TromboneChat

Hi Guys,

My first post here...

I have a Holton TR181 bass trom. I've got a slipped disc so holding the bone is pretty impossible due to its weight and I couldn't play for 6 months.. So, I've just got an Ergobone which is wonderful and it allows me to start playing again..

... however I've got an issue. After a couple of minutes playing the weight of the bell section causes the 'bone to slowly rotate anti-clockwise within the Ergobone clamp so that eventually the mouthpiece is out of line with my mouth and the plug linkages are pressing into my neck.

I've tried cleaning the bone and clamp and sandpapering the surface of the nylon insert (the bit of garden hose?) but that makes no difference.

Anybody out there use an Ergobone have this problem?

Cheers

Mine has a felt covering and no problem with slipping, maybe try to remove the nylon & replace with cork or thin rubber of some kind.

Eric

Thanks Eric

Hmmm, cork sounds like a good idea. Where about is the felt on yours? Around the inside of the clamp?

Cheers,

Samopn

Yes, inside the clamp.

Thanks... I'll have to raid my wife's sewing box then

S

I find myself using a bit of force to keep the horn at that angle. Both my bass and contra like to fall to the left after a while.

I replaced the inner felt on one of my Ergobones with leather, and another with cork. Both compressed over time. I eventually ended up using a small piece of rubber sheet (about 1” x 1.5”) inserted between the clamp and the cork barrel. This prevented swivel in the clamp, and I was able to tighten the clamp sufficiently to hold it in place at the appropriate slide angle.

Glad this isn't just me.

The bit about using a small piece of rubber sheeting (thanks Kbiggs) got me thinking. I'm going to buy a pair of rubber washing-up gloves and cut out the fingers to use one under the insert (that is, around the actual trombone tubing) and one under the clamp. I'll let you know how I get on.

It's a shame that Ergobrass didn't design something in for this issue.... other than that it's a great piece of kit.

Samopn

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Hi guys,

Well, I'm a genius (ha! ). The cut-fingers-out-of-a-washing-up-glove solution works perfectly. Just a tiny bit of "give" so you feel in control but the 'bone didn't move from where I put through a whole hour's worth of practising.

Obviously need to see how it copes in the next orchestra and swing band rehersals next week when I'll not be thinking about it, but so far I'm pretty confident.

I've ordered some cork tape just in case.

I used a piece of a rubber bicycle innertube wrapped around the horn where the ergo bone clamps on. Just use a piece of tape to hold it so it doesn't slip off. Want to make sure that there's enough there so you can tighten it enough to not slip.