Klarinet Archive - Posting 000743.txt from 1997/09

From: "David C. Blumberg" <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: re:Subject: Thumbrests & neck straps
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 03:02:03 -0400

Try raising your thumbrest to have the Index finger even with your thumb -
it reduces the thumb strain greatly. Have a competent repair man do it, and
make sure that he taps the screw holes.

David C. Blumberg

Date: Sun, 14 Sep 1997 22:23:17 -0400
From: Mark Charette <charette@-----.com>
Subject: Thumbrests & neck straps

I'm experiencing numbness in my right thumb after an hour
or so of practice (it's been getting a little worse recently),
but no pain.

I'm thinking of
1) using a neckstrap to take the strain off of my thumb
2) using a Bay adjustable thumbrest (I tried one out at
ClarinetFest and it *seemed* comfortable
3) using a Kooiman thumbrest

I figure the numbness is telling me something (I'm probably
compressing a nerve in there) and I don't want to have any
physical problems, especially since I'm a beginner on the
clarinet.

We've had discussions on neckstraps previously, along with
Kooiman thumbrest recently. Any real-life experiences with the
Bay?

Money for the equipment isn't a real object; I value my
health more than my wallet (and my medical insurance
deductable for hand surgery is more than the Kooiman would
cost!)
- --
Mark Charette "How can you be in two places at once
charette@-----.com when you're not anywhere at all?"
http://sneezy.mika.com/clarinet - Firesign Theater