Abel Armrest?

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    • #2307
      Acoustic Soul
      Participant

        Hello,

        I was looking at an armrest for my guitar.  I have an OM Grand that is making me want to work on finger style more.

        I was searching online for the best one, and what I came up with was the Abel one… do any of you guys have experience with arm rests?

        I wanted to get my arm off the soundboard and have a comfortable support that is ergonomic to put it on.

        Experience and opinions?

         

        Thank you

      • #2334
        indexless
        Keymaster

          Well….as a mandolin player, there are about 4000 people making them, I see most of them will “do one” for guitar, I see prices at 40-60 bucks, good luck with the search, I’m sure you’ll find a beautiful one

        • #2335
          Acoustic Soul
          Participant

            Oh wow, they’re that prevalent huh?

            I ordered the Abel today, I’ll try to remember to report in down the road.  I had emailed a few mandolin arm rest makers and couldn’t get anything for guitar… one of them did make one, but it was glue on.

            Would be nicer to have it made out of wood maybe?

          • #2336
            Chrisakadigdog
            Participant

              John Pearse makes a couple different version arm rests for guitars.

            • #2338
              Acoustic Soul
              Participant

                Yeah, I really thought they looked great… but I had two concerns.  One is how does that glue do with nitro finish, and how would my case close if it was glued on.

              • #2340
                indexless
                Keymaster

                  Sounds like you found the right one, congrats! The mandolin ones usually have adjustment screws to hold them in Place…..Daniel, do you use an arm rest?

                • #2341
                  Acoustic Soul
                  Participant

                    We’ll see!  Yeah, I think the Abel and mandolin varieties have that in common.

                  • #2342
                    Daniel
                    Participant

                      Hi Richard and all,

                      Yes, I use an armrest on my Vessel mandolin.  It’s held on the instrument with the same clamp that they use on violin chin rests.  But that won’t work for guitar.  They don’t make big enough clamps!

                      I used a black plastic John Pearse on my Guild G-37 before I sold that to Chad Manning.

                      The adhesive strip in the armrest did zero damage to the finish, though I have no idea what Guild was using for finishes in 1975.

                      Hope that helps!

                      Daniel

                    • #2344
                      Acoustic Soul
                      Participant

                        Thanks Daniel, if this one doesn’t work I may still give it a try.  Do you think the modern Santa Cruz cases would shut with it on there?  I’ve heard some people say it was fine with their finish and some say otherwise.

                      • #2353
                        Daniel
                        Participant

                          Pretty sure mine would, yes.

                          D.

                        • #2361
                          Acoustic Soul
                          Participant

                            I just want to say I got the armrest today, tried it out..

                            My very first impression was oh no it made it thinner… but that was just on that one song.

                            Everything else I played was just outright better.  Surprisingly so, so I want to make a video and put it up.

                            Is it possible to upload audio to the forum directly, or do I need to YouTube and then link it here?  I may do that anyway so people can hear the difference.  My wife approved and said 95% of the time the arm rest is better.

                            My theory is my OM Grand is weak from E F F# and G on the low E, so when I muffle it the extra mud adds a bit of thickness to that.

                            I was surprised also to hear more woodiness and open response, drier articulation with a more precise thump.  It was simply more pleasing.  Long term will tell….

                             

                            In regards to comfort I’m impressed with it so far

                            Just wanted to give first report.  It’s easy to install, comfortable, nicer than expected (texture), and sounds great.  Pricey, but worth it.  Not pricey for sonic improvement, just pricey for what it is…. but when you’re spending 7-15K on a guitar what’s 78 dollars is my reasoning.  Just as a point of view on the product though it seems like it could be more reasonably priced.  This isn’t really the forum for reasonably priced goods though lol so I’m going to give them that omission.

                            • This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Acoustic Soul.
                          • #2365
                            Acoustic Soul
                            Participant

                              Edit:  My main concern right now is will the extra height of my elbow cause any strain since the OM G is 16″ lower bout…. but it does have a small waist and I can play classical position instead of across lap.

                            • #2409
                              Acoustic Soul
                              Participant

                                Ok ok, so as a followup.  ***First… see the videos section of the forum for my upload which as of Friday June 7th 10 PM CST is awaiting moderation (so you may need to wait til it gets the thumbs up).***

                                I’ve had it for a week or two, and have played on it a bit.  It does raise my arm up higher which is fatiguing to get used to, but I’m not sure if it will necessarily damage ergonomics.  I could adapt a classical position… any advice for that with steel string without having the neck too high?

