Klarinet Archive - Posting 001132.txt from 1999/05

From: "Pat Hamilton" <pcham@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re neckstrap
Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 16:32:33 -0400

The lyre around the middle joint is an economical solution, but I prefer my
clarinet to balance a bit lower, where my thumb has held it for more years
than I'll admit! Recent nerve damage has forced me to use neck straps on
my Eb, A, and Bb clarinets. The Eb was a crisis situation, since no way
can I rest it on my knee! My clarinet technician soddered a smooth "o" ring
on top of each thumb rest for $25 each, so that I could attach a sax hook
neck strap, since the slit kind once slipped off during an almost-solo
passage with a resulting burst of squeaky air! Never again, I
vowed--although several of my students use the slits successfully. You
can't sodder plastic, but I wonder if a plastic solvant such as acetone
would "glue" an "o" to the thumb rest of the clarinet in question. On the
Bb and A, Fred was able to sodder the "o" right between the two screws
holding the thumb rest to the clarinet, running vertically. This leaves
me my regular thumb rest with its smooth cork pad for cushion and also
enough room to use another cushion over it--though I find I don't need
additional padding with so much of the pressure off my thumb, so have never
bothered putting the rubber tubing back over it! In fact, I've lost the
dent in my thumb and a constant hangnail on the site in the year that I've
played this way! I also find that I prefer a non-elastic strap, since the
elastic didn't last long with all the playing I do! Pat

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