|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
K&M Folding Tripod Stool with optional Backrest and Footrest for Double Bass Players The Folding Tripod Stool looks really comfy. Can you tell me a little bit about it please? Yes - the Folding Tripod Stool has been made especially for bass players. It's extremely comfy, extremely well made, very sturdy and adjustable to every size and shape of player imaginable. Where is the Folding Tripod Stool made? The Folding Tripod Stool is made in Germany by a company called König & Meyer. The company was founded in 1949 and is a specialist in the manufacture of high quality stands, hardware and accessories for the music industry. The company currently (Sept 2010) employs in the region of 260 highly skilled people in its own factories and uses state-of-the art technology to produce approximately 1000 products consisting of almost 25 000 component parts. Wow - that is pretty amazing. Can you tell me a little bit about the production facilities and equipment? Yes the scale of the production facilities in Wertheim is simply awesome. New products are designed using the latest generation CAD (computer-aided design) computers, metal parts are cut out using the latest laser tube-cutting machines, parts are uniformly welded together using precision programmable welding robots and modern injection moulding machines produce nearly every kind of thermoplastic. Tell me more. There are CNC (computed numerically controlled) operated hydraulic presses with a pressing power of up to 63 tons, CNC operated lathes, CNC operated milling and turning machines, wire cutting machines and electro-erosion machines. The company even has its own on-site tool shop, its own nickel and chrome plating plant, its own powder-coating plant where parts are electro statically coated by airbrushes and its own assembly plant. I guess that modern equipment and plant has many benefits. Yes indeed. The more than impressive facilities allow products to be made much quicker, much more precisely and in a highly flexible and environmentally friendly manner. Let's get onto the Folding Tripod Stool. What is it made from? The Folding Tripod Stool is built from high quality components and built to last the entire length of a player's career. All the tubes are made from steel finished in a black epoxy-resin powder coating. The padded seat-piece is covered in black leatherette. I see that a Footrest and a padded Backrest can be fitted to the Folding Tripod Stool. Are these optional extras? Yes. Both the footrest and backrest can be purchased separately. Can you tell me about the padded triangular seat piece? Yes indeed. The triangular seat-piece has been ergonomically designed to maximize comfort. The smooth contours of the cut away sections help prevent any restriction or loss of circulation in your upper-leg / thigh areas. Does this mean that my concert trousers or dress will feel less sweaty too? Yes exactly. Besides an unrestricted blood flow - a free circulation of air around your upper-leg / thigh area will ensure greater sitting and playing comfort. How do I adjust the stool? For making height adjustments or for un-folding the stool - there are nice user-friendly screw/pull-out knobs. If fitted - the backrest adjusts for both height and depth - and by rotating the seat-piece - you can get the position of the footrest - if fitted - absolutely perfect. When folding the stool down for transportation purposes - the exercise is quick, easy and painless. You can leave the seat on or take it off, the tripod feet fold down, the footrest folds up, the backrest comes off. That's it - you're already to go. What is the height range of the Folding Tripod Stool? The seat tube has 13 positional holes drilled at 25mm intervals along its length. This equates to a huge flexibility in height adjustment and means that the top of the seat has a range of height from 61.0cm to 91.0cm above floor level. This in turn means that the Folding Tripod Stool is suitable for anybody from the very smallest of players to those of absolutely gargantuan height. Does the Folding Tripod Stool have good floor protectors? Yes indeed it does. In order to cushion the stool, prevent damage to floor surfaces and eliminate any noise when it is being used or moved - the ends of the tripod feet are well-clad in heavy duty, UV resistant rubber floor-protectors. How comfy is the Backrest? Support for your lower back is paramount for a good posture. The nicely padded backrest that can be purchased to go along with the Folding Tripod Stool is highly adjustable for both height and depth. In those moments when you find yourself counting bars rest in rehearsal - its just sooo nice to sit back a bit on the seat and relax. I'm a pretty big chap. Just how adjustable is the Backrest? To fit the backrest onto the seat-piece - the curved end of the backrest tube is slotted into a bracket at the bottom of the seat-piece. The backrest is then secured in place by a threaded tightening-knob which can be inserted into either of two compatible holes that are positioned at the end of the seat-piece bracket. As the two holes are spaced 28mm apart this provides an initial adjustability figure of 28mm in distance. In addition to this however - there is a slot of 48mm cut into the seat piece bracket that allows a further adjustment of approximately 42mm. This equates to a huge flexibility in depth adjustment and means that the centre of the back rest can be adjusted from being in line with the back of the seat piece to approximately 70mm away from the back of the seat-piece. Ok - that's absolutely fantastic. How adjustable is the Backrest cushion height? To fit the backrest cushion onto the backrest tube the small threaded rod on the back of the backrest is slotted through the slot at the upper section of the backrest tube. The small oblong (60 x 55mm) securing bracket with a hole in the middle is placed over the rod and secured in the desired position with the screw action tightening-knob. The slot in the back of the backrest tube is 140mm long - which allowing for the 8mm diameter of the threaded rod allows a flexibility in height adjustment of 132mm. In real terms this means that the lowest extremity of the backrest can be adjusted from approximately 78mm to 210mm above the back of the stool. In simple terms this means that the backrest is perfect for all ages and every physical stature of player.
