standing up to play tuba stand?

[MaryAnn]

We're doing our annual hit-and-run brass trio Christmas caroling this Sunday evening; we pile in the car with instruments and stands and go knock on doors and surprise people with a few carols. Last year I played my euph and took a stool to put my foot on and it worked standing up, but this year I'm playing the F tuba and haven't found anything that works yet besides sitting down. Too heavy for a simple balance-it-on-the-thigh and hold-it-in-place-with-the-left-hand deal, standing up. The harness rings have been removed on my tuba.

So, I need a tuba stand that I can use while standing up (but not walking) and basically an easily-home-made one by Sunday. If I can't find a way to make one out of easy stuff by then I'll just take a stool and sit.

I have a speaker stand that is the right height, but it doesn't feel secure and I'm pretty sure that *something* will eventually hit the ground, so I'm looking for ideas. I'm handy with tools but don't have the time to make something complicated, and I don't weld. The stand has to be able to be set at the right height and just go in the back of the hatchback with the stands. It needs to be about 31" tall, and be secure enough that I don't feel the need to hang on for dear life to the tuba (my MW 182.)

Ideas?

MA

[Rick Denney]

...The harness rings have been removed on my tuba.

So, I need a tuba stand that I can use while standing up (but not walking) and basically an easily-home-made one by Sunday. If I can't find a way to make one out of easy stuff by then I'll just take a stool and sit.

I have a speaker stand that is the right height, but it doesn't feel secure and I'm pretty sure that *something* will eventually hit the ground, so I'm looking for ideas. I'm handy with tools but don't have the time to make something complicated, and I don't weld. The stand has to be able to be set at the right height and just go in the back of the hatchback with the stands. It needs to be about 31" tall, and be secure enough that I don't feel the need to hang on for dear life to the tuba (my MW 182.)

Folks, this is a good example of how to request help. Note that all the requirements are provided, rather than just the request for what Mary Ann thinks is the correct design. This will hopefully reveal several designs that can meet all the requirements.

Now, for my design suggestions. You can install temporary strap eyelets using thick nylon wire ties. Take two of them, and wrap them around a branch adjacent to a brace, such that the brace keeps them from sliding under load, and such that they are parallel and adjacent to each other. Before cinching them down tight, put two more under them (at right angles, of course) where you want the eyelet. Cinch the first two down tight, and the other to down to about a 1" diameter to make two parallel eyelets. Trim the tails. With two ties side by side, you have a failsafe. You can hook a strap to the two ties that have formed an eyelet. Two sets will provide a means to attach two ends of a strap wherever you want. Experiment with high-quality camera straps, or, even better, high-quality briefcase shoulder straps. I was able to make a Miraphone 186 usable for a standing gig in about ten minutes with this technique. The nylon wire ties won't damage the tuba if you don't leave them on too long or manhandle the instrument too much using the strap. Wrap the strap hook in something soft to prevent scratching.

If you really want to rest it on the ground, I would experiment with a camera monopod that has a strong wrist strap. Attach the wrist strap to an eyelet made as above in the bottom bow. I think this is more likely to cause problems or to accidentally damage the instrument, though, so consider the attachment carefully.

Rick "noting that large but plain wire ties have a breaking strength of at least 75 pounds" Denney

[tbn.al]

Go to your local Golf Pro Shop and buy one of these. They should have them in stock. Then to the home improvement store for PVC pipe that will just slide over the legs. Cut the pipe to length with a saw and tape it over the legs. If you decide to use it as a playing stool, you can do that as well.

http://www.allgolfshop.com/p232/Golfers ... _info.html" target="_blank

[imperialbari]

When using a baritone sax harness for my YEP-641 I took a long strip of cotton linen and wrapped it in a double-8 around the tubing and a stay in place right below the center of gravity as seen in the playing position. Put the hook in the eye next to the surgical knot. Do this twice if a single strap is used. The linen will not hurt the lacquer.

[timdicarlo]

You could use a camera tripod if you've got one handy. The height is easily adjustible, and it won't fall over without a fight either.

[imperialbari]

You could use a camera tripod if you've got one handy. The height is easily adjustible, and it won't fall over without a fight either.

Or here in the elf season just put the bottom bow on a protective cloth on the ground and please then remember to bring a stool, so that you can reach the moutpiece.

[MaryAnn]

Or here in the elf season just put the bottom bow on a protective cloth on the ground and please then remember to bring a stool, so that you can reach the moutpiece.

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Thanks for the suggestions; I'm going to try the stool thing first since I have a stool that could be used; the PVC is a great idea. If that doesn't pan out I'll try the other versions. I like the stool idea best so far because it doesn't require me to fiddle with hooks and straps. What I'm planning is to take a stool I already have, that has a padded vinyl seat (low slip) and make the back legs an inch or so longer than the front legs with the PVC. Then I'll roll up a towel into a "C" and tape it to the front, lower edge of the seat to make a well that the bottom bow can sit in. I'm hoping that will be stable enough to work, and it also should be easy to use: just put it on the ground, put the tuba on it, and play. We'll see....since I'm used to playing it on my lap, I can make small height adjustments unconsciously, and the fixed height of a stool may throw a wrench into the mix.

MA, who has noted that although 31" is the right height for this tuba stand, it is too tall for a motorcycle seat when ridden by an elf.