A Bass Trombone plunger mute for the dogs

[Conn 2J CC]

I don't remember who mentioned this on here, but I got this idea from Tubenet - after 37 years of being a Bass Trombonist, I finally have a plunger mute that's big enough for a 9 1/2" bell - half an 8" Jolly Ball. That's right, my new plunger is a dog toy I took a hack saw to, and put a drawer knob on.

My wife, who's sat in front of me many times in jazz bands playing Baritone Sax, says it sounds a lot better than a regular 6" plunger. And, it cost less than buying a plunger meant for Trombones - around $20 with shipping online for the Jolly Ball, since I couldn't find one in a shop around here, and a couple of dollars at Menards for the knob.

At first I thought I'd just use the half of the ball with the dog's handle, which I cut at an angle so the handle wouldn't be centered in front. Given the size of the bell and the shape of the bowl, this makes the mute easier to use. But I soon decided to put a knob on the other half for comfort's sake, and use that instead. All I needed to do was to use a shorter screw than the one that came with the knob, and put a plastic washer on both sides with a metal washer on the inside too to grip the bowl securely.

Here's couple of pictures. Merry Christmas, Tubenetters.

[imperialbari]

Would the half with the original handle be useable too?

Klaus

[Conn 2J CC]

Hi Klaus -

Yes, the other half would be useable as well, just not as comfortable to hold on to. I gave that half of mine to a friend who wanted it. I considered sawing the big handle off to install a drawer knob on that side too, but that would leave two really large holes (1/2" squares?) since the handle is hollow, which would result in too much "vented" sound coming through. Hopefully that answers your question.

[swillafew]

Nice. A friend in the Chicago Brass Band told me he had a euphonium colleague that made a mute from a dog dish.
I needed a tuba mute, and I was inspired to buy a small trash can and put speaker gasket on it for the "corks". It sounded better than a mute I bought later, but I was afraid to take it out of the house.
Lately I have been playing a small F tuba in a jazz band where I get a couple of solos. Now it's off to the pet store.

[timothy42b]

I needed a tuba mute, and I was inspired to buy a small trash can and put speaker gasket on it for the "corks"..

For a practice mute, the corks serve two functions: retention and seal. (Retention isn't quite as much a problem in a tuba but it is in a trombone.)

With the last practice mute I made, I separated the two functions. the retention corks are long strips of weatherstripping foam gasket, placed on the vertical axis, and long enough to be able to get fingers on them just in case. The seal corks are the same material but wrapped around the mute between the longer retention corks. This way I can optimize the location of either without compromising the other.

[Conn 2J CC]

Nice. A friend in the Chicago Brass Band told me he had a euphonium colleague that made a mute from a dog dish.
I needed a tuba mute, and I was inspired to buy a small trash can and put speaker gasket on it for the "corks". It sounded better than a mute I bought later, but I was afraid to take it out of the house.
Lately I have been playing a small F tuba in a jazz band where I get a couple of solos. Now it's off to the pet store.

A Bass Trombone dog ball mute, a Euphonium dog dish mute, and a Tuba trash can mute - if nothing else, we're resourceful around here. Those are great ideas. So I wonder if we'd get a "thumbs up" from the group "Stomp"?

If you're thinking about a plunger mute for your F Tuba, if it's got a small bell Jolly Balls are offered in 10" sizes too. Good luck at the pet store.

[Conn 2J CC]

I needed a tuba mute, and I was inspired to buy a small trash can and put speaker gasket on it for the "corks"..

For a practice mute, the corks serve two functions: retention and seal. (Retention isn't quite as much a problem in a tuba but it is in a trombone.)

With the last practice mute I made, I separated the two functions. The retention corks are long strips of weatherstripping foam gasket, placed on the vertical axis, and long enough to be able to get fingers on them just in case. The seal corks are the same material but wrapped around the mute between the longer retention corks. This way I can optimize the location of either without compromising the other.

This sounds interesting, and quite resourceful as well. Would you mind posting a picture of one, and a little info on how you made it? I know I'd appreciate it.

[pgym]

A Bass Tombone dog ball mute, a Euphonium dog dish mute, and a Tuba trash can mute - if nothing else, we're resourceful around here.

[Conn 2J CC]

A Bass Tombone dog ball mute, a Euphonium dog dish mute, and a Tuba trash can mute - if nothing else, we're resourceful around here.

Yeah, if that's doesn't prove how resourceful we are around here, what does? (Assuming one or more of these guys are Tubenet members)

[timothy42b]

I needed a tuba mute, and I was inspired to buy a small trash can and put speaker gasket on it for the "corks"..

For a practice mute, the corks serve two functions: retention and seal. (Retention isn't quite as much a problem in a tuba but it is in a trombone.)

With the last practice mute I made, I separated the two functions. The retention corks are long strips of weatherstripping foam gasket, placed on the vertical axis, and long enough to be able to get fingers on them just in case. The seal corks are the same material but wrapped around the mute between the longer retention corks. This way I can optimize the location of either without compromising the other.

This sounds interesting, and quite resourceful as well. Would you mind posting a picture of one, and a little info on how you made it? I know I'd appreciate it.

It's a bit trombone specific but might give you ideas. I'll try a photo tonight.

[imperialbari]

Think a DW practice mute with vertical rubber strips added to it.

Klaus