slipping Ergobone

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sf105
Posts: 456
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:28 pm

slipping Ergobone

Post by sf105 »

I use an Ergobone on my contra which makes it playable for me. The catch is that the clamp keeps slipping along both axes, so I'm constantly adjusting it back.

Is this just a fact of life or has someone found a solution?

Thx all,

S
timothy42b
Posts: 1799
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 5:51 am

Re: slipping Ergobone

Post by timothy42b »

I have a borrowed one at the moment due to some wrist pain. (I also added a Maiocco and a Neotech, and each works well on some days.)

Anyway, they come with some kind of soft shim that fits between the clamp and the horn. As the ones that fit mine were lost long ago, I improvised by cutting some exercise band material to size and wrapping. You need enough to create the friction and fill the space. These things come in different thicknesses, about 6 inches wide and 5 feet long, and a 3 pack will run about $10 USD.

Worth a try anyway.
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Sesquitone
Posts: 274
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2022 12:26 pm

Re: slipping Ergobone

Post by Sesquitone »

sf105 wrote: Fri Jun 26, 2026 3:34 am I use an Ergobone on my contra which makes it playable for me. The catch is that the clamp keeps slipping along both axes, so I'm constantly adjusting it back.

Is this just a fact of life or has someone found a solution?

Thx all,

S
The thumb-screw knob for the clamp onto the instrument is way too small for the necessary tightening. Use a small strap-wrench. It should be tight enough so that you can (just) rotate the instrument—but without "slippage". The clamp on the support rod (for the bottom of the long spring) should be adjusted so that the mouthpiece "floats" naturally near your embouchure—allowing slight vertical adjustments.
brassmedic
Posts: 1399
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2018 12:07 pm

Re: slipping Ergobone

Post by brassmedic »

timothy42b wrote: Fri Jun 26, 2026 6:49 am I have a borrowed one at the moment due to some wrist pain. (I also added a Maiocco and a Neotech, and each works well on some days.)

Anyway, they come with some kind of soft shim that fits between the clamp and the horn. As the ones that fit mine were lost long ago, I improvised by cutting some exercise band material to size and wrapping. You need enough to create the friction and fill the space. These things come in different thicknesses, about 6 inches wide and 5 feet long, and a 3 pack will run about $10 USD.

Worth a try anyway.
Mine has a short section of plastic tubing with a slit cut in it. I got it used, but I think that's what they came with originally.

I've never had a problem with it "slipping". Even if it did slide, there is a brace at the top end of the cork barrel, and a raised ring at the bottom of the cork barrel, so there's no place for it to slip to. As for rotating in the other axis, I'm still holding the instrument, so I can easily stop it from rotating. The ergobone just relieves me from supporting the weight of the instrument. I don't think I would want it held so rigidly in place that it can't rotate at all. So I haven't experienced this problem. Is it different for Contra?
Brad Close Brass Instruments - brassmedic.com
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Burgerbob
Posts: 6216
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:10 pm

Re: slipping Ergobone

Post by Burgerbob »

On contra, it's a bummer when the horn starts to "fall" to the left. It's a lot of muscle use to hold it there even if you're not holding up the entire horn. My old horn constantly did that.

A more grippy rubber insert would help a lot.
Aidan Ritchie, LA area player and teacher
sf105
Posts: 456
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:28 pm

Re: slipping Ergobone

Post by sf105 »

I think what I really want is something like a neotech, which has a structured clamp for the corkbarrels, and the Ergobone stick. Friction isn't really enough.
Kbiggs
Posts: 1708
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 11:46 am

Re: slipping Ergobone

Post by Kbiggs »

When I’ve used the ergobone in the past, I’ve placed a piece of rubber or vinyl between the clamp and the cork barrel. This rubber spacer adds friction, and adds space to allow the clamp to hold the instrument.

FWIW, I’ve also replaced the leather or cork washer/bushing at the hinge end.
Kenneth Biggs
I have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.
—Mark Twain (attributed)
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elmsandr
Posts: 1327
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 2:43 pm

Re: slipping Ergobone

Post by elmsandr »

Wasn’t there somebody here that designed a 3D printed attachment that clipped on easily? I seem to remember it looking like the maiocco grip attachment, but made to go on the ergo bone shaft.

Cheers,
Andy
AtomicClock
Posts: 899
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:01 pm

Re: slipping Ergobone

Post by AtomicClock »

This one, with broken links?
viewtopic.php?p=91950
Hey, @hyperbolica, do you still have the stl files?
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