Accessories Straps for tenors

[Tenor Viol]

Hi guys - bit of help required.

The new tenor is significantly heavier than the alto and I bought a basic neck strap for it, but I think that's not spreading the weight enough on my neck.

My other strap is a Neotech - which is a lot wider - but I still think it's a bit heavy on the top of the spine (whatever the big bone is at the top of the back where neck starts!).

I'm suspecting I need a different design of neck strap - for which read probably more expensive! Either that or a harness...

Any thoughts?

 

[baritonesax]

Yes... Either a Cebulla strap, or a Bird Strap. Both of those designs have got a gap in the neck pad so nothing presses the top of one's spine.

I use a Cebulla for baritone, and it's very effective.

 

[Tenor Viol]

Thanks - I've been wondering about the Cebulla for a while... not come across the Bird before but it looks good.

OK unintended consequence of Google, a site headed "Aviator Parrot Harness - available in 6 sizes and 7 colours" :shocked:
))

 

[Targa]

I bought a Cebulla but found it still weighed on my neck.
Bought a Jazzlab Saxholder which is much more comfortable. (£40 omegamusic).

 

[Andrew Sanders]

Same sax and cebulla with the wide adjuster does it for me TV, although lots of good reviews for the jazzlab sax holder too.
Andy

 

[TomMapfumo]

I have a Jazzlab Saxholder and it is superb - takes the weight on the shoulders with a pad on the abdomen and it feels about 1/3rd the weight on my tenor. Costs £40, and Pete Thomas rates it very highly too. There is a good discussion on the thread about Cebulla straps, and on Pete's website, where he reviews straps! http://tamingthesaxophone.com/saxophone-straps.html

Kind regards
Tom

 

[Kingsleyhk]

Not tried the Saxholder but I do like the Cebulla. Having said that, I've never had 'weight" problem with any strap. What I like about the Cebulla particularly is that the cord never slips.

 

[Taz]

I played a three hour, full on, jump around, slide on my knees, jump off the piano rock 'n' roll gig last night all of it on my tenor. I usually use a neotech but last night I used my Cebulla that I bought for my bari. I can happily say that today I've got no aches or pains where I would have had, had I used my neotech.

 

[What]

I don't have experience with the Cebulla strap or the jazzlab, I use a Rico strap that has memory foam in it. I personally love it. The cord never slips, the weight balances well to where I don't really notice it. I do sometimes have to shift my shoulders to get it into position when I first pickup the sax, but other then that its great. If I remember it was only about 30 bucks, but I could be off on that.

 

[Ivan]

A minus vote here for the generic Selmer tenor strap that came with my horn and which ever-soooo-slowly slips

So I'm also thinking about replacement

 

[MellowD]

I have neotech straps for all my saxes, however, I have also recently purchased the Jazzlab Saxholder, and since I have spinal damage plus arthritis in my neck, the Jazzlab overcomes all my physical issues and I can play without hardly feeling the weight of even my tenor. I love it and would sincerely recommend it as part of any GAS attack!

 

[Colin the Bear]

I got one of these for the baritone.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOSO-Univ...t=UK_Woodwind_Instruments&hash=item2ec0215352

Makes you look like you're going to start yodeling, but it spreads the weight for very little money

 

[daveysaxboy]

Dave Guardala for alto tenor jazz gigs,posh gigs.Love it.Neotech for my show bands and jumping about.Jazzlab saxholder for in the house.BG harness for baritone gigs.Thin Rico strap for soprano.All these serve me very well and like them alot.Must say the saxholder is a very clever product.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Thanks - I've been wondering about the Cebulla for a while... not come across the Bird before but it looks good.
))

I found the Cebulla to be better than the Bird, esp. with the wide adjuster.

 

[bariandyf]

Hi Tenorviol
I'm now using one of these for tenor ....
Just Joe's Sax Gel Strap
Fantastic strap, very comfortable, doesn't slip, really well made. I'm in the uk, and the shipping from the US wasn't that much, very pleased with this strap.
Another good strap worth investigating is the Smoothmoose from Woodwind and Reed in Cambridge (Reeds Direct their sister company also do them) ...
http://www.reeds-direct.co.uk/saxophone_accessories/reedsdirect/saxophone-sling-smoothmoose/3dot001bl.html
These are also really good and very comfortable.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ivan]

Dave Guardala for alto tenor jazz

I google the name and I find websites spreading the word that Mr Guardala is a fraudster. Is there truth in this?

 

[Pete Thomas]

I google the name and I find websites spreading the word that Mr Guardala is a fraudster. Is there truth in this?

The man himself was found guilty of a multi million dollar fraud, involving the selling of non existent instruments and multiple selling or licensing of his trademark.

 

[daveysaxboy]

I google the name and I find websites spreading the word that Mr Guardala is a fraudster. Is there truth in this?

Yes but thats very very old news,he's out now.The strap i use has nothing to do with him.A german company bought his name rights.They make the straps.There the best most comfy well made strap i ever had.Expensive but worth it i think.

 

[MandyH]

I play both my tenor and bari on a FreeNeck 4 harness.
I have a Cebulla for my alto, but I had is specially made for me and my alto, so it's too short for my tenor.
Originally I had a NeoTech for my tenor, but found the tenor too heavy.
I got the FreeNeck 4 for my bari in the first instance, but found the tenor played on it beautifully too.
Since alto and bari are my main instruments, I tend not to play the tenor for long, but I can play the bari for 3 hours with no problems after, so I'd guess the tenor would be just as comfortable.
However, you are right, it is expensive; for the comfort, though I'd say it's well worth the money.

 

[Tenor Viol]

Update

The Neotech which I already had and which is fine with the alto, just isn't good enough with the tenor. Following all of the helpful replies, I ordered a Cebulla wiith the wide adjuster - it's just arrived but I've not tested it yet. Certainly looks good.

Thanks for all of the helpful comments.

More reports to follow...