Armrest for Acoustic Guitar?

I've seen mention of armrests for acoustic guitars lately. Do you folks
use 'em, and where do you get 'em? Also, are they permanently installed
on the guitar, or held in place by double-sided tape, or what?

I'd like to put one on my acoustic bass guitar--just not sure how to go
about it.

Thanks!

--Steve

[Ed Edelenbos]

I use a Pearse armerst on my Larrivee Parlor. It is attached w/double sided
tape but it is semi-permanent. They are available most anywhere.

The horses mouth...
http://www.jpstrings.com/braccess.htm

retailers...
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/search/detail/base_id/59552/src=00631

http://www.fqms.com/John_Pearse_Armrest_C1058.cfm?UserID=94303&jsessionid=8c305d97cfd6$AD$40$9

http://www.elderly.com/brand/ACZO_john%20pearse.html


Ed
--
When replying via email, replace spam with speak in the address.

Post by
I've seen mention of armrests for acoustic guitars lately. Do you folks
use 'em, and where do you get 'em? Also, are they permanently installed
on the guitar, or held in place by double-sided tape, or what?
I'd like to put one on my acoustic bass guitar--just not sure how to go
about it.
Thanks!
--Steve

Ed;

Thanks for the info. I assume you've had no problems with it working
loose of damaging the guitar?

While I was waiting for replies I Googled "Arm Rest Acoustic Guitar" and
found the jpstrings website.

--Steve

Post by Ed Edelenbos
I use a Pearse armerst on my Larrivee Parlor. It is attached w/double sided
tape but it is semi-permanent. They are available most anywhere.
The horses mouth...
http://www.jpstrings.com/braccess.htm
retailers...
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/search/detail/base_id/59552/src=00631
http://www.fqms.com/John_Pearse_Armrest_C1058.cfm?UserID=94303&jsessionid=8c305d97cfd6$AD$40$9
http://www.elderly.com/brand/ACZO_john%20pearse.html
Ed

[Ed Edelenbos]

Post by
Ed;
Thanks for the info. I assume you've had no problems with it working
loose of damaging the guitar?
While I was waiting for replies I Googled "Arm Rest Acoustic Guitar" and
found the jpstrings website.
--Steve

Steve, I haven't had any problem with it working off... lol. I cringe at
the idea of trying to remove it (though I see no reason to.) At first, it
took some getting used to. Apparently, I do and have always used my forearm
to mute and shape the sound coming from the guitar. It took a while to get
used to not having my arm there by default. After living with it for some
time, it is really a boon. I am more conscious of what I'm doing and don't
accidentally mute things. (Maybe that makes sense.) It has made me think
about what I'm doing with my forearm when I play another guitar without the
armrest.

Actually, if you google 'pearse armrest' on rmmga, there have been several
discussions (including methods of removal.) I whole heartedly recommend
them but with the warning that things will change and it will (probably)
take a little getting used to. Like most changes, if it means rethinking
things (and potentially changing technique), it may appear to be a bad thing
at first. IMO, after getting used to it, it is a good (if not great) thing.

Ed

Post by

Post by Ed Edelenbos
I use a Pearse armerst on my Larrivee Parlor. It is attached w/double
sided tape but it is semi-permanent. They are available most anywhere.
The horses mouth...
http://www.jpstrings.com/braccess.htm
retailers...
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/search/detail/base_id/59552/src=00631
http://www.fqms.com/John_Pearse_Armrest_C1058.cfm?UserID=94303&jsessionid=8c305d97cfd6$AD$40$9
http://www.elderly.com/brand/ACZO_john%20pearse.html
Ed

[Foldedpath]

At first, it took some getting used to. Apparently, I do and have
always used my forearm to mute and shape the sound coming from the
guitar. It took a while to get used to not having my arm there by
default.

That's why I removed the armrest I tried, after a few week's trial
period. The guitar was suddenly producing just one sound, instead of a
bunch of different sounds. That one sound was very nice, and the guitar
also had a bit more volume than with my normal playing without the
armrest. There's no denying that it was better in some ways. But it felt
like I was triggering notes on a piano. On a piano you get exactly the
same sound when you hit a key with the same velocity every time. On a
guitar, you have a million different ways to vary the expression of a
note, which is one reason I play guitar instead of piano (the other
being that I was force fed piano for six years as a kid, and hated all
my teachers). The different amounts of arm pressure were totally
unconscious, but were part of the sound I wanted to hear.

Or maybe I'm just rationalizing really bad technique. ;)

After living with it for some time, it is really a boon. I
am more conscious of what I'm doing and don't accidentally mute
things. (Maybe that makes sense.) It has made me think about what
I'm doing with my forearm when I play another guitar without the
armrest.

