TromboneChat

What kind of stuff do you keep in your trombone case/gig bag/mute bag?

Other than horns and mutes, I keep Yamasnot, a couple mouthpieces, a hand brace for my bigger horns, a polishing cloth, water bottle, and my music reading glasses.

You got anything else?

Horn and mouthpiece. Nothing else. I keep the rest in a bag in my backpack.

Horn (bass), backup reading glasses, and (backup) mouthpiece. Everything else goes in a large Gator gear bag (including stand, mutes inside protective box, PC notebook (with MobileSheets on it) and Air Turn page turner, mute stands, seat cushion, and small bag with oil, Yamsnot, mouthpiece, spray bottle, reading glasses, and other junk. My trombone case is one of the typical Chinese foam cases -- which is very protective and also light and easy to carry. It's taken me a while with the bass to get to this "one trombone case and one equipment bag" setup, and it depends very much on the size and "carry-ability" of the Gator bag.

Large tenor trombone, alto trombone (or my 3B). Collapsible Griego cleaning rod and slide-o-mix sheath, three large tenor mouthpieces and 2 alto mouthpieces, Yamasnot, spritzer, resistance balancer, rake kit, everlasting pencil.

In the trombone case? Normally, just the trombone and mouthpiece(s).

In the mute bag? Mutes, of course. Reading glasses. Lubricants. Leatherman tool. Clothes pins and wind clips. A couple spare mouthpieces. A rawhide mallet and some o-rings (needed for servicing Olds rotors).

Depends on the gig, horn, and gig bag. Beyond what others have mentioned I usually have a couple of Mighty Bright stand lights. And sometimes extra batteries and a voltmeter battery checker.
And a checkbook to pay the players who don't take PayPal or Zelle...

If I need to bring a lot of stuff I use a double gig bag which fits an Aida stand, lights (maybe several), and maybe music on the 2nd horn side.

A spare mouthpiece, cleaning rod, brass saver, couple of rags, ultrapure valve and slide oil…or maybe Yamahasnot…that’s about it.

Two mouthpieces, slide lubricant, slide oil, 3 rotor oils, water spray, cleaning gauze cloth and rod.

Just finished packing my Gard tenor trombone trolley bag for a gig this evening. Here goes, from memory: trombone stand, mic stand, iPad holder (goes on mic stand), iPad, Air duo page turner pedal, wireless mic, wireless transmitter, wireless receiver, power cord, 3B trombone, Doug mouthpiece, Yammie snot, spectacles in case, spare batteries, cash for sound tech, water spray, notebook pen, Apple stylus, hard copy of set list - rhythm - section sometimes forget, band business cards, a bag of assorted neck/bow ties that live in the bag.

In the trombone bag or case there is normally just the trombone(s) and maybe some "emergency" slide o mix.
Sometimes a backup shirt.

In the mute (or other) bag I usually have:
- A smaller bag with oils, slide o mix, fat, water spray, and that kind of stuff
- Music stand and stand light
- Some pens and pencils
- A water bottle and often some snacks
- Obviously mutes when needed
- Music and/or tablet
- Often something to read
- Smartphone charger

So nothing surprising

In the instrument case nothing else but the horn(s), the mouthpiece(s) to be used, lubricants, pencils and some cloth for wiping and polishing.

Anything but that goes into either the mute bag or eventually some other bag needed for whatever the occasion could demand (music, clothes, stands, water bottles and whatnot of necessary stuff).

[EDIT] I forgot! All of my instrument cases contain one pair of cheap - but well working and fitting for me - earplugs, in case I happen to forget to bring my molded dittos. This far I haven't had any hearing issues, and I sure intend to not get me any either. [/EDIT]

I keep a horn, mouthpiece, yamasnot, and a clip on tuner. The yamasnot is in there so I don't lose it.

ghmerrill wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2024 10:20 am [....] Everything else goes in a large Gator gear bag [....]

This sounds interesting: a dedicated gear bag! Is it something special or just a generic gear bag for something like drum stands or so?

I currently use a couple of old hockey trunks, of different sizes depending on how much I have to bring, for hauling mutes and the such, but I really could use a more compartmentalised bag, or a bag with better disposition. If I have a traveller's wardrobe for a suit, I usually throw everything else in it too, but that is not always a good solution, since I once tore a hole in a suit jacket from my trombone stand....

Do you have a picture of it, or a link?

