SupportHEDs will be available in late January 2026; contact us if you'd like to be notified when our shipment arrives.
Have a bodhran without a crossbar and wishing for one? Read on:
Initially, many bodhráns had a cross in the frame. This may have been important for construction purposes, to keep the frame in shape. On the other hand, in the original open, i.e., freely swinging, playing style, this served as a handhold. This cross is still a prominent feature in many traditional depictions of the bodhrán. With modern frame construction methods and gluing techniques, such a tool is no longer structurally necessary.
Since the tone is modulated with the skin hand when playing the bodhrán nowadays, and the skin hand therefore needs freedom of movement, such a cross brace has generally become more of a hindrance. For this reason, most bodhráns are now built without a cross or crossbar. This also allows for constant rotation while playing, which wears down the drumhead more evenly and thus leads to greater tuning stability, as hand sweat is distributed more evenly.
However, for some playing techniques a crossbar is absolutely essential, and players like Eamon Murray (BEOGA) or Dónal Lunny (living legend of bass bodhrán playing) swear by the use of a crossbar. For some players, such a crossbar is a great relief and gives them the necessary SUPPORT for their game.
Since Christian Hedwitschak frequently received requests for cross braces, he made it his mission to develop a cross brace that can be retrofitted by the player to most drum models, is height-adjustable without tools (distance between the drumhead and the cross brace), and can be completely removed without tools. It also has no direct influence on structure-borne sound transmission to the frame.
The cross brace is available in 4 standard lengths (35, 37 & 40cm, and 45cm by special request), and as a special version according to customer specifications. This allows the SupportHED to be fitted into almost all common drum models. The guide plates are mounted on the inside of the drum frame using pre-mounted adhesive pads and/or supplied screws. No fastening is visible from the outside!
SupportHED Compatibility:
SupportHED 35:
-CoreLine slim
-CoreLine bullet
-EMsig (to replace the existing cross brace)
-MHTF (old design until the end of 2019)
*NOT suitable for MONss!
SupportHED 37:
-CoreLine Universal (from 2018)
-MOS2 and all ChangeHED-based drums
-RWEchange
-Express configurHEDor drums
-Fireball
-CoreLine anniversary
SupportHED 40:
-CoreLine classic
-CoreLine xl
-RWE
-CBssCompact
-TrHED 40cm version
SupportHED 45 (available by special request)
- TrHED
-CBss
-CL MAXI