I've been working with a classical guitar recently. This is forcing me
to avoid too much arm pressure on the soundboard, because the strings
need all the help they can get to project and sustain. So that's helping
train me a little better to keep my arm off the board, and only mute
when I really want it.... which is almost never on the classical, but it
does seem to be part of the sound I want out of a steel string guitar.

Anyway, again; this isn't meant to discourage anyone from trying the JP
armrest. It's an inexpensive experiment.

Mike Barrs

[Foldedpath]

Post by
Ed;
Thanks for the info. I assume you've had no problems with it working
loose of damaging the guitar?

The glue strip is strong enough that you won't have to worry about it
working loose, but not so strong that you'll damage the guitar if you
decide to take it off later on. You just have to be careful and very
patient when removing it... prising up one edge and working slowly with
steady pressure until the thing comes off. You wouldn't want to just
grab it and rip it off the guitar. :) I tried one on my Santa Cruz for a
while, but couldn't quite get used to the sound, or the feel of it under
my arm. So I can vouch for the removal process being fairly painless.

A few other comments:

It will leave a "tan line" if you put it on the soundboard of a brand
new guitar and then take it off several years later, because the rest of
the soundboard will have reacted to light and darkened. It's not a
problem if you want to try one on a 5 or 10 year old guitar because most
of the photoreactive darkening has probably already occured by then. But
make sure you want to keep it as a permanent installation, if you're
using it on a brand new natural finish guitar.

You might get lucky and the curve will fit the edge of your guitar
perfectly, but it can't fit every guitar shape out there. The one I
tried (Ebony Original shape) was very close on my Santa Cruz FS, but not
quite perfect. If I set middle of the armrest flush with the edge of the
guitar, the ends would stick out as two little points overhanging the
guitar. If I moved it inboard to get the ends flush, there was a gap
where the edge binding showed behind the middle of the armrest. So I
attacked the armrest with a belt sander, and then refinished it. Not
everyone is that anal-retentive about having it perfectly flush at the
edge, and it might fit your guitar better than it did mine.

Anyway, they're inexpensive and a lot of people here love them. Try it
out! I might give it another shot one of these days, or try it on a
different guitar.

Mike Barrs

[Tony Done]

I use one. It is held on with double-sided tape, but I wouldn't like to try
getting it off.

They are fairly common. Ed has suggested a couple of places, and a Google
search for "John Pearse armrest" should find more.

Tony D

Post by
I've seen mention of armrests for acoustic guitars lately. Do you folks
use 'em, and where do you get 'em? Also, are they permanently installed
on the guitar, or held in place by double-sided tape, or what?
I'd like to put one on my acoustic bass guitar--just not sure how to go
about it.
Thanks!
--Steve

Interesting that Pearse's website indicates that the arm rest is
patented, yet I saw non-Pearse arm rests being sold on Ebay, for
example. One of those listings prompted my question here.

--Steve

[Ken Cashion]

Post by
Interesting that Pearse's website indicates that the arm rest is
patented, yet I saw non-Pearse arm rests being sold on Ebay, for
example. One of those listings prompted my question here.
--Steve

Steve, I wasn't joking about why people use arm rests on
acoustic guitars. It is a simple thing to do and if they were needed
acoustically, I would have thought they would have been around sooner.
If they are there for comfort, then I have the same question.
I have draped my arm on a banjo rim and I know why those are there!
I have a reason for wanting one on my J-45 rosewood but I
could accomplish the same thing with a strip of plastic laminating
film. But I want the armrest to be the same material and color as the
top, same multiple binding with same abalone shell dots in it. It
will be cute...and that is pretty much why I will make one.
I do not think they are needed.
Now having said that, the next time you are playing a guitar,
lean away from it so there is about 2" between the back of the guitar
and your stomach. Do this while playing.
Hear the difference?
Now THERE is a place for some improvement!
Are guitars designed to have the backs muted by the torso? Do
they need this resilient mass in contact with the guitar back for it
to sound its best?
Try it.
I have spacers now between me and the backs of three different
types of instruments. Some instruments don't make much
difference...like a ladder-braced Harmony or any of the wooden
archtops...yet, the plastic archtop improved considerably when I added
a spacer to it. I have done this on an autoharp, as well. The Gibson
J-45 has little differences in sound. (Play about 6' from a corner of
the house.)
For images of this spacer on the G40 Maccaferri, go to
http://tinyurl.com/5bajm.

