I'm debating on whether I should get a thumbport for the Alto flute I have or not. I am going to only be playing it for about a month and probably wont play it again (well, I may again for Solo/Ensemble next year possibly) but it really hurts my wrist, and on my normal flute I ALWAYS play with a thumbport.. can't play without it because it hurts my wrist, and it keeps my flute from rolling backwards.. I think the alto maybe rolls back a tiny bit, but not as much as my flute has a C# trill. The only other issue is that I can barely reach the right hand pinky keys cause its so big and I'm.. not, lol.

I would order it from fluteworld, but I have some music to order as well so there would be more that I would have to pay shipping for.

Would you buy a thumbport if you were me?

Your problem may be as simple as aligning the headjoint differently.

If you line up the far blowing edge of the embouchure hole on the headjoint with the center of the keys, on a standard flute, the flute will lose its tendency to roll inward toward you.

Take a look here:
http://www.jennifercluff.com/blog/2007/03/flute-rockin-wid-rockstro.html

You can but try, and perhaps find that you don't need a thumbport at all anymore.

Also, you can take a Dr, Scholl's corn pad (a flesh-colored, oblong 'donut') that will stick directly to the flute, about where your thumbport would go.

It will give your thumb a little bit more traction and stability.

When you remove the corn pad, you may need to use a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol to totally remove the adhesive. As long as you are very careful with the alcohol, keeping it AWAY from any pads, there will be no marks on or damage to the flute.

I've always had to align my headjoint closer to the forward edge of my keys.(rolled out about 1/2 inch) Of course this means my footjoint is also tweaked a bit as well.

alignment doesn't make a bit of difference in the actual tone - it's a perfectly round tube and the keys could be on the underside in theory and still work.

well if you are ordering stuff already it won't make much differance to the shipping, but if it is that much money id trysomething else first, get your cleaning cloth and flod it up realy small (about the size of your thumbport) then secure it in place temperarlly with a rubber band, and see if it makes a differance if not then don't bother if it oes go for the thumbport, or as it is for a month try just repositioning your hand untill you can reach the keys.

I think the biggest reason I like the thumbport is because of my small hands. Since it allows your thumb to be more on the side rather than on the bottom of the flute (sorry.. that really doesn't make sense..) it just helps so my fingers aren't hitting the rods.

I'm going to try a few more alignment things with the alto (especially the footjoint) and see if that helps me reach the keys better.. I don't think I will be getting the thumbport since its for such a small amount of time.

If a thumbport helps you then you should use it.

I have to use the thumbport to play. I can play without it, but I hit the wrong keys on accident because my hand hits the rods without the thumbport.

I don't know if I would buy one if I was only going to play for one month.