Callus - Thickening of skin on right thumb

[Tommy Ng]

Hi All,

I hold the sax at the front and have developed a callus on my right thumb. Just out of curiosity how many of you also have this callus problem?

Cheers.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Hi All,

I hold the sax at the front and have developed a callus on my right thumb. Just out of curiosity how many of you also have this callus problem?

Cheers.

I had a RH thumb callus for years. It eventually went but although it was there, I never thought of it as a problem.

 

[Ivan]

Hi All,

I hold the sax at the front and have developed a callus on my right thumb. Just out of curiosity how many of you also have this callus problem?

Cheers.

I'm jealous

 

[skeller047]

My right thumb is noticeably larger than my left, due to having played clarinet since the age of 9. I knew a guy in high school who grew a callus on his right thumb that caused the skin to cover over half of his thumbnail, also from clarinet playing. I thought it was cool, and was a testament to how much he practiced.

There is nothing in life that leaves you untouched. Embrace your scars.

 

[wakyct]

You should look at wrestler cauliflower ears.

 

[Woodpad]

There is a small sized callus on my right hand thumb.

 

[CliveMA]

I do not have a callus on my right thumb because the weight of the sax/clarinet is on my neckstrap. My right thumb is used to push away from the body at times but, with Tenor which I mainly play, the bell rests against my right thigh and the thumb barely does anything.

My only exception is straight Soprano (with curved neck) where my right thumb holds the sax well away from my body. In that case my thumb gets sore with extended play (~2 hours). I usually only practice Sop twice per week and Tenor on all other days.

 

[peedeeblues]

Both thumbs are slightly calloused where I am pressing the octave key left side and thumb hook right side. Tenor sax to the right side of my right leg.

 

[Nick Wyver]

2 calluses on right thumb which is noticeably larger than the left.

 

[CliveMA]

2 calluses on right thumb which is noticeably larger than the left.

Are you right-handed?
Might your right thumb be larger than the left from being right-handed and doing other activities besides saxophone eg DIY?

 

[Nick Wyver]

Are you right-handed?
Might your right thumb be larger than the left from being right-handed and doing other activities besides saxophone eg DIY?

Yes and yes. But not diy. Definitely not diy.

 

[Dr G]

My first sop was an ol’ Conn with a thumb ring. I go it when I was about 16 years old, then played it for about 6 years. I have played tenor sax throughout my life - many years on a Selmer Balanced Action that had a relatively crude thumb hook compared to the Forza that I have been enjoying the last many years.

Whether it is due to my age at the time and my bones were still growing or just a a lifetime of saxophone, I don’t know, but I developed a bone callous on my right thumb that persists 50+ years later.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

My hands are so calloused, that a tool holder ain't necessary, to true up the shafts on a Square Rigger.
Long John Keel Haul, is my name.

 

[MarkSax]

My hands are so calloused, that a tool holder ain't necessary, to true up the shafts on a Square Rigger.
Long John Keel Haul, is my name.
View attachment 28372

Beautiful ship.

 

[rhysonsax]

My first sop was an ol’ Conn with a thumb ring. I go it when I was about 16 years old, then played it for about 6 years. I have played tenor sax throughout my life - many years on a Selmer Balanced Action that had a relatively crude thumb hook compared to the Forza that I have been enjoying the last many years.

Whether it is due to my age at the time and my bones were still growing or just a a lifetime of saxophone, I don’t know, but I developed a bone callous on my right thumb that persists 50+ years later.

I have a 1920s Conn soprano in gold plate with that thumb ring. It was an absolute torture device for me - I never found a comfortable position to hold the instrument. That was a real shame as the sound of the instrument was lovely. Did you ever discover a position or a way of padding the ring that worked for you ?

Rhys

 

[Colin the Bear]

No calluses here. Calluses form due to pressure and/or friction.

Play without using either thumb to see how little input they need to have. ie none.

 

[BigMartin]

Had a callus on my thumb for years. Over the last 6 months or so, I 've been working on the foundations of my playing. Part of that has involved pulling up my neckstrap, to the extent that I'm now having to use my alto (Cebulla) strap with the tenor, just to get it high enough (I don't know if that means I have a long neck, or what). I hadn't thought about it, but when I saw this thread and looked at my thumb, the callus was gone.

 

[wakyct]

Beautiful ship.

I've heard it's a rite of passage to sail around the Horn.

Play without using either thumb to see how little input they need to have. ie none.

I'm often wondering if my thumb hook is in the wrong place for me. It's only truly comfortable to play for long stretches if I keep the horn close to my body. I've seen lots of people push the horn out with their right hand (thumb?) but if I try to do that it seems like there's more pressure on my right thumb, even with my neck strap adjusted as high as it should be for the MP to be at the right height.

 

[Ivan]

Key Leaves sell a plate they call a Thumb Rest to replace the hook... So putting pressure up into the concavity of a thumb hook, clearly ain't mandatory

Plastic Adjustable Thumb Rest

Experience unmatched comfort with Key Leaves' Plastic Tenor Saxophone Thumb Rest. Enhance your playing with ergonomic support and customizable adjustment.

keyleaves.com

 

[turf3]

Hi All,

I hold the sax at the front and have developed a callus on my right thumb. Just out of curiosity how many of you also have this callus problem?

Cheers.

Why do you think it's a "problem"? Calluses are the body's natural reaction to friction and/or pressure.