Ken

I was just playing the dreadnaught to see how much difference I hear
when my arm is resting against the soundboard vs keeping up off the
soundboard. I don't hear much difference, but my wife does. All I can
hear is a little more volume.

As far as the back-to-belly contact is concerned--it's not an issue for
me, since in my natural playing position (seated, with the guitar
resting on my right leg) the guitar is not much in contact with my
rather overweight belly. If I were standing using a strap, it would be
an entirely different matter.

Thanks for your help!

--Steve

Post by Ken Cashion
Now having said that, the next time you are playing a guitar,
lean away from it so there is about 2" between the back of the guitar
and your stomach. Do this while playing.
Hear the difference?
Now THERE is a place for some improvement!

[stringspinner]

Hi, Steve.
Yes I DO hold the patent on function and design of my armrest concept
and the Chinese guy IS infringeing.
I have written a friendly email to him explaining why he must not do
this, but have yet to receive a reply.
I fear it maybe yet another job for my vicious legal pirrhanas.
This is a danger that you face if you ever show a unique product at an
international tradeshow.
It wouldn't be so bad if the buggers ever got the things right! But
they don't. (You should hear my old buddy Rick Shubb on the subject!)
So, yes, you can buy an Oriental knock-off of my armrest - but it's
crap. (Just as you CAN buy an Oriental knock-off of Rick's capo -- but,
yet again -- it's crap.)
So, stick with the guys who invent the stuff...and who get it RIGHT!
(Sorry for my tirade.)
John Pearse.

John;

Maybe you could work out a royalties deal with him.

OR.....

Are you aware that Ebay has a policy for protecting the intellectual
property rights of patent, copyright, and trademark owners? It's called
the VERO program, and it enables people in your situation to have
infringing auctions pulled. Ebay will terminate the accounts of repeat
offenders as well.

Good luck!

--Steve

Post by stringspinner
Hi, Steve.
Yes I DO hold the patent on function and design of my armrest concept
and the Chinese guy IS infringeing.
I have written a friendly email to him explaining why he must not do
this, but have yet to receive a reply.
I fear it maybe yet another job for my vicious legal pirrhanas.
This is a danger that you face if you ever show a unique product at an
international tradeshow.
It wouldn't be so bad if the buggers ever got the things right! But
they don't. (You should hear my old buddy Rick Shubb on the subject!)
So, yes, you can buy an Oriental knock-off of my armrest - but it's
crap. (Just as you CAN buy an Oriental knock-off of Rick's capo -- but,
yet again -- it's crap.)
So, stick with the guys who invent the stuff...and who get it RIGHT!
(Sorry for my tirade.)
John Pearse.

[Ken Cashion]

Post by
I've seen mention of armrests for acoustic guitars lately. Do you folks
use 'em, and where do you get 'em? Also, are they permanently installed
on the guitar, or held in place by double-sided tape, or what?
I'd like to put one on my acoustic bass guitar--

Why?

Ken

Why?
Ken

Because the edge of the body cuts into my arm big-time. It's really
uncomfortable!

--Steve

[Ken Cashion]

Post by

Why?
Ken

Because the edge of the body cuts into my arm big-time. It's really
uncomfortable!
--Steve

Ahh...the banjo rim syndrome. :o)
I have never had this trouble with a guitar, but (BUT) I was
playing the J-45 when I was hot..."hot" as in "thermal" not "enthused"
and when I was wiping down the guitar when I was through, maybe five
hours later, I notices a semi-matte area where my arm had been.
I applied a little more pressure and it was still there.
I have an idea that this surface change was because of the
deodorant I was using. It is the same I have always used and I never
had a finish do that before...and yes, I have used guitars with new
finishes.
I will try a little rubbing compound on it next. After that I
will try a little power and wet felt.
And I will make an armrest to cover it and protect it since
that finish is prone to do this. I have never had an acidic problem
so it isn't that.
The guitar is new but my heavens, how long does it take
nitrate cellulose to outgas? The guitar had to be at least six months
old.
Thoughts, anyone?

Ken

P.S. Besides I want to make the world's fanciest arm rest
anyway.

[Geezer]

Post by
I've seen mention of armrests for acoustic guitars lately. Do you folks
use 'em, and where do you get 'em? Also, are they permanently installed
on the guitar, or held in place by double-sided tape, or what?
I'd like to put one on my acoustic bass guitar--just not sure how to go
about it.
Thanks!
--Steve

I've now got JP armrests on all of my guitars and like them. I've removed
them and repositioned them, moved them to other guitars, with no problems.
Never tried one on a bass, though.
They're easily removed with two flatpicks.
Geezer