Playing tenor, alto, sop and baritone plus some duals (tenor/alto) and my neck has said That's IT! So I have to start using a harness. Anybody using a Neotech Super? Mainly it is for baritone/tenor and the strap length for both of those is so close I can put down the tenor, hook up the bari and play it without adjustment. I had a rig many years ago that I designed and had a shoe maker put together for me. I didn't have a bari then and it was just for the duals, which I was playing a lot in those days. But, it worked, and 40 years later and adding the bari, my neck is killing me with the strap.
I'll still use a strap for the alto which is what I did before and that method works great. I have resisted going this route for a long time but I think I'm going to have some real problems if I don't change how I support the horns. I guess anybody with any sense would just quit at the age of 74 but I am simply not there yet. I have about 25 gigs this year with three groups so evidently nobody cares about my age as long as I can cut the mustard. These are not casual gigs - they are three or four-hour shows with two or three sets, high-energy, frequently outside. I just don't want to give this up and I'm loving the baritone now that I have settled on a mouthpiece/reed. I think a good harness can make all the difference in the world - when you're in pain, its hard to remember your parts and crank out good rides.
I'll still use a strap for the alto which is what I did before and that method works great. I have resisted going this route for a long time but I think I'm going to have some real problems if I don't change how I support the horns. I guess anybody with any sense would just quit at the age of 74 but I am simply not there yet. I have about 25 gigs this year with three groups so evidently nobody cares about my age as long as I can cut the mustard. These are not casual gigs - they are three or four-hour shows with two or three sets, high-energy, frequently outside. I just don't want to give this up and I'm loving the baritone now that I have settled on a mouthpiece/reed. I think a good harness can make all the difference in the world - when you're in pain, its hard to remember your parts and crank out good rides.