TubeNet

I have used the DEG tuba stand with the black accessory carrying case. I liked it. I purchased the K&M and have to do some field work with it to see which is the better. I own a number of K&M's products and have always been happy with their high quality. It seems some folks I play with do not care for stands. Early on, when I first started on tuba, it provided for me good posture, stability, and support while playing the horn. Usually, when I am playing I end up with some poor chairs to sit in with my band. It would either be the stand, or purchasing my own special chair. What experiences have you fellow tubists experienced with this overall? Have a safe New Year everyone!

BBC

I really like my Tubassist, but it does get uncomfortable to sit on for long periods of time. So, after a recent trip to Guitar Center, I have decided to buy a Roc-N-Soc Drum throne as I found I way to permanently attach my Tubassist to the bottom of the seat portion.

I've had the K&M and the BBC and the BBC wins hands-down. It is more compact, better adjusting, quicker set-up/knock/down, takes up less room under foot, and has/had (I haven't seen the specs for the new version yet) the same saddle as the K&M. The legs are made by Desca, the same folks who make my music stand, and they are first-rate. Costs less, too!

Played a wedding on the beach yesterday. It was cold with a North wind blowing like stink. The Tubatamer was the tuba stand of choice.
The pretty bride had goosebumps. Short wedding!

tubatooter1940 wrote:Played a wedding on the beach yesterday. It was cold with a North wind blowing like stink. The Tubatamer was the tuba stand of choice.
The pretty bride had goosebumps. Short wedding!

You'd think the bride would have goosebumps from that huge contraption the tuba player has in front of him

How do you lug that thing around?

BBC

I've owned all of them - DEG, K&M, and BBC - and the BBC rest if the only one that has lasted. Until I got my BBC rest I was guilty of overtightening the screw for the height adjustment and would kill the threads in 6-9 months or so. I say overtightening because that is apparently what happened but any less pressure and the height would occasionally slip.

I went so far as to use a small percussion tripod and put the DEG top and stem in it. That worked great but MAN was it ever heavy to lug everywhere. I've had my BBC rest for about 7 or 8 years and I'll never own another.

It's all about the height-adjustment screw....


DEG - the screw WILL disintegrate. Replace it with a bicycle quick release skewer (available at any bike shop - $10) and you'll be astonished at how well it works

K&M - folk with BIG tubas like them. Personally, I never have that much space at my gigs, and it just looks oversized and oeverengineered for my use.

BBC - could use the services of an industrial engineer. many tiny annoyances - but many REALLY good points, too. The height adjustment set screw is NOT it's best feature.

The other issue is the saddle. The DEG saddle is covered by excellent foam rubber that will self destruct after a year of heavy use. But...it does just what *I* need it to do. It's "sticky" and the tuba just stays where I put it. The K&M saddle (also used with the BBC) causes minor problems for me. My tuba seems to rotate to my left while playing it, and I'm constantly re-adjusting it. It must be something I'm doing wrong, but I can't figure it out.

I'd love a design that incorporated the legs from the BBC (improved to help with small problems), the "bicycle-compatible" tube of the DEG, and either a planned replacement program for the DEG disintegrating foam, or a K&M saddle that was a bit more "sticky".

Size and convenience - both the DEG and the BBC fit in the DEG bag and live in my bell. I'm just a bit concerned about the mass of the BBC and what it might do to the bell if properly accelerated.

Had a K&M and sold it for a BBC. I am interested in seeing what the new ones are like.

tofu wrote:

kingrob76 wrote: I've had my BBC rest for about 7 or 8 years and I'll never own another.

Has the BBC rest really been around this long?

I got one of the firsts, before they were being advertised.

kingrob76 wrote:I've owned all of them - DEG, K&M, and BBC - and the BBC rest if the only one that has lasted. Until I got my BBC rest I was guilty of overtightening the screw for the height adjustment and would kill the threads in 6-9 months or so. I say overtightening because that is apparently what happened but any less pressure and the height would occasionally slip.

Ditto in most respects, except I didn't get my BBC stand until after they were offered and I never stripped the DEG bolt.

The K&M is clumsy to carry but it holds the tuba up reliably. The DEG was fine on light tubas like the Miraphone but I shredded mine with the York Master, let alone the Holton. The top fell apart, the foam pad crumbled, the feet fell off, and the leg hinges got loose. Oddly, the tension bolt never stripped on mine, though even with Captain Torque (my nickname as a mechanic--not a compliment, by the way) tightness to prevent slippage.

I preferred the folded size and lack of edged underfoot during use of the DEG, but the sturdiness and durability of the K&M. The BBC stand has the package size of the DEG and the durability of the K&M, and that's why it's my choice. Plus, it fits (after separating the top from the legs) into a padded DEG bag, and I keep it in the bell when the tuba is in its gig bag.

Rick "who has used stands since 1985" Denney

josh_kaprun wrote:I really like my Tubassist, but it does get uncomfortable to sit on for long periods of time. So, after a recent trip to Guitar Center, I have decided to buy a Roc-N-Soc Drum throne as I found I way to permanently attach my Tubassist to the bottom of the seat portion.

I've been using a Roc-N-Soc drum throne for the past 6-7 years. I don't have any special tuba attachments for it. The tuba sits just exactly where I want it on the seat horn. No slipping or sliding around. I do use a detachable seat back on it. Keeps me sitting in exactly the right spot on the throne. Nice to have that back support on my lower back 3 or 4 hours into a gig.

I never have to deal with whatever the venue thinks are appropriate chairs. Always have my own.

That's a pretty interesting thing, regarding Alan Baer.

The one thing I don't like about drum thrones is that spit gets all over it and things start a-slippin' and a-slidin'.

Cinroc, those titles change as your post count increases. It goes from "lurker" to "bugler", then to "valves" one through six.

K + M

cinroc wrote:I'm trying what I saw Alan Baer-New York Phil-using...two drummer's throne's, one adjusted higher than the other of course. He had a smaller platform on the lower throne...the one the tuba was sitting on. It gives plenty of room for the tuba...no worries of slipping off and lessens overall tension in the upper torso which can only be good for sound ect. It is a heck of a lot to carry around.

I think guys like Baer have lackeys to schlepp their crap around. I know if *I* was a guy like Baer, I'd demand lackeys to schlepp my crap around. He has his name on a tuba, for God's sake....

BTW: I use a DEG stand to support the horn while I'm sitting. I like it.

Ten years ago the foam began to crumble on my one-year old DEG stand, DEG must known there were problems with the foam because they sent two new free foam replacements. After installing a replacement pad, I wrapped a piece of black leather over the saddle, punched holes in the edges and tied it together "shoe lace" style. It works very well to prevent further cumbling foam, protects the tuba from the lower edge of the metal saddle and looks great! I liked the K&M stand, but it couldn't lower the my 191 enough; the mouthpiece came to the bridge of my nose. Not good.

Maybe it's just personal preference when it comes to horn elevation? I kind of like to down into the horn while one of my sectionmates holds the 641 like a euphonium.

I'm pretty not-short (5' 11")