 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: marcia
Date: 2013-04-01 17:28
A couple or three years ago I tried the Kooiman Etude 2. It did not work for me at all. The hook was not adjustable relative to the mount, and I suspected it could have worked if that adjustment had been possible. I have just discovered that the Etude 3 is available, and the hook is adjustable. (I believe the etude 1 had the adjustable feature and I was puzzled as to why it had been removed.) Has anyone experienced this new version? I am tempted to try again, but a little hesitant to lay out more money for something unknown.
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-04-01 18:41
Yes the hook and thumb rest are adjustable with respect to the mounting plate. However, they cannot be adjusted relative to each other (ie. hook and rest are a single unit). I believe they have another "professional" model which does separate the hook from the thumb rest.
Tristan
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2013-04-01 20:09
Taras12 wrote:
> I believe they have another "professional" model which does separate the
> hook from the thumb rest.
>
You are correct. The Kooiman "Maestro 2" has this functionality. Unfortunately it also sells for $275+ . We had a thread about this thumbrest around a year ago if you check the archives. IIRC the problem at that time was that nobody had them in stock but quick google check shows that they are in stock at a few places now.
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Author: marcia
Date: 2013-04-01 23:29
>Yes the hook and thumb rest are adjustable with respect to the mounting >plate. However, they cannot be adjusted relative to each other (ie. hook and >rest are a single unit).
This describes version 2, not version 3 to which I am referring.
From the Kooiman web site:
New features: 1) The Etude3 has a new metal hook covered with soft rubber and a casing with improved ergonomics.
2) The hook is adjustable in height as well.
From the pdf file of the instruction sheet:
3. The hook can be adjusted up
(for larger hands) and down (for
smaller hands and thinner
fingers) with the screw at the
bottom of the case (4)
This suggests to me that the hook and thumb rest are in fact adjustable relative to each other in the Etude 3. There is also a picture showing the above mentioned screw.
Has anyone tried the Etude version 3?
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-04-02 00:11
The predecessor to the Etude 3 was made entirely of plastic, and there were complaints that it broke easily. The new model has a metal core and may last longer, but there's no way to know until reports come in. Like the expensive model, it requires that you remove the original rest and mount a receiving plate on the clarinet body.
Neck straps are cheap, and both Ricardo Morales and Mark Nuccio use them. Your knee is free.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-04-03 02:53
I've ordered the Etude 3. I should have it by Friday and will let you know how I like it.
Ken Shaw wrote:
> Neck straps are cheap, and both Ricardo Morales and Mark Nuccio
> use them. Your knee is free.
What strap seems the best? I've tried a couple at the music store and they seem awkward. Like anything, it probably takes some getting used to.
Tristan
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Author: Jbosacki
Date: 2013-04-03 03:35
I have the Etude 2 I believe. I've had it for about 5 years. I personally love it and I don't think I could eve switch back at this point. It takes a while to get used to, but just in general I think I play more consistently and I can play for longer with it.
It's got a "bit" of a learning curve but over all I really like it. I've considered buying the professional model many times.
I really think it's one of those things you need to try before you buy, even if it's only 30$. I have a friend who can almost not cover the tone holes when playing mine. She has a lot of difficulty playing on my clarinet but I love it.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-04-03 23:47
Tristan -
I got a BG sax neckstrap, which has a wide cushioned pad behind the neck. I took off the hook and replaced it with a leather tab with a slit in it that fits over the thumb rest. If you don't want to do that, you can replace the thumb rest with one that has a circular ring at the top, like a saxophone, or have a ring silver-soldered to your existing thumb rest. Any competent repair tech can do that.
Also, I don't like an elastic strap, which bounces around. I got one with heavy cord.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-04-04 02:53
Ken -- Thanks. I'll have to try that. You're definitely right about the elastic straps. I can't stand the bungie cord :-) . My LeBlanc Bliss has the ring on the thumb rest.
This is probably a really dumb question. With all the thumb rest pads, clips, replacements, etc., why don't the clarinet makers come up with a better thumb rest? No matter what clarinet model I've tried, the thumb rest has to be the most uncomfortable part of the instrument.
Tristan
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2013-04-05 16:52
I've used a BG elastic neck strap for about 7-years now. NO "carpal tunnel" problems in my right hand after about 3-months getting used to using it.
The neck strap pulls the clarinet toward your body, so you still have some load on your thumb as you push the instrument away.
I adjust the strap so that with no weight on my thumb, the mouthpiece just floats in my mouth positioned ready to set my embouchure and go to work. I swab from the tuning barrel DOWN as the horn is to close to my body to easily flip it upside down and swab from the bell.
In the clarinet end, I use the BG hook and Michele Gingras' cheap adapter made of a rubber o-ring and a nylon spacer. That costs about $1 per instrument at your local hardware store; and there are no signs of wear after years of use. The o-ring is slipped around the thumb rest and cinched into place with the little nylon spacer (a 1/4 inch nylon disk with a hole it it).
The BG came with a leather patch with a slit that slips over the thumb rest and a hole into which you can poke the hook. The Gingras adapter is much easier to use, more like a saxophone "grab hole."
It takes a moment to knock the hook out of the o-ring and engage the other clarinet's adapter when making A-Bb-A swaps. I don't often do that in my playing, so I can't say that fast instrument exchanges would be impractical with this set-up.
Here's a link to Michele's neck strap ring set-up <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGA2yhSV24Y>
Bob Phillips
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-04-06 22:42
UPDATE: I got my Kooiman Etude 3 today and installed it on my Bliss 310NS.
It took about 10 minutes to put it on. It comes with its own set of pilot screws which retap the holes from your original thumb rest. You can't use the original screws from your original thumb rest. If you want to reinstall the original thumb rest you would need some thread lock or epoxy putty to resize the retapped holes.
I'm impressed. The metal thumb hook is rubberized. Additionally, you can adjust the hook in relation to the saddle on the clarinet using a screw. The whole unit adusts in relation to the clarinet itself.
The thumb rest shifts the weight of the clarinet to the 1st phalanx of the thumb from the actual joint. It does cause the right wrist to cock up just a bit, but your fingers fall more naturally over the tone holes. It'll take some practice, but I no longer seem to need to grip the tone holes while playing. My right hand fingers seem to loosen up in this position.
It may be just another gadget to breakdown when you're done playing and putting your clarinet away in its gig bag, but ...
Tristan
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Author: marcia
Date: 2013-04-07 04:24
Thanks Trsitan for your report. Sounds like what I'm looking for. However I would like the chance of a "test drive" before I put out more money.
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Author: DancingMan
Date: 2013-04-08 23:46
The Etude 3 has my vote.
After constant thumb joint problems, and shooting nerve pains after an hour of playing, right up to my neck, I forked out for the Kooiman.
Voila! Instant fix - I haven't had any nerve problems since.
I dread when I have to play a different horn.
I'm considering installing one on my oboe too.
On the negative side, the screws seem to work loose often. I might need some thread locker on them.
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