Bucket Mute Choice

[WGWTR180]

I need to do a recording soon using my TR 180 with the 10 inch bell flare(technically 9 and 7/8"). I'm a big fan of the Stone Lined bucket but the clips really stretch out to accommodate the flare. Any other choices out there for the larger flares? FWIW I'd use my TR 180 with the 9 and 1/2" inch flare but it's in the shop. Thanks.

[BGuttman]

I like the sound of the SofTone mute draped over the bell. It's blended OK with genuine Stone Line players.

I also have a Stone Line bucket for my bass with a broken tab (only 3 work). It slips over the bell and might do in a pinch. Works sorta like the EZ-Bucket.

[hyperbolica]

EZ bucket. I bought them for a couple different sizes of my horns. Sound good. Easy to use, durable, don't hurt the horn, and they're light. And did I mention cheap?

[WGWTR180]

EZ bucket. I bought them for a couple different sizes of my horns. Sound good. Easy to use, durable, don't hurt the horn, and they're light. And did I mention cheap?

I'll check these out. I have one of those JoRal plug in buckets. Holy #####! SO freakin' heavy!!!

[Posaunus]

EZ bucket. I bought them for a couple different sizes of my horns. Sound good. Easy to use, durable, don't hurt the horn, and they're light. And did I mention cheap?

I'll check these out. I have one of those JoRal plug in buckets. Holy #####! SO freakin' heavy!!!

Holy #####! SO freakin' heavy!!! True enough. The Jo-Rals are good, but they weigh a ton!

It's actually Eazy Bucket. They are very nice - but you must have a different mute for each bell diameter. Now $65 each for bass trombones:
https://www.theeazybucket.com/

I have two Eazy Buckets for my tenor trombones (8" & 8½"). For my bass, I use a Neoprene Softone mute. Very convenient; very lightweight; fits in the case.

[tctb]

Plus one for softone mute.
Did you realize that you can easily make your own from some thick cotton and some toy felt?
I asked my wife to make one for me when I saw the cost of getting one to the UK. It works well and as it was made to measure it is a perfect fit!

[bbocaner]

I really like these, and they come in all sorts of sizes

https://soulomute.com/product/bass-trom ... cket-mute/

[JohnL]

Another vote for the Eazy Bucket.

It's not too heavy, on/off is simple, fast, and reliable - and it sounds like a bucket mute.

The old ones tended to have issues with the "ears" breaking off; the new ones use a different material, and I haven't heard any complaints.

[baileyman]

In the rare case you're playing for someone who cares what a bucketed trombone sounds like, you need a bucket-like thing. Otherwise, anything in front of the bell works. Even a beret made of neoprene foam then works.

[CalgaryTbone]

I have a few different buckets here. The Softone is very convenient, and sounds OK, but it messes with the response of the horn, especially up high. JoRal is heavy, but convenient for quick changes - sound is better than Softone, but is bit distinct from other buckets. The Easy Bucket and Soulo are quite similar in quality - both have a really nice sound. I slightly prefer the sound of the Soulo, and the convenience of the Easy Bucket but they are very good on both fronts. The H & B are the "classic" sound, but are a pain in the a** to add/remove.

The weight of the JoRal and the H & B could be a big issue for a player on a show. etc. A few minutes of arm strain could become an issue with 8 shows a week. Alan Rath once told me a story about helping another Bass Trombonist friend make a homemade bucket out of the bottom of a plastic Clorox Bleach bottle when the player was having tendonitis issues.

Jim Scott

[baileyman]

I made a bunch of buckets out of chilled buffet style food service buckets and molded the sides into Easy Bucket style hooks. Light, good sounding, cheap. The only problem is sizing them to to fit different bell diameters. I still keep about six of these in a bag I can take to a big band to get that matched authentic bucket sound, if we ever have big bands again...

[Bonearzt]

I need to do a recording soon using my TR 180 with the 10 inch bell flare(technically 9 and 7/8"). I'm a big fan of the Stone Lined bucket but the clips really stretch out to accommodate the flare. Any other choices out there for the larger flares? FWIW I'd use my TR 180 with the 9 and 1/2" inch flare but it's in the shop. Thanks.

