Trouble holding Rath small bore

mrdeacon · by **mrdeacon** » 2020-04-27 1:59 a.m.

Hi everyone!

So I've got kind of an odd question. Just due to my hand size and for other physical reasons holding straight tenors has always been a little troublesome for me. Honestly I've been playing my large tenors and basses more because they are easier to hold with all their ergonomic gizmos and doodads.

The only thing I've tried so far was purchasing a Leather Specialties small tenor hand strap which I wasn't happy with as a solution. The strap didn't fit the horn or my hand. The problem with the straps on Raths is there really isn't any upper cork barrel for the strap to loop onto like on a Bach or Conn.

On my straight Bach 42 a Leather Specialities strap works perfectly and gives me the support I need to hold that horn for long periods of time. I'm sad it doesn't work the same way for my R1!

I've never been a big fan of the Neotech braces... but I've been thinking about it for this horn. I've also thought about contacting someone on Etsy or something like that and having a custom strap whipped up and maybe it'll fit better...

Welcome to any suggestions! I'd love to have an excuse to play my R1 more.

Fidbone · by **Fidbone** » 2020-04-27 7:48 a.m.

Here's a pic of my customised R1 handgrip :biggrin:

mrdeacon · by **mrdeacon** » 2020-04-27 3:15 p.m.

Nice! Glad I'm not the only one with ergo issues. I didn't even think of doing something like that... My tech could whip something up fairly easily enough.

Though... I think I would still prefer to have some sort of exterior (if that makes any sense) brace to help with ergos.

That work is clean on your horn! Was the work done at the factory?

Fidbone · by **Fidbone** » 2020-04-28 4:31 a.m.

Yes it was. I also have it on my R4/F :-)

Burgerbob · by **Burgerbob** » 2020-04-28 4:33 a.m.

I use the Neotech on my 3B. I wouldn't have nearly as much fun playing it without.

BGuttman · by **BGuttman** » 2020-04-28 3:53 p.m.

Somebody made some kind of device that clips to the fixed slide brace that does something like Fidbone's modification. I wish I could remember who it was.

Matt_K · by **Matt_K** » 2020-04-28 11:50 p.m.

[quote="BGuttman"]Somebody made some kind of device that clips to the fixed slide brace that does something like Fidbone's modification. I wish I could remember who it was.[/quote]

Oh yeah, the Wise Grip:

https://www.hickeys.com/search/products/sku128045.php

I think I have one but it only fit small bore horns and I wasn't playing a small bore when it came out very much. I should dig that out and see if its useful.

whitbey · by **whitbey** » 2020-05-11 9:48 a.m.

I have had a curved brace on my horns for years. Works great. Similar to the straight bar on the Rath above, mine is curved. I also put wire loom harness covers on the tube. Cushy and comfy.

You can see two horns in the pic below. The bass does not have the cover.

Pick of my horns.

~~[url]~~<LINK_TEXT text="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1izx3 ... RWNm8/view">https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1izx3nh_iQyRlF6S0loMVRWNm8/view</LINK_TEXT>

bbocaner · by **bbocaner** » 2020-05-11 11:24 a.m.

I find curved slide braces to be a huge problem for me. It's *too* comfy, it makes it impossible to get enough leverage on the slide to hold the instrument up straight. The instrument starts to take a nosedive and I end up needing more hand strength and a tighter grip to keep holding it firmly. I'm not certain if the angled brace that chris has would be better or not. I got Rath to make me custom rest bars kind of like the Shires rest bar, based on the ones they include with their -00 series instruments, for my R3F, R4F, and R9, but the way they made them won't fit my R4 and R10 which is probably fine because the instruments without valves are light enough and get used seldom enough that I don't have a huge issue with them.

diminishedSeventh · by **diminishedSeventh** » 2020-05-11 3:28 p.m.

[quote="Fidbone"]Here's a pic of my customised R1 handgrip :biggrin:[/quote]

My god that is a beautiful horn... what's that mouthpiece by the way?? :shock: :shock:

Fidbone · by **Fidbone** » 2020-05-11 3:40 p.m.

[quote="diminishedSeventh"]<QUOTE author="Fidbone" post_id="111235" time="1587988107" user_id="3132">
Here's a pic of my customised R1 handgrip :biggrin:[/quote]

My god that is a beautiful horn... what's that mouthpiece by the way?? :shock: :shock:
</QUOTE>

It's a Monette TS6 Resonance. I tend to flit between that and a DE MT100/C/C2 depending on what the gig is......... Or should I say what the gigs were :eek: :idk:

Mv2541 · by **Mv2541** » 2020-05-13 4:57 p.m.

[quote="Fidbone"]<QUOTE author="diminishedSeventh" post_id="112780" time="1589225321" user_id="9050">

My god that is a beautiful horn... what's that mouthpiece by the way?? :shock: :shock:[/quote]

It's a Monette TS6 Resonance. I tend to flit between that and a DE MT100/C/C2 depending on what the gig is......... Or should I say what the gigs were :eek: :idk:
</QUOTE>

If you don't mind would you offer your opinion on the Resonance vs the prana slap?

Fidbone · by **Fidbone** » 2020-05-14 4:40 a.m.

[quote="Mv2541"]<QUOTE author="Fidbone" post_id="112782" time="1589226001" user_id="3132">

It's a Monette TS6 Resonance. I tend to flit between that and a DE MT100/C/C2 depending on what the gig is......... Or should I say what the gigs were :eek: :idk:[/quote]

If you don't mind would you offer your opinion on the Resonance vs the prana slap?
</QUOTE>

Hey, no sorry I haven't played a Prana Slap against it to compare!!!

Mv2541 · by **Mv2541** » 2020-05-19 1:51 a.m.

[quote="Fidbone"]<QUOTE author="Mv2541" post_id="113042" time="1589403479" user_id="247">

If you don't mind would you offer your opinion on the Resonance vs the prana slap?[/quote]

Hey, no sorry I haven't played a Prana Slap against it to compare!!!
</QUOTE>

I guess I'll have to try and find a Resonance somewhere then!

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Trouble holding Rath small bore