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I've been looking into getting a drummer's throne or some other kind of appropriate seating option.

Right now, I've been using my piano bench - it's an adjustable artist type bench but lacks back support.

I've looked at a number thrones available from WWBW and others. one that interests me is the Gibraltar 9608MB (I think it's German for "mit backrest"). It has a large motorcycle type seat and comes with a backrest. The height is adjustable and the legs fold. About $150 at WWBW. It looks sturdy although four legs might be better than three.

There are, of course, many other options. Some of them are fairly lightweight and, since the part of my anatomy that will have most direct contact with the seat is ample, I think I'll avoid those.

The other option would be one of the Yamaha "heavy duty" models with the bench type seat but I do not think they have a backrest option.

As always, any comments and suggestions are welcome.

Alex F.

Hmm, interesting idea.

Have you taken your tuba into a local drum store to try out some stuff?

(seems like the kids these days never learned the term "throne" -- but it's what my dad always called his padded stool for his drumset.. lol)

Consider an adjustable folding keyboard bench; sit athwart it. If you've got a tuba with a high leadpipe, you can rest the tuba on the bench in front of you in lieu of a stand.

Several players around here use them. Folded up, they're not much to carry and could probably be strapped to a gigbag or a music stand bag. I use a Quick-Lock myself--built like a battleship and rated for 300 lbs.

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Leland wrote:(seems like the kids these days never learned the term "throne" -- but it's what my dad always called his padded stool for his drumset.. lol)

Grandma referred to the bathroom as 'the throne room'. Another common refference to Grandpa's whereabout was 'he's on the throne'.

I just purchased a Roc'n Soc Lunar series hydraulic throne for this purpose. I also picked up a bass drum gig bag for transport. The user can adjust the height for comfort and to accomodate using a tuba rest, as I do. I've noticed more consistency and comfort in my playing since I began using it. I purchased it mainly because we do lots of concerts with those blasted metal folding chairs and they sit so low that I cannot use the stand. Expensive, but it's an investment that will show quick and long-lasting results.

bbtubaman wrote:i use an adjustable padded keyboard bench like Chuck G talks about. It adjusts to all kinds of height and like he says will hold up to 300 lbs and the best thing about it is it folds up easy and doesnt weigh much.

Mine was $29.95 at the Brasswind.

The cheapest I could find on a top-of-the-line Quiick-Lok BX-718 was with J&R--about $65 at the time. It's heavy-duty welded square tubing with generous seat padding.

I suspect that it would hold two of us 200+ pounders without giving out. I took a nylon pet (i.e. cat) collar and ran a woodscrew through it into the base near one end of the folding leg assembly to make a 'holder" that secures the folded-up legs so I can carry the thing with one hand.

Comes in real handy when you don't know what kind of chair will be provided for you.

chhite wrote:---a Roc'n Soc Lunar series hydraulic throne---

This thread again tells of the related problems of seating and of leadpipe position.


When the drum world can come up with a hydraulic throne, then one may ask: when will the first tuba maker come up with at hydraulic leadpipe?

Klaus

The Tama-30 is what Alan uses--I've had it for a few months, and it's very sturdy, 30 bucks at samash.com, or if you can find it somewhere else. It has a memory lock, so with me being about 180 lbs, and the tuba being a PT 7, it still does not slip.

Dan Peck

bloke wrote:

When the drum world can come up with a hydraulic throne, then one may ask: when will the first tuba maker come up with at hydraulic leadpipe?

Most are already. That is why these are attached:

Normally I would consider your chosen photo sample being bad, as it does not show a low brass instrument.

However it can be accepted in the context of this thread, as it shows parts of a drum-pet.

imperialbari wrote:..., as it shows parts of a drum-pet.

*groan*

schlepporello wrote:Now I'm not really sure I understand something, having always had a decent chair to sit in. Can a folding piano bench really be that comfortable when you don't have a backrest?

It's my understanding that when you play, your spinal column shout be upright and perpendicular to the floor and not leaning back against a backrest anyway. Neither should you be leanig forward. Knees below hips and the seat set high enough so that your feet rest flat on the floor would be the ideal situation.

So it shouldn't make a big difference whether you've got a backrest or not.

Mind you, this is all theoretical; I'm sure that some would prefer a chair something like this:

Chuck(G) wrote:The cheapest I could find on a top-of-the-line Quiick-Lok BX-718 was with J&R--about $65 at the time. It's heavy-duty welded square tubing with generous seat padding.

I have the same bench and I find it to be sturdy and light-weight. But, Chuck has pointed out the one flaw -- without strapping the legs to the bench, you can't carry it folded with one hand.

I don't get it! If the horn is worth messing with at all, the least you could do is just have the lead pipe moved! I've seen guys struggle with stands and phone books and pillows and all sorts of stupid stuff in a feeble attempt to get the lead pipe into a comfortable position. Quit wasting all that energy fumbling with the horn. Why the heck not just deal with the problem and spend a few bucks!

How many professionals have you ever seen drag a stand, special chair, and two or three pillows on stage to do a performance.

TubaTinker wrote:How many professionals have you ever seen drag a stand, special chair, and two or three pillows on stage to do a performance.

Well, actually, several.

Mark wrote:

TubaTinker wrote:How many professionals have you ever seen drag a stand, special chair, and two or three pillows on stage to do a performance.

Well, actually, several.

OK. I'll give you that one. Now.... how many professionals have their horns set up to fit?

mandrake wrote:

TubaTinker wrote:

Mark wrote: Well, actually, several.

OK. I'll give you that one. Now.... how many professionals have their horns set up to fit?

Do you mean a stand for their horns? Mark Tettrault uses one of the chair-clips things if this is what you're wondering.

NO!!! I'm afraid you missed my point totally. Why struggle with a horn that has the lead pipe too high or too low. Just have the lead pipe moved to where it is comfortable! Don't use a stand... Don't sit on a phone book... Don't perch the horn on the edge of a chair... Put it in your lap where it belongs! Just my humble opinion.

I use a drum throne for playing string bass. And, on occasion have used for playing tuba and trombone, but that was usually in a situation where I was doubling. But, that is an interesting idea.

With mine, I took it to a machine shop and had a longer shaft cut for it so, I could get it higher than it was designed. You probably wouldn't need to be higher than the drummer for tuba'ing.

kms

Chuck(G) wrote:It's my understanding that when you play, your spinal column shout be upright and perpendicular to the floor and not leaning back against a backrest anyway. Neither should you be leanig forward. Knees below hips and the seat set high enough so that your feet rest flat on the floor would be the ideal situation.

So it shouldn't make a big difference whether you've got a backrest or not.

But tuba players often count long rests and spend lots of rehearsal time listening to clarinetists practice technical parts. That's when I lean back.

To the original poster, an adjustible tuba stand is easier to carry than a chair, bench, or drum throne. I started using one when Lee Hipp showed me his, which was during a period of serious back problems for me (not caused by tuba playing, most likely). I've used one ever since, which has been about 15 years now.

Rick "noting that BBb tubas often require a lower tuba position than CC tubas" Denney

TubaTinker wrote:How many professionals have you ever seen drag a stand, special chair, and two or three pillows on stage to do a performance.

It was Lee Hipp who started me using a stand, and it was Gene Pokorny who waved one around at the recent Army conference suggesting that as we age, maybe we ought to start taking care of our backs. He also suggested that the stand provides better acoustic coupling to the floor with better resonance as a result, but he sounded so good during the demonstration that I couldn't hear the difference. I'll bet he could FEEL the difference, though.

Rick "who knows many, many tuba players with back problems and a few high-end players who had debilitating back problems" Denney