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[melod-ian]

Sit down Cajun players do without the shoulder strap.. its traditional ..
Personally I like standing up

[Owen Woods]

[NWKUI] If you drill out the rivets on a Hohner to get it off, the spare shelf hole filler plugs from your kitchen cabinets will plug the holes nicely.[/NWKUI]

Not useless at all, I was just wondering how to deal with this Why rivet on a thumbstrap, seriously?!

[Malcolm Austen]

There is an earlier thread here and as an experiment I have continued playing my one row G with the thumb strap only, it gives a totally different feel to playing but unfortunately it has not transformed me into Oscar Woods.

[TonyRussellDavis]

Malcolm - thanks for the link. I read it carefully and note that "tradition" seems to be at least as important as practicallity . The old 1-row thumbstrap players must have gone through hell with new melodeons until the bellows eased up! My 1-rows bellows are still stiffish. Maybe I need to play them more. T.

[Lester]

[NWKUI] If you drill out the rivets on a Hohner to get it off, the spare shelf hole filler plugs from your kitchen cabinets will plug the holes nicely.[/NWKUI]

Not useless at all, I was just wondering how to deal with this Why rivet on a thumbstrap, seriously?!

How else can you attach a thumb strap to a plastic fingerboard?

[old geezer]

[NWKUI] If you drill out the rivets on a Hohner to get it off, the spare shelf hole filler plugs from your kitchen cabinets will plug the holes nicely.[/NWKUI]

Not useless at all, I was just wondering how to deal with this Why rivet on a thumbstrap, seriously?!

How else can you attach a thumb strap to a plastic fingerboard?

I've seen a 3/16th nut, washer an' roof bolt used on a couple of keyboards

"warning" watch out for holes in the clothes though...

[Owen Woods]

How else can you attach a thumb strap to a plastic fingerboard?

Mine is a wooden fingerboard...

[Mike Gott]

......Why rivet on a thumbstrap, seriously?!...

Having been in mid-performance and had the b.thing fall off once......

I play my one-rows on thumbstrap - I always have, probably because the old chap who started me off playing did, much in the same way as I play guitar left handed thanks to the example set by my older, left handed brother! I'm actually right handed. The Excelsior melodeon on my avatar is being played on the thumb, as it were. There's no other strap on it. If I do play it stood up I put my left leg up on the melodeon's case and rest the melodeon on my thigh just as I do when I'm sat down. Yes, I know I'm one of a dying breed doing this! In contrast, when I play my c.1935 Theo'd Erika I use it's two shoulder straps. It doesn't have a thumb strap anyway and never has, instead having a concave edge to the keyboard. Playing a two-row on thumbstrap tends to put your wrist at a bad angle, particularly on the outside buttons.

Mike

[Sebastian]

Does anybody actually use the thumbstrap for playing? How? T.

I do. By putting the thumb through. Only for the bigger ones (clubs) I prefer shoulder-straps.

[forrest]

Does anybody actually use the thumbstrap for playing? How? T.

I do. By putting the thumb through. Only for the bigger ones (clubs) I prefer shoulder-straps.

I recently acquired one row box with only a thumbstrap. I have been playing it that way, while waiting for some strap brackets on order. Not only was the box more difficult to play (push and pull wise), but every time I got into spirited playing, the strap would come loose from my thumb, and I would either have to restrain myself quite noticeably, or lose it altogether. No fun having the right side go completely free on you in mid tune! I also found that my right hand had less dexterity than I wished. I was even worried that the reeds were not speaking easily, as it was so much work to play.
    When the strap brackets arrived, I wasted no time getting them on. Viola, the box was transformed! No slipping off, no anxiety, right hand free to move, no aching thumb joint, and playing effort reduced immeasurably. I have seen players on the 'Tube use only the thumbstrap, and my hat is off to them, but I need my whole body behind it, not just a thumb.

[HallelujahAl]

Playing a two-row on thumbstrap tends to put your wrist at a bad angle, particularly on the outside buttons.
/quote]

Been thinking a little about this Mike - and I figure that I don't have a problem playing my 2 or 3 row using the thumb strap perhaps because I have quite a small hand. Certainly I feel supported by the strap. I use the thumbstrap more on the two-row as I only use 1 shoulder strap. Whereas the three-row has two shoulder straps so I don't feel the need so much to be anchored to the box maybe size does matter after all?
AL