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Tuba Stands and Storage
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:10 pm
by kegmcnabb
OK, guys, how do you all store your herd? Especially those of you with multiple horns and styles (uprights, recording bells, sousamaphones).
Do you always put them in cases? Best protection from kids, dogs, hurricanes and the like, but cases take up a lot of room.
Stood on bell in a corner or against the wall?
In tuba stands? Are these secure or do they add dents with whatever grabbing mechanism they have?
On shelves? On bell or prone?
Wall hangers?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:15 pm
by Mark
Always in cases.
Storage
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 11:01 pm
by sc_curtis
I currently have two, 1 CC and 1 F. Both are laid down on the spare bed in the spare bedroom, which is also where I practice. This room is the only cat-free zone we have, so I also keep my gig bags and formal wear in there as well as all of my musically-related items and anything else I want to keep cat hair off of.
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 11:14 pm
by Paul S
I was always taught and fully believe that when you value your horn there are only two places for your tuba to ever be...
........in your hands or in its hard case.
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:10 am
by tubatooter1940
I have no case but my music room is a cat-free,kid-free place where my Eb dwells on it's stand ready to toot at a moment's notice.
Paul S is correct about cases and I am looking for one for my bell-front King. Traveling is worrisome but so far I have padded the horn and had no dents except for that gig at the yacht club where that cute waitress asked to play it because she missed her tuba from high school. I told her she could have a toot when we took a break. As we headed for the bathroom ,I saw her walking toward the bandstand. While in the bathroom,we heard a bump and a loud scream. We came out to find my tuba and stand over on it's side and the waitress crying inconsolably. My horn had a crease on one side of the bell that popped right out by hand.
I told her the tuba was O.K. and no stranger to dents but she cried even louder. She couldn't leave because she was working so she stayed at her station and cried nonstop. We tried teasing her mercilessly over the P.A. system but that really turned the waterworks on. We felt badly for her and she was so cute.

Stands...
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:05 am
by kegmcnabb
I was always taught and fully believe that when you value your horn there are only two places for your tuba to ever be...
........in your hands or in its hard case.
Yeah, I agree! Unfortunately, not all tubas come with cases and with older models they can be nearly impossible to accomodate.
As several of you use stands can you tell me if they are gentle on your horn.
My Reynolds Eb (no case) came with a Wenger Tuba Tamer (which I don't use - anybody wanna buy one?) but I think that the only significant dent on the horn came from the bottom "hand" of the stand. The person who initially owned the horn used the Tamer but I figure taking the horn in and out of the stand is when the dents occurred. Are the newer stands better designed and gentler on our "babies"?
Also, which stands do you recomend?
Thanks
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 11:07 am
by windshieldbug
Playing, lap, gig bag, case
wall hangers are for conductors
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 12:06 pm
by SplatterTone
wall hangers are for conductors
Maestro Joe Solti here.
For everything up to the 3/4 tuba, I hang 'em on the wall on String Swing guitar hangers. The 4/4 tuba stands on its bell next to where I practice; a towell is wrapped around the bell and another draped over the bow. It's true I don't store it in its case. But that's OK ... It's a Chinese tuba.
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 2:41 pm
by Tubaryan12
When my horn is not in the bag I use a Wenger Tuba Tamer. It's safely held and in perfect position if I want to play it and it's perfect because I can leave my Silent Brass installed until I have to go to practice so its the most convenient solution for me.
kegmcnabb: If I ever buy another horn I'll be giving you a call on the tamer

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:13 pm
by Lew
Stands for some, and I need to find a "tuba tamer" for the rotary valve King because it's too big for any of the new stands that I have found. Here's what the practice room looks like:
The King 2341 and Besson 983 are in their gig bags when not in use. I only use their hards cases when traveling any distance. The cases are just too heavy to lug around for every day use.
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:01 pm
by Tubaryan12
Lew wrote:
and I need to find a "tuba tamer"
and Kegmcnabb wrote:
...Wenger Tuba Tamer (which I don't use - anybody wanna buy one?)
looks like you two need to talk

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 7:58 pm
by SplatterTone
I forgot to add that hanging them on the wall nicely compliments the display of your hub cap collection. It truly adds class, dignity, and character to your living room.
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 8:18 pm
by Z-Tuba Dude
I answered "In cases", but in truth, I do "all of the above".
I have two sousaphones hanging on the wall of the garage, and I keep my other horns in their cases, if they are in "deep storage". Otherwise, they rest on their bell, or in a K&M stand, in my music room.
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:10 am
by Rick Denney
Holton on bell.
B&S on bell.
Yamaha in case.
Miraphone on bell (because it's gig bag is shared with the B&S, which leaves the house frequently).
York Master in gig bag.
Conn 14K leaning against window.
Conn 48H on stand.
Olds trombone in case.
Besson euphonium in case.
Instruments in cases tend not to get practiced. I find that taking the instrument out of the case is the hardest step in practicing.
But my horns resting on bells do so on carpet, and leaning against a wall. And no kids. When kids visit, they all go in cases.
I have an old K&M display stand, but I find the instrument takes up more room space when I use it, and it's sized for a Miraphone and not quite up to snuff for the Holton.
Rick "who couldn't narrow it down enough to vote" Denney
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:20 am
by TubaRay
Rick Denney wrote:Holton on bell.
Instruments in cases tend not to get practiced. I find that taking the instrument out of the case is the hardest step in practicing.
Rick "who couldn't narrow it down enough to vote" Denney
This I tell my students all the time. It's true, isn't it?
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:48 am
by SplatterTone
anyone know a place that sells wall hangers for a 4/4 tubas?
This is what I use. I hang the euphonia, alto horn, and 3/4 tuba on them. The 4/4 hangs fine on it too, but I'm out of wall space in my little private hidey hole room, which has other junk in it, so the 4/4 sits on the floor (as does the bourbon bottle).
http://www.stringswing.com/
I use the guitar hanger shown in the picture. I think it is what they list as their model CC01. It is well padded and has those rubber washer-like things that add a little extra holding security. Places like Musicians Friend, Sam Ash, etc. have them. They are commonly found in local music stores too. I mount them stoutly, using longer screws and making sure the screws are in the wall studs.
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:49 am
by kegmcnabb
TubaRay wrote:Rick Denney wrote:Holton on bell.
Instruments in cases tend not to get practiced. I find that taking the instrument out of the case is the hardest step in practicing.
Rick "who couldn't narrow it down enough to vote" Denney
This I tell my students all the time. It's true, isn't it?
Amen, brother

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:52 am
by kegmcnabb
Boy, I sure can't figure out how you use a guitar hanger to hang a tuba.

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:55 am
by SplatterTone
Boy, I sure can't figure out how you use a guitar hanger to hang a tuba.
Now, the guitars go in the cases, DEFINITELY NOT on the wall.
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 6:13 pm
by ThomasDodd
SplatterTone wrote:I use the guitar hanger shown in the picture. I think it is what they list as their model CC01. It is well padded and has those rubber washer-like things that add a little extra holding security.
The keepers are rubber then?
Love to see a picture with a tuba hanging from it.