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Does anyone use this Hercules DS552B? The idea is to take the weight off my legs, and lessen the tension in my left arm that holds it at angle.
I wonder how this stand fits between your legs, and if it is recommended by real tuba players.

There is a big, ugly thing called a Tuba Tamer, for $500 that seems like overkill, and too heavy to carry around, but would do the job for zero impact tuba holding. I would reject the Tuba Tamer because it also removes most direct body contact with the tuba, which I am becoming addicted to.
Thanking you, in advance, Walter

This stand is very heavy duty. I don't haul my around. I use only at home. Most sturdy stand on the market. It's heavy as hell and I think would be a real pain to carry around

This is my CONN 10J in my stand. The arms are extendable. I have them at their shortest because my tuba is a student sized one. I have used it for euphonium as well.

Hi walter, I have one and I don't think you can play while the stand is holding your instrument at least I havent been able to or don't know how.... I use it to hold the tuba untill I'm ready to play and keep it out of my wifes way when she decides to clean my music room... I think you can play with the wenger don't really know for sure<s>...BB

bigbob wrote:Hi walter, I have one and I don't think you can play while the stand is holding your instrument at least I havent been able to or don't know how.... I use it to hold the tuba untill I'm ready to play and keep it out of my wifes way when she decides to clean my music room... I think you can play with the wenger don't really know for sure<s>...BB

I've only been able to use a Wenger 'TubaTamer' with a top-action horn such as a Conn 2XJ. Actually... I don't know of any play-stands that will work with a front-action tuba. That's been my experience, anyway.

That does not look like a playing stand. I use a playing stand with my PT-6 and it's great! I love it, it takes the weight off of me and puts the instrument at the perfect height so I don't have to mess with my posture to fit the instrument. I would highly recommend using a tuba stand to anyone. I use the baltimore brass stand.

Doug

TubaTinker wrote:

bigbob wrote:Hi walter, I have one and I don't think you can play while the stand is holding your instrument at least I havent been able to or don't know how.... I use it to hold the tuba untill I'm ready to play and keep it out of my wifes way when she decides to clean my music room... I think you can play with the wenger don't really know for sure<s>...BB

I've only been able to use a Wenger 'TubaTamer' with a top-action horn such as a Conn 2XJ. Actually... I don't know of any play-stands that will work with a front-action tuba. That's been my experience, anyway.

I disagree strongly... Sumner Erickson used a Tuba Tamer in the Pittsburgh Symphony, and I used one while I was his student. Not a problem for any horn - the trick is to use the stand "backwards," and tilt it towards you while playing. the two rear (well, front as designed) legs still take all the weight, and there's plenty of room for your hands to reach around the horn and play it normally while standing.

I've been curious about this one, not sure how it would really get in the way as a playing stand, but I also don't quite understand how it holds a horn from the online pictures. I've never really seen it in use before.

I know very well that I need to learn how to hold the 22 pound Kanstul 66-S (front action, bell leftward), and that I am doing something wrong to get a crick in my neck related to the tuba being turned forward a bit, along with too much tension in my left bicep holding the thing at the right angle. Likewise, my left hand wants to gradually morph into a death-grip. Meanwhile, my legs are getting squished in two spots. I've got a lot to learn. It's hell, I tell ya. My helicon is a joy to hold, in comparison. 22 pounds is nothing for an accordion to weigh, but they are rectangular and rest squarely against your chest, not digging into your thigh tops.

There a bunch of stands available. K&M has a small cradle-cup type for sitting, and a longer version for standing. Then, there's the Hercules, which may not be for actual playing, and the humongous Tuba Tamer that is King O' the Hill and apparently able to hold it when you walk away, and for playing. I just want to know who uses a stand for playing, what they use, and if it works. Pictures would be a plus.

Walter Webb wrote:.....I just want to know who uses a stand for playing, what they use, and if it works. Pictures would be a plus.

Walter... I've pretty much 'run the gamut' in search of a play stand that really suits my needs. I've used the Wenger extensively and although another poster 'strongly disagreed' with me.... I found it to be very unwieldy. It's OK if you have a standing gig on the same stage or location but it's a real bitch to haul around. For a while, I was using a Wenger holding a 24J for Dixieland stuff. I even bought one of those collapsible four-wheeled carts to haul the Wenger, a stool, the 24J body in it's case, the 24J bell in it's case, a Manhassat stand, gig light, music, and another bag with all the other stuff I felt I needed. Got tired of all that stuff and sold the stand and horn 'lock, stock, 'n barrel' and went back to my old reliable King 2341 bell-front, a stool, and a rifle sling to keep the horn on my lap while perched on the stool. For all other sit-down venues (and different horns) I use a DEG play stand to support the horn.

I'll never go back to a Wenger-type stand unless I get a gig where I can just leave the horn set up.... or I can afford to pay some 'roadies' to haul all the stuff.

The Wenger 'Tuba Tamer' may work with a front-action horn but it's still gonna be a lot of metal to have to lug and work around.

