Mute Mod

[Big Francis]

A riff on a Chris Olka mod I saw on YouTube. I lacked the confidence in my skills to drill into my mute and still have it function propperly, so I cut a wine cork in half and epoxied it on the opposite side of the handle to keep it from rolling on me. It works well, you can tell I had it upside down initially and gravity did it's thing. . But it works well and the corks are firmly in place.

IMG_5987.jpg (98.82 KiB) Viewed 621 times

[Doc]

I need to do this also. I thought about the Olka mod, but if I don’t have to drill or do anything permanent, methinks that better in the long run.

[Big Francis]

I need to do this also. I thought about the Olka mod, but if I don’t have to drill or do anything permanent, methinks that better in the long run.

I spaced them 5 inches apart. If I were to do it again, they would be 4 or 4.5 inches apart. Right now it's just wide enough where the slightest bit of the mute touches the floor too, and if not careful, it'll clank a bit.

[Doc]

I need to do this also. I thought about the Olka mod, but if I don’t have to drill or do anything permanent, methinks that better in the long run.

I spaced them 5 inches apart. If I were to do it again, they would be 4 or 4.5 inches apart. Right now it's just wide enough where the slightest bit of the mute touches the floor too, and if not careful, it'll clank a bit.

Gotcha. What model/size is your mute?

[Big Francis]

The large Jo Ral mute

[the elephant]

I have done this to all of my mutes over the years as I have to lay them down on our risers at work. Here is my 1971 Mirafone 186 with my Denis Wick in the bell — feet circled…



This is my very early Ion Balu mute, which came with velcroed cork blocks to allow it to be fitted to different bells. Eventually, I replaced that system with my own cork blocks that were fit for one, specific tuba, and I added the little feet.

[bloke]

If it's a metal mute, couldn't y'all just smush a flat side on it?

[the elephant]

I remember seeing a few used mutes for sale at "the old place" that had been modified in like manner…