher BBb tuba (Dr. Suessaphone)
2009 Mazda Miata
1996 Honda Pacific Coast PC800
I use a NEOTEC Bari-sax double shoulder strap on my 983,works well standing, sitting. I do not need to use a tuba stand either, and they cost about $35.00. I clip it to an inside brace. Works great.
Hey Imperialbari,
That looks like something you would probably see crusing the after 2:00 am+ night life crowd in NYC wearing the polished black leather with silver studs, rather than back in the horse stable where it belongs.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker" http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