I modified my HB bucket to use only 3 clips, MUCH easier to handle!!!!!


I had a Jo-Ral bucket, but didn't like the weight and not really happy with the sound. Pulling a BUNCH of the stuffing out helped with the sound, but not the weight.


Eric

[FOSSIL]

Ah Bill...you should have said a while back. When I was in college a zillion years ago, I made a batch of bucket mutes...I still use one to this day. A few years back one of my closest bass bone buddies died...he asked me to deal with his gear when he went. In among a pile of mutes I found a well worn bucket...the one I had given him back in the seventies.....couldn't have been that bad....

Chris

[BurckhardtS]

I always vote Softone half-on for bucket. Easy to put on fast, doesn't fall off...

[Posaunus]

It's not just a matter of picking the "best" bucket mute for yourself. You must also blend with the section.

I play (or at least did until the pandemic hit us a year ago) in three big bands - bass trombone in one band, lead in another, alternate between lead / second in the third. In the first two (with stable personnel in the section), we have reached a mutual agreement to all use Softone mutes. They sound(ed) great together - and the look is consistent too. When we return to playing, I'll lobby for the same consensus for the third band (though occasional substitutes make this a bit more difficult).

[Thrawn22]

I use a tenor jo-ral bucket for bass, though i like how the stoneline sounds.

[quiethorn]

I tried the Softone and didn't care for it. It didn't sound very bucket-ish to me, and the "practice mute" aspect didn't seem to mute the sound at all and made for bad intonation. I sent mine back.

For the money, my Flexifit wool cap draped over the bell and clipped with a clothespin gives a really good bucket sound. It also doubles as a hat. I have the navy blue one. Not sure if other colors affect the sound.
https://www.amazon.com/Flexfit-Yupoong- ... B073DWQS5N

[Kevbach33]

I'm all about "the sound." To me, only Humes & Berg has it. And, I'm not one that complains too much about the relative difficulty of getting it on the bell.

For Holton and other large bell basses, if you want a H&B, get the 172D which has longer clips. It's much easier to put it on compared to a 172B with the tabs bent out.

Second choice would probably be the Eazy Bucket as mentioned above.

[WGWTR180]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and feedback! Great advice from everyone. I've been playing for years now and I've probably investigated almost every mouthpiece and instrument throughout the years. Funny how I didn't know that some manufacturers offer them in different sizes!! I guess I just got lucky when I ordered the bucket mute years ago. How did I not know this??????

[WGWTR180]

Ah Bill...you should have said a while back. When I was in college a zillion years ago, I made a batch of bucket mutes...I still use one to this day. A few years back one of my closest bass bone buddies died...he asked me to deal with his gear when he went. In among a pile of mutes I found a well worn bucket...the one I had given him back in the seventies.....couldn't have been that bad....

Chris

Chris I should've guessed that if anyone made a bucket mute it would've been you! Maybe a pic one day would be great as I'd love to see what you came up with.
Bill

[FOSSIL]

Here it is with almost 50 years of use behind it.

[CalgaryTbone]

I like Chris's bucket! It reminds me that there is another type of bucket out there that I don't own, but have seen. I think Tools for Winds (maybe also another maker) makes a bucket that looks like the lower part of the above mute, but instead of clips for the bell, there are 3 or 4 metal strips that are connected to the bucket part and then bent and come together to connect to a circular piece covered with cork at the top. Imagine removing a bunch of the metal from the JoRal, so that there are just thin strips left to connect the bucket part to the part that inserts in the bell. Much lighter weight version, that inserts into the bell for quicker changes. I think on those mutes, the lower part is made of material closer to the H&B, so the sound would also be closer to that mute.

Jim Scott

[FOSSIL]

You are right Jim, The Peter Gane (a copy of the Lee mute) is just like that. I preferred the security of the clip myself but the Gane works with any size of bell flare.

Chris

[bassclef]

Several years ago, I tried real hard to track down one of those Peter Gane buckets, but I couldn't do it.

I did find one with a very similar design, which is the reason I wanted the Gane, made by McLean. It's all plastic, very light and sounds almost exactly like the H&B's. There's also no worries at all about it getting roughed up in your mute bag. Seems like they are (were?) pretty popular in the UK.

