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I have a tuba stand and I've gone back to using a leg wrap on my left leg. My horn fits in my lap perfectly with the height/angle of the lead pipe. The wrap still slips and starts cutting off circulation in my left leg. The stand seems pointless since the horn fits me so well and plus I like using the back support of the chair when I play.

What other things to you folks use to keep the horn from sliding around?

I use one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FP ... detailpage" target="_blank

IOS wrote:I use one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FP ... detailpage" target="_blank" target="_blank

Over the legs? My horn fits me on the legs, not on the chair.

bloke wrote:Substitute a $25 pair of black Walmart dress slacks for your tux/tails trousers,
keep them in your gig bag, and change into them ten minutes before the downbeats of concerts.

Spray some of this on the thighs, and on the bottom bows of your tubas.

http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-1 ... 5-Adhesive

Spray on a touch-up layer every once in a while.

I'm a band director/hobbyist. I might play 10 concerts a year... If it were my livelihood, I'd consider it

nworbekim wrote:this may be an off the wall idea, but in one instance i know it worked...

my wife and i enjoy folk instruments and she's been playing the mountain lap dulcimer at "jams" once in a while. her legs hardly reach the ground when she sits in a standard metal folding chair giving her lap a downward slope. the dulcimer was sliding off. she got the idea of a guitar strap around her waist and attached to the ends of the instrument, it works fine.

perhaps something along that idea might work for you? i'm just spinning wheels to generate ideas...

It's a cool idea! Andy at Wessex told me they took the strap hooks off the CC tubas because few people play standing up with a large CC. My horn doesn't have places to hook on.

58mark wrote:The small BBb I just bought from them doesn't have strap hooks either, which is disappointing, because I have two harnesses over here, and I was hoping to use one of them on that tuba

Try the foam lining that you can buy at Wal-Mart (or any other retailer of your choice) that you use for the bottom of your silverware drawer in your kitchen. It comes in many different colors. You can cut it to the size you need to fit over both legs and it works great!

TWTuba wrote:Try the foam lining that you can buy at Wal-Mart (or any other retailer of your choice) that you use for the bottom of your silverware drawer in your kitchen. It comes in many different colors. You can cut it to the size you need to fit over both legs and it works great!

I've been using a folded-over strip about 18" or so long wrapped around my left leg. I can try a longer piece to go over both legs...

balchb wrote:I have a tuba stand and I've gone back to using a leg wrap on my left leg. My horn fits in my lap perfectly with the height/angle of the lead pipe. The wrap still slips and starts cutting off circulation in my left leg. The stand seems pointless since the horn fits me so well and plus I like using the back support of the chair when I play.

What other things to you folks use to keep the horn from sliding around?

Let's see:
Horn slips-check
Cuts off circulation-check
needs back support-check
How about this: go back to the stand, where it will not slip, where it will not cut off circulation. For back support, get a round foam or memory foam pillow cut to fit the size of your bell. Place it in your case where the bell goes when not using it to support your back. This will provide additional protection for the bell when transporting it and is there for back support. Works for me!

scottw wrote:

balchb wrote:I have a tuba stand and I've gone back to using a leg wrap on my left leg. My horn fits in my lap perfectly with the height/angle of the lead pipe. The wrap still slips and starts cutting off circulation in my left leg. The stand seems pointless since the horn fits me so well and plus I like using the back support of the chair when I play.

What other things to you folks use to keep the horn from sliding around?

Let's see:
Horn slips-check
Cuts off circulation-check
needs back support-check
How about this: go back to the stand, where it will not slip, where it will not cut off circulation. For back support, get a round foam or memory foam pillow cut to fit the size of your bell. Place it in your case where the bell goes when not using it to support your back. This will provide additional protection for the bell when transporting it and is there for back support. Works for me!

I'm gonna give a longer piece of shelf liner a shot. Having to deal with the foam plus the stand seems like more hassle/stuff to carry around.

Doc wrote:

TWTuba wrote:Try the foam lining that you can buy at Wal-Mart (or any other retailer of your choice) that you use for the bottom of your silverware drawer in your kitchen. It comes in many different colors. You can cut it to the size you need to fit over both legs and it works great!

