tuba chair (SIMPLE design)

[bloke]

I don't like any of the tuba stand designs...and I'd wager that I've bought/tested more different ones (including one that was a bit bizarre) than most other players.

I DO like sitting DIAGONALLY on a regular-size FLAT chair, and resting the tuba on the (lightly padded - c. 1/4" thick) corner of the padded chair.

This simple design would eliminate the necessity of "diagonal", offer a larger platform for the tuba, and (when standing up to acknowledge applause) I wouldn't have to negotiate a tuba stand's tripod NOR be careful about putting the tuba back in the "cup" of a typical stand.

This would be absolutely flat, made of (probably a bit reinforced) 3/4" plywood, and probably have two collapsible X-style pairs of legs.

...a naugahyde cover with probably only 1/4" of padding under it.

Here's a diagram of the TOP - a view of it FROM the top:

top view of tuba chair 16 by 16 plus extension for tuba.png (1.15 KiB) Viewed 1324 times

[arpthark]

I swear I've seen something like this before at a high school...???

[Grumpikins]

If that design is what works best for you, then its perfect. For you. It seems to me that tuba chair designs need to be as unique or specific to the individual using them.

I have been considering trying something with my old king. I find my legs get sore because im tip-toeing to raise it up a couple inches to my face.

A different situation needing a different solution (chair).

Sent from my SM-J327VPP using Tapatalk

[bloke]

I could maybe do something like this, even though I don't believe at the straight extension would interfere with my legs...

top view of tuba chair 16 by 16 plus extension for tuba variant.png (1.01 KiB) Viewed 1313 times

[2nd tenor]

One of my section mates - a BBb player - comes to band with a folding chair that he has added such an extension to it. Elsewhere it’s common enough to find BBb players sitting on a full width paddle shaped board (ordinary chair under the board).

[bloke]

I wonder if I can find a drummer's throne that is all worn out upholstery-wise - but still strong underneath, and attach the underneath part to something like this with a bit of reinforcement again on the piece of plywood and then upholstery of black Naugahyde, and then have what I want.

[Rick Denney]

I confess I find it amusing that a someone might think it dorky and cumbersome to bring a tuba stand but are okay with bringing a special chair, or even a chair seat.

I’m hoping Baltimore Brass will bring back their stand—they are trying to but there’s one part they need to find someone to make as I understand it. It needs someone with a CNC mill, probably, to make an affordable production run.

Rick “the chair seat isn’t the right height for me” Denney

[Rick Denney]

Oh, forgot to add: some of my tubas are happier with the stand centered side to side on the chair, and some need the stand more to the left.

Rick “positioning eyes also an issue” Denney

[bloke]

I confess I find it amusing that a someone might think it dorky and cumbersome to bring a tuba stand but are okay with bringing a special chair, or even a chair seat.

I’m hoping Baltimore Brass will bring back their stand—they are trying to but there’s one part they need to find someone to make as I understand it. It needs someone with a CNC mill, probably, to make an affordable production run.

Rick “the chair seat isn’t the right height for me” Denney

"Amusing" is a word used in places such as these as a substitute for "silly" or "stupid".
You know I can take it - and I've trolled you plenty of times, but - getting past the troll words (yet - at the same time - allowing myself to be trolled - as well become apparent)...

...I explained the specific motivations: (but here they are, in depth)

- The only thing (IF a tuba's mouthpipe is HIGH enough - and the model 98 mouthpiece receiver is pretty high on the instrument) that I like a little bit better than resting a tuba in my lap is to sit DIAGONALLY in a chair and rest the tuba on the CORNER of the chair (where there's actually some room to rest the tuba).

- The corner of a chair is still "barely a place" and - further - it has a POINT on the front of it (which risks dents, if the instrument slips).

- When quickly standing during applause (several times a night - particularly pops concerts) the tripod base of a tuba stand is a tripping hazard. I don't mind tripping and even falling (in soft dirt with no tuba and work clothes), but not onto chairs/stands with a tuba that costs more than my car. Further, to make certain that I DON'T trip, I end up standing slowly, which (with the tuba) attracts attention...ie. "Check out the fat old man with the big tuba; he can hardly stand up"...etc. (Additionally, standing up slowly for applause could even be construed as reluctance and/or rudeness.) Further, having to CAREFULLY place the tuba back in that (if a "tuba stand") padded cup thing is a denting hazard as well (as hurrying to place the tuba could end up articulately the edge of that cup - resulting in a nice long "smile" crease on the front or back of the bottom bow), and (quite often), there's NO TIME to do that: maestro enters stage / orchestra stands up / orchestra quickly sits / maestro IMMEDIATELY waves stick (with the poor bloke is negotiating his feet around a tuba stand tripod, negotiating a thinwall/handmade 6/4 tuba into a tuba stand padded cup, and missing the first four notes of the first piece of the concert)

- This would be at home (never having to move it when at home, which is 99.XXX% of the time), and subscription series and pops concerts (2-4 rehearsals and a show), so I would only be carrying this thing from my car (just outside the stage door) to the stage (and back to the car) one time. I use the cimbasso a LOT, and I'm dealing with the cimbasso stand - which has nothing to do with playing comfort - OTHER THAN having to hold onto a cimbasso for two hours straight.

- Again, this is a 6/4 tuba thing. I've always sought a solution for ONLY that size tuba, have bought ALL the various types of stands, and gotten rid of ALL of them.

- I'm looking for someone's old upholstery-stressed pro-grade drummer's throne (to use the mechanical metal underparts and it's compact quadra-pod base to support this seat.

