TromboneChat

I was buying a proper professional trombone recently, really exciting moment after days and days of testing and researching and note writing. At the brass shop, making payment for it: out of the corner of my eye i see this massive case standing there in the corner. The coffin thing. Must be someone brought their horn for repair. I remember feeling sorry for that case’s owner: lugging a monstrous thing like that, everyone watching…
So, i’m standing there super excited, waiting to get my new horn and leave. And the guy comes out and hands me this gigantic coffin monstrocity, like it’s normal!
I felt like a pricked balloon, with all the excitement rushing out of me…
It really felt confusing. And it’s not even an ancient horn: barely 20 years old! They really shipped their beautiful instruments in these boxes in the 21 century???

Anyway, since i don’t have another suitable case at the moment i thought to come up with a list of positives this case surely must have.

1. Defence weapon — can be wielded by a strong enough hand. It would terrify any possible attacker.
2. Portable bar stool.
3. Portable desk — if you crouch low enough it turns into a good-size desk
4. Weight-lifting — just happens naturally from carrying it around
5. Trombone fits snugly inside and won’t fall out even if the lid unexpectedly pops open in transit (happened to me once with a saxophone i just bought and was carrying from the post office. the lid flew open; had to pay for repair more than i paid for the whole damn thing.
6. The sheer size makes it fair to race double bass or drum case carriers to bus or train.
7. It also acts as a ball & chain device, making it more difficult to get distracted and stray the course (a persistent problem of mine).

So, except for number 5, all of these are a bit of a stretch. just whimsical.
Any more suggestions to keep me from burning it?
•
•
•
adding new ones here:
8. You don't have to lay it flat, like a normal case, to get trombone in & out — it could be kept vertical at all times (because of #5 above)
9. It's tough! Can withstand moderate abuse, like throwing it in rage down some stairs once or twice, to blow off steam...
° ° °

If you ever travel by air and check it, you might gain a new appreciation for sturdy cases that let you add a bit of extra internal padding.

iranzi wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 7:36 pm It really felt awful and confusing. And it’s not even an ancient horn: barely 20 years old! They really shipped their beautiful instruments in these boxes in the 21 century???

I, for one, am pleased to see that's true. When I purchased my new King 2B many decades ago (back in the 20th century!), I immediately traded up from the supplied "French case" to a rectangular "coffin case."

I carried this case around for years when the 2B was my only trombone, and still happily have (and love) the trombone and its case. Yes, it's heavy, but it comfortably carries accessories (mute, mouthpieces, lubricant, spray bottle, cleaning cloth, ...) and a bit of sheet music. It's still in great shape, and will stay with me until I stop playing the 2B. (But I confess that my other small tenor trombones live in smaller, lighter, fitted cases! )

Yup... I toss those.

heldenbone wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 7:58 pm If you ever travel by air and check it, you might gain a new appreciation for sturdy cases that let you add a bit of extra internal padding.

No, not a flyer. It's been over 15 years since last time. Next time would only be under general anaesthesia. Or in an actual coffin

Posaunus wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 8:26 pm

iranzi wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 7:36 pm It really felt awful and confusing. And it’s not even an ancient horn: barely 20 years old! They really shipped their beautiful instruments in these boxes in the 21 century???

I, for one, am pleased to see that's true. When I purchased my new King 2B many decades ago (back in the 20th century!), I immediately traded up from the supplied "French case" to a rectangular "coffin case."

I carried this case around for years when the 2B was my only trombone, and still happily have (and love) the trombone and its case. Yes, it's heavy, but it comfortably carries accessories (mute, mouthpieces, lubricant, spray bottle, cleaning cloth, ...) and a bit of sheet music. It's still in great shape, and will stay with me until I stop playing the 2B. (But I confess that my other small tenor trombones live in smaller, lighter, fitted cases! )

Yes, spare room! You absolutely right, i can fit about half of my belongings in there!

btw, your trombone collection is just great! i'm also looking forward to exploring all the various types and makes. And the mouthpieces... a whole unexplored continent for me!

Cleaned it, put in missing rivets, removed cobwebs in the lid's corners, treated moldy patches on the fake leather inside. It's a beauty!
I'm head & shoulder above the rest now, walking with this thing in hand.

iranzi wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:32 pm Cleaned it, put in missing rivets, removed cobwebs in the lid's corners, treated moldy patches on the fake leather inside. It's a beauty!
I'm head & shoulder above the rest now, walking with this thing in hand.

With room enough for everything you need for a 2- to 3-day trip!

heldenbone wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2024 7:58 pm If you ever travel by air and check it, you might gain a new appreciation for sturdy cases that let you add a bit of extra internal padding.

was also curious about your picture, had to look it up, turns out it's the conductor in front of this trombone firing squad — at first I thought it's the the spectator, like here: |
...which is completely not like real world. real world is the opposite: there is a lone trombonist pissing themselves with fear in front of rows of unarmed spectators who do NOTHING, just glare...

but a conductor makes sense, i approve

Also discovered the artist — Jiří Slíva, born in Czechoslovakia, still about and doing fine.
Formerly a musician and he's got more trombones: is this what i think it is? trombone a stand-in for shotgun?

Cool research. Thanks.