Hand position thumb rings

[hald]

The 3 top 1 side valve position gives my right hand cramps. I think it is because of the position of the brace\hand rest. Is there a structural or other reason why the brace\hand rest couldn't be removed and a thumb ring installed, like the thumb ring on the vintage Besson 3v comps?
Thanks in advance -hald

[imperialbari]

I don’t remember the said thumb rings. And the hand rest of my YEP-641 fits me pretty well.

The situation with the inner top bow acting as a hand rest on my Besson 981 Eb 3+1P comper is less ideal. On bad arthritis days I cannot have the right thumb under the bow, and resting it loosely on top of the bow gives too little guidance for the right hand position.

My very cheap and very pragmatic solution is about taking a long strip of cotton cloth, wrapping it around a stay and around the said bow in an 8-pattern and tie it into a knot. That is my comfortable thumb-ring/-guide.

While I still could do standing playing, I put a similar strip around the narrow receiver for the main tuning slide on the 641 and used it to anchor the hook of my harness.

Klaus

[MartyNeilan]

General rule of "thumb" -
Remove all thumb rings, similar devices.

[iiipopes]

When I owned a Besson BBb 3-valve comp, it did not have a thumb ring. Instead, it had a curved bracket that spanned the inner bows that entire bracket was a handrest that could be grabbed or hand-rested on at will.

[hald]

ilipopes description of the Besson is better than mine. On the 3v comp I have the rest/thumb bracket works really well. I'll try Klaus' solution too. The hand rest on my York seems too close and if I extend my fingers the valve buttons are beneath my first finger joints closest to my palm, so my fingers are curled. Having a better anchor for my thumb might help, I think.
Thanks
-Hald

[TheHatTuba]

I only keep thumb rings on tubas with less than 5 valves (or 4R + 1L). I think they're just awkward with a right hand 5th lever.