Digidog wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2024 2:26 pm Do you have a picture of it, or a link?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T0OJJGS?re ... asin_title

The key is that it has to be wide enough to hold the (collapsed) trombone stand and also the large plastic utility box (think Dollar General) that holds all my mutes. Even loaded with all that stuff I listed, it's still not all that heavy. I used to use a similar one for hauling my tuba stuff around (including a "sit-on" tuba stand I made), but the bass trombone mute set requires even more space.

ghmerrill wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2024 7:01 pm

Digidog wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2024 2:26 pm Do you have a picture of it, or a link?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T0OJJGS?re ... asin_title

The key is that it has to be wide enough to hold the (collapsed) trombone stand and also the large plastic utility box (think Dollar General) that holds all my mutes.

Thanks!

That looks like a convenient and practical bag for the paraphernalia of a gig. I am more and more finding my hockey trunks to not be very good for packing for gigs or rehearsals, and they are not very good (ergonomic) for carrying either, so I have to find something better and this could be it.

As you say: The proposed bag has to fit certain measures and still have the right compartments to accomodate all a trombonist could pack, and since that varies from large and irregularly shaped (like stands and mutes), to small and finicky (like lubricants, tools and spare parts) the requirements of the bag get pretty specialized.

I guess it's a constant process of progressively finding equipment that is better and better suiting to what - somewhat constant - needs and demands we trombonists have.

Items currently in my bag and their mass in kg. I also weighed my wife’s stand as I sometimes carry that in my bag.

Folder
.888 kg
Desca stand
1.594
KM bone stand
1.422
Towel
.565
OFF
.134
6 windclips
.205
Plunger
.165
Standlight
.270
.071
iPad
1.348
Oils/cleaners
.522
Mouthpieces
.333

Peak stand
2.519

My trombone, polishing cloth, the King funnel shaped mouthpiece that came with the horn that I might have used twice in 20+ years, and my security team armband.

I'm surprised how little mention there is so far for things like the tiny wrenches & screwdrivers & pliers (and spare parts) you might need when something breaks or gets out of adjustment unexpectedly. My Shires slide seems to want a new spit valve spring every few years, but that's not the only thing that can go (has gone) wrong.

Doesn't take up much space but it can save your life (or at least your session).

I haven't needed a screwdriver since I stopped using a string linkage. And I can't imagine what wrenches and pliers would be used for. I guess I've considered a wrench & mallet in case my DE rim got stuck on the wrong cup. But that's never actually come up out in the field.

In 30 years, I've never had a spit valve spring fail (though sometimes Osmun would swap out the whole water key when the slide was in for maintenance).

The most common use for my Leatherman tool is tightening up the bolt on the bottom of Manhasset music stands. It's also been used to deal with the occasional overtightened screw on percussion equipment. The smallest screwdriver on my pocket multitool was probably meant for eyeglasses, but it works well for water key screws, some linkage screws, and tightening up key screws on woodwinds.

tbdana wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2024 8:40 am What kind of stuff do you keep in your trombone case/gig bag/mute bag?

Other than horns and mutes, I keep Yamasnot, a couple mouthpieces, a hand brace for my bigger horns, a polishing cloth, water bottle, and my music reading glasses.

You got anything else?

In the case proper, the horn itself, the mouthpiece(s), tools peculiar to that horn (e.g. Allen keys) and a polishing cloth.

Everything else is in or attached to the mute bag (I use a Protec bass trombone mute bag). Mutes, water bottle, Brass Saver bore brush, and floor towels are in the bag proper. Music goes in the music pocket of the mute bag. Yamasnot, water bottle, oils, tuning slide grease, pencils, erasers, Etymotic earplugs, generally used tools like little screwdrivers), etc go in the Yeti Sidekick waterproof bag attached to the Protec's handle. K&M bass trombone stand passes through the loop handles.

Mutes have to swap out depending on horn and rep. If you're using a metal cup mute and a Denis Wick or similar, you can remove the cup and store it in the bag draped over the straight. This saves a bunch of space with Tom Crown, Jo-Ral, and Denis Wick straights (and similar straights).

I do carry a small, what used to be called an ignition wrench, in my trumpet case. (From back of the good old points and condenser ignition days) The wrench fits the lock nut on my 3rd valve trigger adjustment bolt for my trumpet. Right nut on the pic. Never needed anything for my trombone. And in an instrument “emergency” I could always switch horns. I’m not locked into any horn.

All cases: Horn, mouthpiece, ergo strap where applicable, pencil, relevant oils (valves, slide, linkage), and in-bell practice mute or stand depending on the instrument.
Bass case only: A couple of small screwdrivers to tighten/loosen linkage parts in the bass trombone case.
Trumpet cases only: whatever mutes will fit in the big side pocket. Usually harmon/cup/plunger.