Klarinet Archive - Posting 000791.txt from 1997/09

From: Gary Young <gyoung@-----.com>
Subj: RE: Thumbrests & neck straps
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 03:02:51 -0400

Mark--

Are you using a thumb rest cushion? I like the Yamaha, with an off-center
slot for the thumb rest, so you have two thicknesses. This might well not
solve the problem, but at $6.75 (IMS) it's a cheaper solution than the
Kooiman, so you might try it out first.

Good luck,

Gary Young
Madison, Wisconsin

----------
From: Mark Charette[SMTP: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