TromboneChat

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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