Get one of the DEG stands on the cheap. Or... the Baltimore Brass version has a firmer 'clutch' for a little more money. Either one of those stands can be had with a bag so it will fit into the bell of most any tuba. It'll add a couple of pounds to your load but nothing like some of the other 'heavy metal' out there.

This stand is definitely not for use while playing. I own one of these and it is very substantial. I do take it on gigs though so that I don't need to worry about my horn falling over when the group takes a break or if I am packing 2 horns.

I have a couple of Stewart Stands from WWBW. ( http://www.wwbw.com/Stewart-Tuba-Stand- ... 41425.wwbw" target="_blank ) I got them a long time ago before they became so expensive. I think they work great for holding the horn up off of your lap. You still have great contact with the horn just not the tension that can build up in your legs on a long sessions. The group I play with the most usually does 4 hr gigs. It works very well on my Miraphone 186 but I haven't been able to use it very successfully on the Yamaha YEB-321 because of the opposite wrap. The horn's small though so it's not that bad.

I use a Tuba Tamer with my 4 rotor Marzan. It does take some tweaking to get the thing to sit just right on the stand. I only use it at home when using the Silent Brass. For performance, I use a bass guitar strap to hold the horn.

For a cheaper alternative to the portable tuba stands, you can always buy a cheap drum throne to sit the horn on while playing. With the throne, you don't have to worry about the horn slipping off of it.

Tubaryan12 wrote:For a cheaper alternative to the portable tuba stands, you can always buy a cheap drum throne to sit the horn on while playing.

I've used an inverted 5-gallon plastic bucket, covered with a black towel. Can't get much cheaper, and works as well as anything trendier.

aqualung wrote:I've used an inverted 5-gallon plastic bucket, covered with a black towel

But how do you adjust hight to suit the chair?

Neptune wrote:

aqualung wrote:I've used an inverted 5-gallon plastic bucket, covered with a black towel

But how do you adjust hight to suit the chair?

Angle of the horn can be used to adjust for height of the chair.....or more or less folds of the towel, or even adding an extra towel. For most players in community groups, the chair height never changes. Another benefit of this method is that it is easy to carry all of your stuff to your seat with the bucket.

This idea has even more merit if you have the lid to the bucket. You could use something like a nightstand cover (in black of course) to cover the entire thing. You could then use foam on the lid for padding..even of different thickness to help with adjustments, and carry music, folding stand, mouthpiece pouch, bottle of water, and anything else you might need in the bucket. I know a drummer with a drum throne that is basically an empty wooden cylinder with a padded seat that clips to the opening. He stores all sorts of equipment in it as well.

I tried the drum throne, and it works great, although it has way too much surface area. I imagine the 5 gal bucket with towels/pads would be similar. What a relief! Now I know how it feels to take a load off, and my left arm is much happier. Drainage seems to be extra gross with the dripping right there on the big circle. Seems like the DEG or a similar K&M would do the job, be less invasive to your space and drain better. (You could, however, smuggle a keg of beer in the 5 gal bucket and run black plastic hoses to all the brass section, hookah-like. Parts can be found in the gardening department.)

I would like to see how the Stewart (uses a peg like a bass fiddle that sits on your chair) looks from the front side, and wonder how the hardware detracts from the beauty view, and if it can be removed quickly. Seems like the Stewart could be the most elegant solution. BEGGING FOR PICTURES of the Stewart Tuba Stand in action...

I think the Stewart stand is a unique piece of engineering. Here are some photos I took to show how it works.

Turning the 2 rectangular tabs loosens the "end pin" so you can adjust to height. The angle of the pin catches the tuba at an ergonomic angle. I can hold up the tuba in my seat with one finger and the tuba is balanced at just the correct angle to play. The large rubber pad on the end of the pin is easily removable, exposing a small metal ball-end. The separate components are all high quality. This Stewart stand is currently for sale:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=42062

Thanks for looking.

Cool!~ The Stewart looks like it definately works. How do you remove the hardware from the tuba? How permanent is is it? It looks like there are two circular clamps, 1 on the bow and 1 on the stack.
#1, to put the tuba into it's case. You just remove the rod? and #2, what do you do to take it completely off the tuba, and/or do you just leave it attached? How much effort would it take to remove it?

Walter

The straps on the tuba have velcro fields that keep the strap on. There are also adhesive fields on the inside of the straps to keep them fixed in place. Mine have the protective paper still attached to the adhesive so the adhesive option is - optional.

You can loosen the dials and remove the stem completely, leaving the straps with the dials in place on the tuba. With the stem out of the way It should fit into most cases that way.

Getting the straps on the tuba is not difficult. With the stem connected to the straps, orient the stem in the right direction with the straps at approximately the distance you need, simply wrap the velcro straps around the bow or bell and fasten the velcro. Once the whole thing is up and running on the tuba you can revisit the velcro and tighten it up. To remove just undo the velcro and gently pull the straps away.

The rubber pulls away to reveal a 1/2" metal ball and that ball has thumbscrews. Loosen the thumbscrews to remove the ball and reveal a dull metal point. 3 options for the set point.

Steve.

--------------------or, you might just buy a Baltimore Brass stand! Then you don't have to worry about all that and your horn is supported quite well.