One last question about the Backrest. What is it finished in? The backrest is finished in a black leatherette that matches the finish of the seat-piece. What about the Footrest. Will that add to my comfort? Its always nice to have a footrest on a bass stool. The one that can be purchased to go along with the Folding Tripod Stool will certainly provide many more options for sitting comfortably when playing and for relaxing when counting bars rest at rehearsal. Is the Footrest adjustable too? The footrest is fitted by means of two fixing clips that clamp round the central tube of the tripod base. In order to allow the tripod base to fold down completely for either storage or transport - the footrest has to be positioned in between the two leg brackets when the legs are in the folded position. This will provide an adjustment range of approximately 70mm and a height in real terms of approximately 260mm - 330mm above ground level. For nearly all players requiring a footrest - this range of height will be absolutely perfect. For the player who just wants to keep the stool in one location or in situ then the footrest can be sited anywhere on the central tube above the fully extended bottom bracket. What holds the fixing bracket in place? The footrest is supplied with two fixing clips, three carriage bolts, three washers, three lock nuts and a hexagonal tightening wrench. Are fitting instructions are supplied with the Footrest? Yes. The fitting instructions are in English, French and German and include expanded assembly diagrams that are easy to understand and follow. I'm not great at DIY. If I purchase the footrest at the same time as I purchase the Folding Tripod Stool will you fit it for me? Yes. The tripod base folds down to such a compact size even with the footrest fitted. How is this possible? The back of each of the three legs is hollow. When the legs of the tripod base are closed together the bottom struts of the lower bracket fold upwards and slot neatly and discreetly inside the leg chambers. If you are at all interested in engineering - take a look at how this works - because it is very, very nice. When folding the legs of a stool that has been fitted with a foot rest - the rear of the fixing bracket also slots into one of the leg recesses. Are there any guarantees? Yes. The high standard of quality is reflected in the fact that manufacture provides a three-year guarantee on any material and product defects. Can I try a stool out before I buy one? We use these superbly made stools ourselves. If you would like to pop in and try one out before you buy - you would be most welcome. The coffee pot is always on. I do understand and appreciate the importance of being comfy when I play. Can you give me a final resume? We bass players all know far too well that there's nothing worse than turning up to a rehearsal or gig as a dep or extra and having to use a borrowed stool. They are invariably too high, too low or just downright uncomfy. You find yourself fidgeting about throughout the session trying to compensate by raising your spike a bit and ten minutes later by pushing it back in again. You find it so hard to concentrate on what the conductor is saying and you keep looking at your watch praying that the fifteen minute break will come early so that you can jump off the dammed stool and run for the teas. Ahhh... what relief. Halfway through the second half of the rehearsal when your left foot starts to get cramp, and both the upper shoulder of your bowing arm and your lower back feel a bit sore you wonder if things could get any worse. Just at that point you are aware of a voice calling out at the number four bass player. Wait a minute - that's you. The conductor is talking to you. Yes - he is talking to you and he doesn't look too happy. "Is the No 4 bass player a member of this orchestra -because if he is - he doesn't appear to be playing from the same music as the rest of us." ALL the other musicians stare at you. There is complete silence and you feel all hot and flushed. If only you'd bothered to bring your very own Folding Tripod Stool. How about a final verdict? This really is the best, most comfortable, most well designed, most well made - bass stool on the market. Tony Houska - Director of The Contrabass Shoppe comments "We all know that a double bass is a pretty awkward instrument to play. If you practice or rehearse each day for any length of time - then being comfortable with a good posture is absolutely paramount to a relaxed body and a focused mental attitude. Once you've invested in one of these Folding Tripod Stools - you'll ask yourself why you didn't do it five years earlier. Playing really does become much more pleasurable. You only need buy this stool once". Stats: General: Weight: Folded measurements (Max): Unfolded measurements: Seat-piece measurements (Max): Height range of seat from floor: Backrest measurements (Max): Footrest measurements (Max):
|
