Low D thumb rest..

[brewerpaul]

Been playing my Copeland low D a lot lately, and have found it to be pretty heavy after a while. I went to a local instrument repair shop and bought a brass thumb rest salvaged from an old sax. I had to use my Dremel to contour the back of it to the diameter of the whistle, then stuck it in place with 5 minute epoxy.
The result is a MUCH more comfortable instrument to play for longer periods.

[Steven]

And it won't roll off the table when you put it down!


Steven

[TonyHiggins]

Do you use it at the lower or upper end of the whistle? I keep thinking about getting one. I rotated the tube relative to the mouthpiece as you suggested (I think I remember it was you, Paul) and that has helped me seal the holes more easily.
Tony

[eskin]

I believe that Susato sells a bag of various plastic thumbrests. I use on on the lower hand of my Copeland low D.

[tubafor]

I've mentioned this before, but since I have a weakness in my left thumb, I use the Susato thumbrests on all of my whistles to support the weight. (except for my Bass A - that one gets a neckstrap... ) The disadvantage is that I have to carry spares in case one breaks. The advantage is that without that support, I wouldn't be able to hold the whistle for any length of time. So, it's one of those things where if you need it, use it.

And, yes - they are great for keeping the whistles from rolling off the slanted surface of my bass amp!

[TonyHiggins]

Mike,
I looked at the variety of thumb rests on either Susato's site or maybe, Early Music retailers a long time ago. I was baffled by the selection. What size should I ask for? (for upper or lower end of conical Copeland low d) I wonder would two be twice as good as one.
Tony

[Loren]

Been playing my Copeland low D a lot lately, and have found it to be pretty heavy after a while. I went to a local instrument repair shop and bought a brass thumb rest salvaged from an old sax. I had to use my Dremel to contour the back of it to the diameter of the whistle, then stuck it in place with 5 minute epoxy.
The result is a MUCH more comfortable instrument to play for longer periods.

Thumbrests on whistles?!?! You've been playing recorders too much Paul

Loren

[Loren]

Mike,
I looked at the variety of thumb rests on either Susato's site or maybe, Early Music retailers a long time ago. I was baffled by the selection. What size should I ask for? (for upper or lower end of conical Copeland low d) I wonder would two be twice as good as one.
Tony

I'm thinking you'd be best off with 10 Tony, one for each finger......

Loren

[TonyHiggins]

Thanks for the help, Loren. You can put one on your neck.
Tony

[Zubivka]

Paul is right: a sax thumb rest is way more comfy than those sold by Susato (which I suspect are made by Aulos).
Those by Susato are a clip, so you have to compromise for their position, else they hinder the index finger.
Also, the ridge it creates under te whistle (before the thumb rest proper) make my finger sore.

A sax rest leaves the tube naked where your thumb touches it, because it's attached above.

My Strathmann flute (alto F) has such a sax thumb rest, but Herr Strathmann is a saxophone player and designer, originally. On his whistle, it's extremely comfortable. Note that it's lined with cork, so you don't get direct contact with the metal.

I think I'll experiment quite soon with an alternative to reclaimed saxophone parts. Just let me go to the fishing and angling supplies store: they have these spare loops used to route the line from the reel to the fishing-rod tip... As for the cork, this is easy to reclaim--at least here in France

[brewerpaul]

A sax rest leaves the tube naked where your thumb touches it, because it's attached above.

Actually, mine is attached below so my thumb actually sits on part of the rest, but it's very comfortable nonetheless.

I have mine on the lower thumb, which is where recorder rests go: it never even occured to me to try the top.

Seeing Loren's reply reminds me that the Von Huene workshop has some simply gorgeous little thumb rests in either brass or sterling silver in a pretty fleur de lis pattern-- used to have one on my alto recorder until I lost it -- at $30, they're a bit pricey, and they don't have a very large gluing surface so they might not easily support the weight of a brass low D whistle.

[Loren]

A sax rest leaves the tube naked where your thumb touches it, because it's attached above.

Actually, mine is attached below so my thumb actually sits on part of the rest, but it's very comfortable nonetheless.

I have mine on the lower thumb, which is where recorder rests go: it never even occured to me to try the top.

Seeing Loren's reply reminds me that the Von Huene workshop has some simply gorgeous little thumb rests in either brass or sterling silver in a pretty fleur de lis pattern-- used to have one on my alto recorder until I lost it -- at $30, they're a bit pricey, and they don't have a very large gluing surface so they might not easily support the weight of a brass low D whistle.

All depends what type of glue you use Paul Keep in mind that we do make some fairly heavy instruments - I'm working on a batch of Grenadilla Baroque Tenors right now (with keywork on the foot), these probably weigh about as much as a Copeland Low D in Brass.

Loren

P.S. Tony, I'll try a thumbrest on my neck when I get back to work on Monday, will let you know how that works out.

[TonyHiggins]

Maybe the low d makers might start thinking about an optional thumbrest. Is there a universal preferred position? I suppose you'd want it fitted to your own hand position.
Tony

[vomitbunny]

I tie a helium ballon to the end of my whistle. Depending on how heavy the whistle is, you use different sizes of whistle.

[TonyHiggins]

I tie a helium ballon to the end of my whistle.

Do you inhale the helium to get a 3rd octave?
Tony