Susato Thumbrest: who uses it?

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:15 am

I've been playing my Susato D a lot recently, and just tried taking the thumbrest off. I felt I was going to drop the thing, couldn't play comfortably, and had to put it on again straight away.

My question is, who else finds the thumbrest necessary on a Susato, and who has modified other whistles (with bluetack, rubber bands, or a more permanent modification) to have a rest?

No other whistles I play have a rest, and I've never worried about dropping a whistle before. Have I been spoiled by the Susato?

NB: For those who have a Susato and don't use the rest, apparently leaving it on but sliding it down to the bottom end of the whistle may improve the tone

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:18 am

Check your spelling, man.

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:21 am

Hmm, you think thumb rest should be two words?

But it's only one piece of plastic!

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:22 am

Hey Martin, what is the blutack tweak? Have I missed something?

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:22 am

Oh, and about the thumb rest: I leave it on, slid down, except on the whistles where it's broken. It prevents rolling off the table, may improve the tone (not enough to make a susato playable though, unless blade tweaked). Mostly though, I paid good money for that thumb rest and I am not going to just throw it out. Who am I, Croesus?

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:24 am

Martin Milner wrote:Hmm, you think thumb rest should be two words?

But it's only one piece of plastic!

And I thought "thought" had two t's. :roll:

Geek4: Yes, you've missed something.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:29 am

Thanks Bloomfield!!!!!!!

There's hope for my Susato A yet!

Does this enhancement result in better 2nd octave tuning? Or less shrillness for the high D?

tuaz · Post by **tuaz** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:31 am

I actually had Mack Hoover make me one for my Overton Low D because I was having "slippery/powdery hands" days during which the whistle threatened to slip off my hands while playing.

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:33 am

I use the thumbrest as a cheap nose ring when I want to play Irish punk style. Kind of sets the mood.

MarkB :roll:

Isilwen · Post by **Isilwen** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:38 am

I used it often before it broke... Probably because you use a thumbrest regularly on a Saxophone, so that's what I'm used to... (when you play something for 7 years, old habits die hard... )

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:38 am

geek4music wrote:Thanks Bloomfield!!!!!!!

There's hope for my Susato A yet!

Does this enhancement result in better 2nd octave tuning? Or less shrillness for the high D?

Geek: Searching the message board and the main webpage is really fun. Have you read all the stuff Dale posted in the engineering department? Have you run a search for "blue tack" or some such thing? Playing and tweaking is a journey of exploration, and like other good things in life should not be rushed.

Here is another (unsolicited) bit of advice: Stop obessessing about the tuning. I can understand that it bugs you if you have absolute hearing, or have played the violin for years, or suffer from a comparable impairment. You need to really push the second octave with your breath, and it's not an easy thing to do as a beginner. You blow the second octave into tune. But concentrate on learning the tunes for now. Tuning is funny and complex thing, and playing into your chromatic equal temprament tuner is not going to improve you musicality or make anyone want to listen to you. (Run search for "equal" or "just" "temprament" sometime.)

Good luck!

Arthur · Post by **Arthur** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 8:38 am

The thumb rest is one of the few things I do like about Susatos. I've taken a couple off to use on other whistles.

I've never worried about dropping a whistle, but I do find the thumb rest gives a more comfortable playing position.

Arthur

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 9:07 am

The marquis de Zoob has an alternative theory.

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 9:08 am

I tried to use the thumb rest when I first got the whistle but I realized I wasn't really using it anyway. I just pushed it up and out of the way. I don't play it much anyway since I got a Dixon. The Susato is in the drawer with the other not-used-very-often-or-never whistles. All I use lately is the Dixon and a brass Gen with a Feadog head.
mike

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 9:35 am

I left mine on but I have it slid up where my thumb doesnt' really touch it. I think it's just a security blanket. And it keeps it from rolling. At a workshop I was at last weekend, I took it off.

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