Because the contrabass bugle can get in the way of commonly worn headgear, such as a shako, it is not uncommon for contrabass players to wear a beret instead of whatever else the rest of the ensemble is wearing for headgear.
Due to the contrabass bugle's large size, it often interferes with the wearing of typical headgear like a shako. As a result, contrabass players frequently opt for a beret as an alternative head covering.