                                It does have a difference.  I went to the local shop to asked what they heard in a no talking A/B.  They said with the armrest they heard more of the wood, and without it they heard more of the string.  I say that the tone is more filled out, but with less murk in the low mids from the rosewood.  The mid range has a bit more dryness and punch…. woodier if you will.  The top end is more open with more air.

                                I don’t know if that’s a typical effect, or if it’s just that my guitar responded to it in that way.  In fact all of these things are things I was looking for in a new guitar.  I just feel the guitar is overall more appropriate of a sound for the type and quality of instrument it is.  Perhaps when they build guitars they do not consider people’s arms on the soundboard, or perhaps I just hug it extra (even though I’m a small dude).  I’d have to ask Richard about that.  It seems odd that they would omit that, but results show to my ears that they do.  Seems like the more free you can let the guitar be, the better it sounds…. which kind of makes me wonder about separating it in the back a little bit as well.

                                It did good things for me as far as I can tell in the short term, my wife likes it better 98% of the time (one song required some soundboard muffling to sound “right”), and the workers and guitar tech at Craig’s music in weather ford were modestly impressed and at the very least interested.  Listening to playback I have to say it’s more honest to the what I imagine the guitar should be and the sound I have in my head.

                                Makes me wonder if nobody in my years of guitar playing ever though to mention this, or if it is more an obscure less talked about thing in steel string acoustics compared to classical.

                                 

                                Would love to have some of you more seasoned guitar fellows chime in.  .  .  help me out with some experience please!

                                The first impression I had was that I don’t feel obligated to use my jazz pick (Blue Chip Jazz LG 35) in order to get enough air, chime, and clarity as well as a more upper mid focused response.  I could use the TAD-1R 35 on the pointy or rounded side, as well as the TD 35.  That’s giant triangle and teardrop. .  .  Fingerstyle is heavenly as well.  It’s less about fighting the sonic response and more just about having fun with colors.

                                 

                                PM Me if you want my phone number or FaceTime etc and we can chat about it if you’re that interested.  I like stuff like this but I know that a lot of people aren’t that into it.  I do hope that it serves someone, or at least is a topic of interest.

                                 

                                • This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Acoustic Soul.
                              • #2417
                                tadol
                                Senior Moderator

                                  That looks like an interesting product, but I would want to feel and try it before committing that much money to one – Does it fit in the case when you put your guitar away?

                                • #2421
                                  Acoustic Soul
                                  Participant

                                    It does fit in the Santa Cruz case in the compartment.

                                  • #2554
                                    Anonymous

                                      I have the John Pearse ebony slimline junior armrest on my Cordoba 55FCE guitar and I love it.  So much so that the DeVine classical guitar I have on custom order will come with one as well.  Admittedly, I feel comfortable using it on a less expensive guitar like the Cordoba (for any finish damage), and I was not worried on the DeVine because Eric DeVine recommended it himself and I figure he knows what works on his finish.

                                    • #2555
                                      Acoustic Soul
                                      Participant

                                        That’s what I like about the clamps, I don’t have to worry about a glue

                                        • #2557
                                          Anonymous

                                            Is there any concern about where it attaches onto the guitar in terms of scratching the instrument?  I admit, you have me intrigued.  If I get one for my Firefly, I may cancel the one coming on my DeVine, since it is interchangeable,

                                        • #2558
                                          Acoustic Soul
                                          Participant

                                            I wouldn’t think so, there is padding that touches the instrument, and the padding is padded with cork type material.  You don’t screw it down very tight either, just firm enough to not slip since gravity holds it in place on the lower bout.

                                            I don’t see any risk to it, and I contacted Abel.  They were a bit short with me, I told them I just wanted to make sure.  I don’t know much about what damages guitars and stuff for trying to keep them in mint condition, but this to me really seems fine.  It doesn’t violate common sense, and I contacted the experts.  I asked the shop also.

                                            If someone else has an opinion on the wear, I would definitely hear what everyone has to say … but for me I don’t give it a second thought.  I don’t know that I would play the guitar without it tonally speaking.

                                            • This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Acoustic Soul.
                                            • #2560
                                              Anonymous

                                                Well you convinced me, just placed my order for one.  Thanks for the tip. 🙂

                                            • #2561
                                              Acoustic Soul
                                              Participant

                                                Oh, I should’ve mentioned… I thought we were on that post, anyway…. I posted a 12 minute video of comparing the differences with it on and off to this forum.  It’s under the video area.  You can check that out as well.

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