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Trombone Lamps

The first lamp I ever made was a trombone lamp, and our son has played trombone for many years, so this is still my favorite type of lamp to make, even though it takes a lot more time than most other kinds.  I think the torchiere trombone table lamp is very unique and establishes a balance between style and functionality, showing the instrument off while providing useful mood lighting.

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This trombone lamp was commissioned by a nice lady (a trumpet player) as a 2008 Christmas present for her 80-yr-old friend (a former trombone player).  The instrument is a 1937 Olds that was provided by the buyer.  The base is solid oak.  I took photos of it in two locations in my house ... in the corner of the kitchen and atop the piano.

I received this note from her on New Year's Day:

"Hello and Happy New Year, Greg! I finally got to give my friend the lamp on Tuesday, and she loves it! She already has picked out a spot for it in her music room and is quite happy to have such a unique gift! So, job well done for both of us! All the best for 2009 and hopefully there will be a "trumpet" lamp request sometime in your future! Thanks again for your careful attention to detail and design."

I donated this lamp to the Jazz Friends of UMKC to sell at their annual Jazz and BBQ in the fall of 2007.  The base is made from African Coralwood (also called padauk ... what you see in the photos is its natural color), and the trombone is a brand new imported model that Geremy assured me is perfect for this purpose.  I also included a touch lamp controller and a 50W halogen bulb.

This is a trombone lamp completed in Aug 2005 from an old Cleveland bell section that I found on eBay.  It is silver plated, but has tarnished to a very antique-looking patina.  I mounted it bell-down, and routed the pull chain through the side tube for added interest.  In Mar-Apr 2007 I turned a new base for it out of a cool piece of ambrosia maple.  This one is residing in the den next to my PC.

This trombone lamp was made in Dec 2004 and is an old silver-plated model with an oak base ... it now belongs to our son Geremy.  It is very similar in design to my first trombone lamp.

And here is my very first lamp: a trombone lamp completed ~March 2004 which resides in our living room.  It is still one of my favorites.  The trombone is a vintage Olds trombone which had developed a beautiful orange patina.  The bulb is a 50W halogen.  The base is solid oak with a simple brass switch.  (Note: I found a mouthpiece for it after I took this photo ... one of these days I will get around to taking a new photo of it.)

    

Tips for making your own ... I haven't had a chance to post any tips specific to trombones yet, but you can check out the clarinet and trumpet pages for some general purpose tips.

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