[CalgaryTbone]

Cool That's one of the one's that I saw somewhere before - Tools for Winds is another, and I had forgotten the Gane mute until Chris mentioned it. I think that's a smart design!

Jim Scott

[FOSSIL]

Cool That's one of the one's that I saw somewhere before - Tools for Winds is another, and I had forgotten the Gane mute until Chris mentioned it. I think that's a smart design!

Jim Scott

The original version of that design was by Jim Lee. He retired and Peter Gane took on the designs, getting someone to make them...Don Maslett was one sub contractor. He started making them in his own name. There you have it.
The one drawback is that most people tend to twist them into the bell to secure them. Eventually the arms and the bucket come apart.

Chris

[marccromme]

"the sound." To me, only Humes & Berg has it. - right. Totally agree.

The H & B are the "classic" sound, but are a pain in the a** to add/remove. - wrong. Read on ...

And with a small modification, using flat pliers and 4 clear plastic tubes, you can make even swifter mute changes than with the Jo-Ral.

The trick is to bend the clips so much outwards such that they do pass the bell without resistance, and then bend 80 degrees inwards in the groove. And protect the ends with clear plastic tube from scratching the bell.

Like this:

How do you get all 4 clips over the bell then ??? You don't. Either you hang it on 2 clips over the bell and let it rest with 2 clips inside the bell, or you hang it over 3 clips and let one rest inside.

Like this:
And this:

The fastest bucket change ever!!!

[baileyman]

Nice mod.

[WGWTR180]

These latest posts are great! Thanks for contributing.

[CalgaryTbone]

Nice mod.

Agreed! Good idea!

Jim Scott

[marccromme]

Nice mod.

Agreed! Good idea!
Jim Scott

Thanks! I am the one in my Big Band with the fastest bucket change, can do it faster than a straight or cup mute. I rest the mutes on my lap when I have little time.

I did sandpaper the corks of my straight and cup mute for perfect fit, and grease them now and then. So they move into place without squeak easily and fast. And sit better, as they cant wiggle out. lFitting and greasing saves time too.

[bellend]

Personally , I like these .....
https://www.theeazybucket.com/


BellEnd

[GabrielRice]

Hi Bill, I like the EZ Bucket too. I bought one for a solo piece that was written for me, and I found it had problems up around G above middle C, but I was able to solve it by putting some gaffers tape over the holes.

[Fridge]

Hey Bill, I use a Soulo bucket now. Kinda heavy, but clips on really easy. It’s adjustable also..

Eddie Clark

[Finetales]

I use a tenor jo-ral bucket for bass, though i like how the stoneline sounds.

Same here.

Interestingly, I ended up with two Jo-Ral tenor buckets, and one ended up working significantly better on bass (but borderline unusable on tenor) than the other, despite both being the same tenor model. I have a tenor Stonelined as well, and I'll be glad to use that should the need ever arise.

[WGWTR180]

Hi Bill, I like the EZ Bucket too. I bought one for a solo piece that was written for me, and I found it had problems up around G above middle C, but I was able to solve it by putting some gaffers tape over the holes.

Thanks Gabe!

[WGWTR180]

Hey Bill, I use a Soulo bucket now. Kinda heavy, but clips on really easy. It’s adjustable also..

Eddie Clark

Thanks Eddie!

[muschem]

Back in college, I had one of the JoRal buckets. Loved the sound, but not a huge fan of the size or weight. Years later, as I'm rebuilding my chops, I've been enjoying all the nice options available now. I looked at a few options, but the easy on/off of the EazyBucket sold me, and the sound samples I heard were good. I was interested in the leather option, but not sure about added weight vs plastic. Kevin at EazyBucket weighed them out and for an 8" size, the difference in material weight is not very large. For those interested, at that diameter, the plastic comes in around 7.8 oz (~221 grams) and the leather is 8.6 oz (~243 grams). The website doesn't list sizes larger than 7.5" for the leather option, but Kevin can make them bigger to fit different size bells. I received my leather EazyBucket in the mail yesterday. The weight is much better than what I recall of the JoRal (that beast has to be 10 oz or more... wish I had one around to weigh), and I really dig the sound.