Page 1 of 2
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 2:50 pm
by Donn
Is it standing more or less at playing position there, or would the bell really point down another 10° or so?
Is the playing angle more or less fixed, or how much leeway does one have to, like the trombones, raise and lower the bell? (Or is that not done in orchestra, I wouldn't know?)
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 3:56 pm
by roweenie
I don't know much about cimbassi, but I also frequently wondered why the bell joint isn't made on a 90° angle to the valveset.
One would think the latter would be more desirable, but then again, I'm just a nobody who's a sucker for Brazil nuts....
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 6:51 pm
by tylerferris1213
My cimbasso is at a 90 degree angle compared to the body. Mine is also wrapped tighter so that it sits on my chair when I play; not on the ground. I like this better because I have a little more flexibility with holding the horn, and with being able to adjust the horn angle.
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:20 pm
by tylerferris1213
Quite possibly!
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 2:18 am
by Doug Elliott
I just want to know about the bell sitting behind it.
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:11 am
by bisontuba
ValveSlide wrote:Doug Elliott wrote:I just want to know about the bell sitting behind it.
That's Joe's new heavy-walled tin foil hat prototype, the "blokehat®."

Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:43 am
by PaulMaybery
The Jin Bao that I have, albeit with the Wessex label, is pretty much the same horn, but an earlier version with somewhat different bracing. That being said, I never really thought of tweaking the bell angle. However, the wobble is a concern. I let Steve Campbell use it last month for "Othello" with the Minnesota Orchestra and he suggested a shoulder pad to fit between the bottom bell tubing and the left shoulder. I made one from Kaizen foam, about 2 inches thick and strapped on with cable ties. It makes a considerable improvement, and because it does have a little lift to it, the bell angle does tend to dip an inch or two. I have an abdominal (gut) problem of sorts, commensurate with my age (okay my waist is not 69"), but that doesn't seem to factor in yet. Would I consider making a bend at the the bell joint? No. I would like a brace there however.
I've also, in passing, thought of an aadjustable "L" bracket coming off the rear of the lower tubing (main slide and 4th valve slide) that would catch the front edge of the chair, thus avoiding the need for the floor peg, which also contributes a bit to the "wobble." Though this would aid a bit in the bell angle, my fear there is stabbing myself with the additional hardware.
Whether good or bad, being able to change the bell angle from the wrist on the Cimbasso is really not an option as it is on the trombone. The two factors that I consider are 1. comfort and 2. clearing the music stand. With things as-is, I'm satisfied.
Apologies for highjacking Bloke's post: What I would enjoy advice on is finding a suitable gig bag for "the beast." I would like to install hand bars for both right and left sides, but then it would not fit in my
particular hard case. Any suggestions?
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:46 am
by bisontuba
Cronkhite contra bass trombone gig bag....
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 9:00 am
by gregsundt
ValveSlide wrote:Doug Elliott wrote:I just want to know about the bell sitting behind it.
That's Joe's new heavy-walled tin foil hat prototype, the "blokehat®."
The Next Generation: The double-belled cimbasso...
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 10:22 am
by Wyvern
PaulMaybery wrote:What I would enjoy advice on is finding a suitable gig bag for "the beast." I would like to install hand bars for both right and left sides, but then it would not fit in my
particular hard case. Any suggestions?
Wessex are working on bringing cimbasso gig bag to market. Discussed with production manager back in June. Hopefully factory will have prototype for me to check-out/approve when I visit in two weeks time.
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:07 am
by ken k
It looks like it is now parallel with the mouthpiece angle, which I would think would be a good thing, also like on a trombone.
I do like Brazil nuts, too. In fact I am going to get a bag today at the market. (lowest carbohydrate nut btw along with macadamias)
kk
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:09 am
by ken k
Does anyone make a Cimbasso in Eb? Since I play Eb tuba it would be easier for me to play.
(These are in F right?)
kk
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:15 am
by Billy M.
bloke wrote:Donn,
The angle of the instrument on that bassoon stand is just about the very same angle as in playing position.

You totally stole your profile and blokegut from Alfred Hitchcock Presents... THIEF!
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 12:59 pm
by oedipoes
ken k wrote:Does anyone make a Cimbasso in Eb? Since I play Eb tuba it would be easier for me to play.
(These are in F right?)
kk
Rudy...
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 6:36 pm
by Wyvern
ValveSlide wrote:bloke wrote:Rudy's Eb looks to be a "scratch-designed" Eb.
Wessex, I believe (??) has an Eb built based on the "frame" of their F.
RM is purpose built.
The JinBao has extended slides and an extra loop at the bottom bow to add the length (lots of tight, curly, cylindrical tubing) to get it to Eb.
The Eb cimbasso is exclusive to Wessex and there are not lots of tight curves. Just one extra wide loop. But on the Wessex it is in the body. In the RM the extra length is in the bell section also with a loop.
I can't say how the RM plays, but the Wessex Eb cimbasso is good enough to be played in the world famous Halle Orchestra
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 8:35 pm
by southtubist
Bell up- to the press box! The whole point of cimbasso is to be loud and aggressive!
Re: dumb cimbasso bell angle question (considering lowering
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 9:20 am
by cambrook
ken k wrote:Does anyone make a Cimbasso in Eb? Since I play Eb tuba it would be easier for me to play.
(These are in F right?)
kk
MW make an Eb cimbasso (or at least they did) - I played one for an opera season and the intonation was interesting to say the least.... Hard to enjoy an (Eb) instrument where the Eb in the stave and the one below it are more like a 7.5 than an octave apart.