Wrist Straps On Ec

[peelypost]

Greetings,

 

I recently went to a folk club for the first time since I have started playing concertina (English) and noticed that every person playing English (well, there were 3!) had wrist straps a la Anglo. I have never seen these on any of the videos I have seen and wondered how many Ec players use wrist straps.

 

It seems to make a lot of sense as a method of reducing thumb stress on the pull, and I am tempted to give it a try. Any thoughts?

 

Neil.

[squeezora]

Hi Neil,

 

Here are some videos that show me playing an English concertina with thumb and wrist straps. They are red leather, so it should be pretty easy to pick them out.

 

I have two other concertinas that had wrist straps and I took them off and I have one that never had wrist straps. I like them on the large Wheatstone Bass/Baritone, but don't use them on the treble or the two Tenor/Trebles that I play. The Bass/Baritone is kind of big and heavy, so it does give me a little security while playing, but I probably could manage alright without.

 

I don't think it's a big issue whether you use them or not, it's more a matter of preference.

 

So don't worry too much about this in the beginning,

 

Juliette

see me at: < www.juliettedaum.com >

 

 

L'ENFANT DEMON

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Cancion de cuna

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Fandanguillo

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Edited January 16, 2008 by squeezora

[JimLucas]

I recently went to a folk club for the first time since I have started playing concertina (English) and noticed that every person playing English (well, there were 3!) had wrist straps a la Anglo.

Wrist straps on an English? Yes, some folks like them, especially on larger instruments.

 

"A la anglo"? Not likely.

The anglo doesn't have wrist straps. It has hand straps. I have yet to see an anglo player try to put his/her wrists through those straps.

 

The way the wrist straps on an English are used during playing is quite different from the way the hands straps on an anglo function.

 

I've never felt the need for them, even on instruments larger than Juliette's largest. But as you can see from both her post and Randy's, different people have different feelings about them. E.g., while many people speak in favor of wrist straps on the larger and heavier Englishes, the Morse Albion on which Randy says he uses wrist straps is possibly the lightest-weight treble English available.

[peelypost]

Greetings,

 

I see the difference between hand and wrist straps, Jim - thanks for correcting me.

 

I want to give this a try. Where do you fix them? Do you have any tips for sourcing leather for the straps (I'm thinking of recycling a leather belt)?

 

Thanks all,

 

Neil.

[chris]

Hi Neil

if it was the night that you were at Swan Folk then Nic's Homewood has hand straps (fairly heavy concertina) at least one of the ones Bill Whaley played was a fairly large Duet (I think they always have hand straps too) Tony's just had thumbstraps

if it wasn't the night at the Swan then Ignore the above

chris

 

 

 

you could also consider a neckstrap

Edited January 16, 2008 by chris

[JimLucas]

I want to give this a try. Where do you fix them? Do you have any tips for sourcing leather for the straps (I'm thinking of recycling a leather belt)?

If you do a Search on

+"wrist straps" +English

you should find some useful earlier discussions.

 

Where to attach the straps? Maybe not as informative as you'd like, but the photos in this post and this one should help.

 

Note also that like hand straps on anglos and duets, wrist straps on the English are normally not simple straps, but wider in the middle, with the width extending only to one side.

[Pete Dunk]

I want to give this a try. Where do you fix them? Do you have any tips for sourcing leather for the straps (I'm thinking of recycling a leather belt)?

 

Thanks all,

 

Neil.

 

Parts are available from David Leese (threaded inserts and thumb strap type screws) you will also need short wood screws and screw cups for the fixed (non adjustable) ends of the straps. David also sells straps for anglos and duets so give hime a call and he'll advise on the requirements for wrist straps.

 

Fixing points will obviously vary slightly depending on the size of the 'tina and the length of the straps. With the concertina in the normal playing position - thumb straps at the top - the screw holding the top of the wrist strap will be fitted about an inch and a quarter down from the corner on the flat facing your chest. the bottom of the strap fixes on the next flat around (facing your lap) an inch and a quarter from the farthest corner. Sounds complicated doesn't it? So here's a picture of my concertina with wrist straps fitted as described.

 

 

Do be careful about the location of the fixing points and the length of screws, you don't want to foul the action inside and that's a bit harder to see in a Jackie!

 

Pete

[Pete Dunk]

I should add that I've taken the wrist straps off my concertina because I don't use them. Sally likes wrist straps and wanted a set on her concertina so I bought the bits from Steve Dickenson because I wanted original Wheatstone hardware for the 1916 Model 2. The pics show both the top and bottom fixings.

 

 

[Greg Jowaisas]

I have significant arthritis in both thumbs and find wrist straps invaluable in sharing the load of drawing the bellows. Between the thumbs, wrist straps and finger plates (pinkie rest) there are three contact and distribution points.

 

Initially, I tried wrist straps to help manage the balance of an Edeophone tenor treble. I liked the results so I tried them on a treble. I found they really helped me get as much "punch" on the draw as on the push.

 

One caution: You will want to experiment with how tight or loose you make your straps. Too tight and you may put too much pressure on your little fingers. Too loose and you will not have their full advantage on the draw.

