[44663]

I've had teachers and mentors all throughout my saxophone life who have warned against the dreaded right forearm/thumb pain, but alas, it is upon me. I am trying to nurse this thing before it turns into a serious injury, but I find it worst after I play my Mark VI bari (main axe at present). My solution is to just place my thumb ON TOP of the plastic thumb hook rest, and that seems to work ok, but every time I forget and slip it under the hook, the pain comes back hours later... I wanted to ask if anyone else feels like the Mark VI bari hook is particularly low? Is there any aftermarket solutions anyone knows about?

 

[1saxman]

I have the thumb/hand pain too. I recently put the original plastic hook back onto my VI tenor and it seems to be better - I had a longer hook on it (Sax Alley) for many years. Fortunately I only play bari about 30% on a show but I think this is what started it. I'll have to look into that.

 

[KeithL]

I rarely get any pain but on longer gigs sometimes I'll get a bit of tingling like my thumb is falling asleep. There are some aftermarket options that might help like the Kooiman. I also guess that you could have a machine shop make you a thumb hook that's just longer if that's all you think you need.

 

[Dr G]

I have the Kooiman/Forza thumbrest on my tenors and alto - I love ‘em. I bought another for my sop, but the keyword spacing doesn’t work on that horn.

Please PM me if you are interested in trialing/buying it.

 

[lydian]

The hook on my MKVI tenor is adjustable/removable. If your bari is the same, then just remove it.

 

[saxoclese]

My jazz saxophone teacher who plays professionally has removed the thumb hook completely on his alto and tenor. He claims that the freedom of movement of the thumb adds to the speed and agility of the right hand.

 

[whaler]

There’s a photo of a very young Stan Getz playing a BA tenor where he has thumb above the thumb Hook on the alternate F# key cup.

 

[KeithL]

I had a teacher many years ago that used the alternate F# key-cup guard as a thumb rest/support on tenor but I believe that guard is to high up the body tube to be used this way on a bari.

 

[floobydust]

As stated above by Saxoclese, my son who had hand issues simply removed the thumb hook on his Alto. Says this made it much more comfortable to grip with his right hand.

-floobydust

 

[KeithL]

As stated above by Saxoclese, my son who had hand issues simply removed the thumb hook on his Alto. Says this made it much more comfortable to grip with his right hand.

-floobydust

People keep suggesting this but for me it's very awkward to lift a bari off a stand without the thumb hook. When I lift my horn off the stand I grab the crook with my left hand and the thumb hook with my right. Once I have it up off the stand I hold it with my left hand and attach my strap/harness with my right. I know some folks have large enough and strong enough hands and wrists to grab the horn by the bell brace but the reach and balance lifting a Low A bari this way are difficult for me.

 

[Platner]

I have the Kooiman Forza on my MK VI baritone. I had been using an Ishimori Woodstone thumb hook, Type II, which was far more comfortable than the stock Selmer hook. The Forza is better for me, extremely comfortable.

 

[Pete Thomas]

IMO the thumb hook is best when purely to guide the position and the least used for support the better. So if there is pain, maybe something is wrong with strap adjustment.

Of course that argument doesn't really work with straight soprano


And I have to admit I don't get the pain probably due to a callous there from years of playing through the pain. So you can take my advice, I'm not really using it.

 

[59Martin]

I’ve padded the thumb hook with sugru which does the trick. Fill the thumb hook with a gob of sugru, hold your horn as you normally would, and let it set.

Helped a lot when I switched to bari.

 

[turf3]

Your neck strap is too low and you're trying (unconsciously) to lift the horn up to playing position with your right hand. Choke up on the neck strap. The only thing the right thumb should be doing on an alto tenor baritone or bass is to lightly guide the horn to left or right. The amount of force on the RH thumb should be almost zero.

Soprano is another animal altogether.

 

[mmichel]

+1 for the Kooiman Forza. It's quite adjustable and one of its advantages is that it's shaped in such a way that it allows you to stabilize the sax by pushing against it (perpendicular to the sax body), rather than by putting downward weight on your thumb as most thumb hooks tend to do.

I've padded the thumb hook with sugru which does the trick. Fill the thumb hook with a gob of sugru, hold your horn as you normally would, and let it set.
Helped a lot when I switched to bari.

I disagree with this recommendation in the current case. Note that the OP complained that his thumb hook feels too low. Adding Sugru 'padding' would have the effect of further lowering the thumb rest.

 

[44663]

Yeah, resting the thumb above the hook or taking the hook off entirely seems to be the solution. I'm going to try that Kooiman Forza - sounds promising. Thanks for the advice, ya'll. -Jeremy

 

[turf3]

Yeah, resting the thumb above the hook or taking the hook off entirely seems to be the solution. I'm going to try that Kooiman Forza - sounds promising. Thanks for the advice, ya'll. -Jeremy

Why don't you want to try shortening the neck strap so you're not trying to lift the horn to playing position with your right thumb? It's free.

 

[soybean]

I have these on most of my horns. https://musicmedic.com/musicmedic-comfort-thumb-hook.html

It is also possible that your thumb-rest was soldered onto the horn in the wrong place.

 

[whaler]

I took a Yamaha plastic thumb hook and cut the slot bigger so I could bring the hook up higher.
Like everything else, the Yamaha thumb hook is a copy of a Selmer, but cheaper plastic.