EVEN WERE IT THAT NONE OF THESE EXPLANATIONS/JUSTIFICATIONS MADE A LICK OF SENSE...
I (simply) do not LIKE -any- of the tuba stands (and I've tried out the BB/K&M/DEG type PLUS two or three OTHER types), and I DO LIKE resting the tuba on THE SAME SURFACE upon which I'm sitting.

In summary...the dorkiness and cumbersomeness (though a bit) is almost NOT-AT-ALL in the schlepping of a typical tuba stand, but in the using of one (while avoiding tripping and denting a very expensive instrument). I'm just looking for a way to interpolate the "corner of a chair" OUTWARD to something that's larger, safer, and doesn't feature a point (nor a couple of tripod feet where I need to stand - several times per show).

Oh yeah...I NEVER rest my back against ANY chairs' backrests (when practicing or performing) so this would just be a flat padded black thing (again) with high-grade "throne" hardware attached underneath.

a true genius:

If that design is what works best for you, then its perfect. For you. It seems to me that tuba chair designs need to be as unique or specific to the individual using them.

[YorkNumber3.0]

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[matt g]

When I was in high school, I had a block of wood, wrapped in a towel, to put my 186 BBb at the right height. I’ve always bought/sought out chairs that were comfortable while sitting on the diagonal, the the back of the chair somewhat along my left side.

In the 90s, when mouse pads were everywhere, I learned to harness the neoprene layer to make a contact patch on my thigh. Nowadays I just use the neoprene shelf liner. I have a tuba stand, which I bought 20 years back, for the 6/4 I had then. I didn’t like it at all and wound up just using the pad thing. Although I think the stand worked well with the Besson 994 I had. On that note, standing and maneuvering with an upright action tuba was way different for me than front action.

I could see this carry along seat pad thing being useful in some instances. I’d probably add a strap on the back to keep it tight against the chair back and also so that it doesn’t teeter off when standing. I might be interested in throwing on a slice of 11ga steel about 2” wide as reinforcement.

[peterbas]

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[bloke]

In the past, I've used a piano bench (when - in the past) - I've owned 6/4 tubas...as I do once again...surprising even myself).

You and I saw the stability issue right off the bat...THOUGH it does get the tripod legs out of the way of standing for applause.

IF a tuba stand and IF the tripod issue is solved...

(though I've not spent much time thinking through this, admittedly...)

it seems to me that the padded cup could be abandoned with an flat surface (a little bit larger than the "cup" thing) with rolling-DOWNWARD edges (for accident resistance).

Sure...we can always be careful when we have plenty of TIME, but I've already offered at least one scenario where there is NOT plenty of time.

I could carry one with me, but I'm thinking that (though I might actually like a (particular: upholstered and adjustable height) piano bench (turned sideways) even more, that this (my crude picture) is probably less cumbersome.

Jonathan's flat-surface thing (at least) gets rid of the "cup".

[peterbas]

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[bloke]

...to seek to purchase used/worn, to remove/discard the seat, and use all of the metal hardware (as the quadrapod doesn't stick out very far, and doesn't get in the way of standing up)...

...and yes, I'm seeing that - WERE IT THAT I wished it to be adjustable - I would need to make my sitting surface into a hollow box, rather than a simple flat surface.

[peterbas]

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[bloke]

I´ll buy one when its ready.

quite a compliment...
I could ship you the "kit" for the top (unassembled/ready to glue/screw/upholster...so a small package for mailing) if you could find your own worn-out-top drummer's throne with good-condition quadra-pod base.

[bloke]

OK...

I just called my buddy, Jim Petit - owner of (sorta "world renowned") Memphis Drum Shop.

https://www.facebook.com/MemphisDrumShop/









I explained to him what I was trying to accomplish, and he is telling me that he will help me go that route, but he ALSO has another solution that he would like to show me (??) so I'M EAGER TO LEARN.

After I find a day to make it over there, I'll get back to this thread and share what he taught me.

He also recommends high-grade double-braced TRIPOD over quadra-pod as it will never "rock" (on an uneven surface).

Finally, he made me happy and sad at the same time (as we played a weekly gig together for two or three years - which we both wish we were still doing) and - towards the end of the conversation - he said, "I really miss your 'time'."

[GC]

I've used the cheapest drum throne with strong, stable legs I could find for three years, and it works beautifully as a tuba stand (under $30). The large, well-padded seat allows for easier position adjustment than a narrow rest. The only issue is that I have to regularly re-tighten the seat screws.

On my JP377, the leadpipe angles so far away from the body of the horn that on a BlokeChair I'd have to have the extension all the way to the right edge of the seat. Because of its flexibility, my drum throne might be the best solution.

I found Wenger Nota chairs to be a very nice option, but WAY too expensive.

ADDENDUM: I tried Joe's solution (resting the horn on my right leg), but the mouthpiece hit me about eye-level. I have a very short torso, and most receivers are simply too high for me. Holding horns with my legs eventually led to a hernia. The stand (drum throne) works best for me.

[kingrob76]

As much as Joe doesn't like stands, I like stands. The chair board/seat would position almost every tuba 4-5" too low for me.

I've used a stand since 1987 or 88 and it's not a problem. Standing? Leave the horn on the stand, and stand up. Yes, your legs are wider than normal. You'll be fine. I rarely set the horn down unless it's a LONG tacet section, it's just as easy to leave it up on the stand and hold it with one hand (for me). The fact I get to sit as relaxed as possible is key, the horn is at the correct height for me and after 35ish years I don't even think about it.