^^^ This^^^

Shelf liner works great, and it's cheap! If you wear black slacks, get black. If you wear khaki, get khaki. I have a piece about close to 3' long I keep in my F tuba gig bag (I like my stand for bigger tubas). I drape it across my legs, put the tuba on top. Works like a charm.

ALL my tuba students (4'8" to 6'4") use this and it has solved a myriad of problems for them!

Got it, used it tonight at a concert. Thanks!

I have a BMB F that is most definitely a lap tuba. A kitchen drawer liner in neoprene (not perforated) from Ace Harvard cut into 2 inch strips and taped to a total length of about 30 feet makes a great wrap for the bottom bow. It gets fixed into place with a bit of tape at each end. It gives a certain amount of friction that definitely keeps the tuba from slipping from your lap. I like it as it is attached to the tuba and does not fall from my leg or need extra care in using it. I've thought of the Stewart peg or a attaching a bass clarinet peg/stand. The BBC stand when set at 4 inches above the chair seat tends to wobble. The peg just gets to uncomfortably close to my manliness. . So the wrap is simple and I just forget it is there and play without a care. It is inexpensive and easy to preplace. Should last a couple of years. I suppose naugahyde cut into strips would work equally as well. Be careful as some products and harm the lacquer or silver.

TWTuba wrote:Try the foam lining that you can buy at Wal-Mart (or any other retailer of your choice) that you use for the bottom of your silverware drawer in your kitchen. It comes in many different colors. You can cut it to the size you need to fit over both legs and it works great!

Rubberized shelf paper for RVs also works very well.

mbeastep

PaulMaybery wrote:I have a BMB F that is most definitely a lap tuba. A kitchen drawer liner in neoprene (not perforated) from Ace Harvard cut into 2 inch strips and taped to a total length of about 30 feet makes a great wrap for the bottom bow. It gets fixed into place with a bit of tape at each end. It gives a certain amount of friction that definitely keeps the tuba from slipping from your lap. I like it as it is attached to the tuba and does not fall from my leg or need extra care in using it. I've thought of the Stewart peg or a attaching a bass clarinet peg/stand. The BBC stand when set at 4 inches above the chair seat tends to wobble. The peg just gets to uncomfortably close to my manliness. . So the wrap is simple and I just forget it is there and play without a care. It is inexpensive and easy to preplace. Should last a couple of years. I suppose naugahyde cut into strips would work equally as well. Be careful as some products and harm the lacquer or silver.

Unlacqured, so I'm safe. I never thought to put it ON the bottom of the horn... Great idea!!

bloke wrote:Couldn't you just cut a nice C-shaped section out of your family heirloom sterling silver pitcher (to match the look of your tuba) and solder it on (off-center) to the lower side of your bottom bow so it catches on one of your legs and doesn't slip?

...and yeah, but sure to file off the rough edges to avoid tearing your trousers...

leg-ironz.jpg

Now I thought spray-on adhesive with extra pants in a gig bag was a weird idea... This one definitely wins!

I dont put my horn in my lap as it makes my leg fall asleep. I use a rolled up hand towel. I can configure it so it is a variety of heights. Relatively cheap and lightweight. I have a couple so if one gets dirty i just switch it out for a clean one.
I don't find it to be slippery as the horn nests into the towel. I think it gives me a good playing position as well.
ScottM

I talked with a local pro and he said he likes the horn on the lap as he can have a better feel for the horn and I completely agree (despite the numbness )

I liked the double leg wrap, but I'm definitely giving the bow wrap idea a try!

I have the same issue with the tuba slipping. A cheap and easy fix for me was a 6x10 strip of the rubberish shelf lining material. A roll of it is cheap and can be used on the bottom bow of the tuba. What I'm doing is keeping a 6 x 10 strip that I tuck in like a napkin laying over my right leg and that keeps the tuba from slipping. It is working well. I eventually want to wrap my bottom bow with it but haven't had the time to devote to it yet. Good luck in your search!