 

Good luck!

 

Greg

Edited January 17, 2008 by Greg Jowaisas

[Pete Dunk]

Not quite the same but I replaced the hardware after removing the straps, the lower holes have tiny woodscrews in screw-cups in them. I wasn't trying to hide 'unsightly' holes (which are virtually invisible anyway) so much as keeping the fixings in a safe place!

 

Had I have liked using the wrist straps on my 'tina I would have replaced the gold blocked Wheatstone ones with plain modern straps and preserved the originals as a little bit of history to go with instrument. Always assuming I don't loose them of course.

[chiton1]

Wrist straps give me some extra control while playing Irish music (and other music) on a EC. I need them for extra comfort and dynamics. Can play without them but doesn't feel as good. There are even a few effects that are hard or impossible to make without them. So I am definitively in favour.

Hermann

[buikligger]

Wrist straps give me some extra control while playing Irish music (and other music) on a EC. I need them for extra comfort and dynamics. Can play without them but doesn't feel as good. There are even a few effects that are hard or impossible to make without them. So I am definitively in favour.

Hermann

 

Hi Hermann and all,

 

this week I found someone who is going to install some wrist straps on that lovely English tina i bought from you last year.

I started by just using the thumb straps. Next i installed some loops left and right where i put my 4 fingers through, thumbs on top of it and in the straps; comparable to the Anglo hand straps but only fixed at the topside. But my thumbs hurt to much from pulling. So I welcome the wrist straps.

 

kind greetings

 

Dirk, Flanders, Belgium

[chiton1]

Hi Dirk,

 

Hope you are doing well on your concertina. I think you will find that straps will give a little advantage when playing Irish music.

All the best, Hermann

[Henrik Müller]

I recently went to a folk club for the first time since I have started playing concertina (English) and noticed that every person playing English (well, there were 3!) had wrist straps a la Anglo.

Wrist straps on an English? Yes, some folks like them, especially on larger instruments.

 

"A la anglo"? Not likely.

The anglo doesn't have wrist straps. It has hand straps. I have yet to see an anglo player try to put his/her wrists through those straps.

 

The way the wrist straps on an English are used during playing is quite different from the way the hands straps on an anglo function.

 

I've never felt the need for them, even on instruments larger than Juliette's largest. But as you can see from both her post and Randy's, different people have different feelings about them. E.g., while many people speak in favor of wrist straps on the larger and heavier Englishes, the Morse Albion on which Randy says he uses wrist straps is possibly the lightest-weight treble English available.

- "A la anglo"? Not likely. -

I just found a photo of myself, from the Christmas session in Lund, Sweden in 2006.

Sorry, those are handstraps

/Henrik

[buikligger]

Hi Henrik,

 

'hand straps', indeed. So EC à l'Anglo is correct. Nice new idea! Let's experiment!

 

How do they work? Can you compare the two ways of playing (hand straps versus wrist straps) from your experience? Have you tried them both?

 

 

greetings from,

 

Dirk De Bleser, to have some straps in the near future; but which type? (lol)

[RatFace]

The anglo doesn't have wrist straps. It has hand straps. I have yet to see an anglo player try to put his/her wrists through those straps.

 

My little brother (Sam) used to... but that was in the days when he really was little!

[Henrik Müller]

Hi Henrik,

 

'hand straps', indeed. So EC à l'Anglo is correct. Nice new idea! Let's experiment!

 

How do they work? Can you compare the two ways of playing (hand straps versus wrist straps) from your experience? Have you tried them both?

 

 

greetings from,

 

Dirk De Bleser, to have some straps in the near future; but which type? (lol)

Hi, Dirk -

I was joking a little, there. The instrument is designed with the handstraps

and an anglo-type handrest. The handrest is at an angle (approx. 15 deg).

The angle allows better access to lower notes.

 

My rationale behind the arrangement was that the handstrap will take the

strain (I play with quite a lot of force) and the thumbstraps keeps the instrument

in place.

 

The thumbstraps are much narrower than ordinary ones and positioned

so that the thumbs are meant to go all the way through, to minimize the

strain on the main thumb joint.

 

It works very, very well. The only adjustment I want to do, is a new handrest

which is formed - moulded - after the inside of the hand. Should be more comfortable.

 

I have never tried wriststraps - I have (maybe an unfair) a feeling that they would

conflict with my playing style.

 

/Henrik

[chiton1]

Wrist straps are in fact hand straps as well (anyway the way I use them). They do not cover the wrist but cover the lower part of the hand just above the wrist.

Of course you can play any kind of music without them, but if you play Irish music as I do they are quite handy. For me they give more stability and less strain (on my thumbs) when I want to have some dynamics while playing dance music. I wouldn't need them when playing a slow air or anything legato.

I started playing ca. 25 years ago on a EC without wrist straps, but a few years later I got a new one which had wrist straps and I used them eversince (in fact I feel uncomfortable without them).

I hope to post some of my music this year, so I could make my point audible!

Hermann