Mandolin Armrest

[haggardphunk]

Anyone play with one? I often feel like when playing I would have a bit more control of the instrument if I had a little extra where my arm rests. I also have a satin finish and wouldnt mind protecting my mandolin a little better.

Anyone have bad experiences with them? Do most folk music shops have ones you could try out?

These seem to be like good looking options.
http://hillcountrystringworks.com/armrest5.html

[bobby bill]

I purchased one a few years back from the place you linked to. I have nothing but good things to say about it. The slight angle change to your arm helps and it's nice to not have the edge of the mandolin digging in. And things can get sweaty sometimes playing outdoors in Texas and I'd much rather get that sweat over my arm rest. I had one of the little cork protectors come off once, and Doug, who makes them, had a replacement to me in the mail within a day or so. No charge. So I think you are looking in the right place.

[jhammond]

I think they help some too. I have one on each mandolin and feel like they help my positioning. As well as protect the finish.
I have heard great things about the armrests from that website. I bought mine off ebay from Leo. He just started his website as well. http://leoswood.com/armrests
I also just got a Tone Gard and like it so far.

James

[TonyP]

These seem to be like good looking options.
http://hillcountrystringworks.com/armrest5.html

+1 on Doug, he's the guy you'll most see here on the Cafe, and for good reason. You want a good product that's got the best support, and that's Doug in a nutshell. NFI, yadda yadda.

[Mandobart]

An arm rest and one of Tony's Tone-Gards are the first additions to any of my (non-bowed) instruments.

[i-vibe]

I've got an older style McLung ebony armrest on my '87 Flatiron A5 Jr. I love it. super comfy w the older more rounded/contoured style and i do believe getting my forearm of the soundboard helps w the volume and tone.

my other main mando is a round edged (top/sides) Rigel A Deluxe so no need for an armrest there. i wish doug would find the neccesary clamp or tool up the hardware for some armrests suitable for gtrs.

i know that Pearse makes (or used to make) a stick on armrest but that setup never really appealed since i'd prefer NOT to fasten an armrest to a '36 Martin 0-17 w double sided tape...go figure.

[Tobin]

I'll give a big plus-one to Doug's armrests. I have them on 3 of my mandolins, and they help greatly with getting my arm up a little higher over the instrument, and protecting the edge from sweat and rubbing. Keeping your arm off the face, of course, will improve volume as well.

He's very good at color-matching them to your mandolin, even from a photo. For example, he took a photo of my Ellis with his phone one evening at a jam, then made the armrest based on that, and it goes perfectly. Even to the point of matching the gold hardware. He did the same thing with my Pava; even though it's a black-face mandolin, it has nicely figured sides and he made the armrest with an edge that matches the sides of the Pava.

These armrests fit well and stay put. I've never had an issue with them. NFI here, but I know Doug personally and he's a great guy with a superb product.

[Mark Wilson]

Anyone play with one?

I picked up a used CA armrest from mandomutt to see what it was all about. Haven't been tempted to take it off. Felt right to me as soon as I tried it. The ones you linked seem pretty well designed.

Anyone have bad experiences with them?

Some mandolins (Webers?) have a rounded back edge and prevent fitting the armrest. I have read once or twice in ads for used mandolins "small blemish from where armrest was attached" so quess that's possible.

Do most folk music shops have ones you could try out?

No on the 'most' part of that question. I would imagine that if you ordered one online and didn't like it you could recoup 'most' of the purchase price. If you get a McClung Ebony armrest and don't like it i'll buy it from you.

[Capt. E]

I prefer them as well and have them on each mandolin. I find I play more in the sweet spot with one and less likely to dampen the strings above the bridge. I also prefer to have a finger rest as well (it is a finger rest, not a pick guard) to anchor the pinky on my right hand.

By the way, I fully believe that most of the wear on a top below the strings is usually caused by fingernails, not by a pick. And wear below the bridge is caused by buttons on shirt sleeves or a watch bracelet.

[Stainless]

You cannot go wrong dealing with Doug. He says what he does then does what he said. Quality of goods and service are exceptional.

[mandroid]

I have 1 mandolin with a rather sharp edge from how the top recurve was done .. that got an armrest.

http://www.cumberlandacoustic.com/id3.html

[Stainless]

I am currently using a McClung armrest and love it. I am waiting for a new varnish Mando to be built. I am really looking forward to the new mando but since it will be French polished spirit varnish I will likely need to give it a bunch of time to cure before using an armrest ( I understand that could be two years).

[Doug Edwards]

Thank you for the great testimonials. Right now I'm way behind in production and to top things off I'm fighting a tough upper respiratory infection. I hope to get back in the shop some tomorrow but not sure how long I can hold out. Good thing I have masks, dust collection , & air cleaners.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Armrests are a 'good thing',& Doug's are as good as they come. However - my only run in with an armrest on my first good mandolin resulted in a tiny piece of the finish flaking off. The turnbuckles (clamps) pressed on the side of the mandolin when it was in it's case,& the damage resulted. It was only a pin head sized piece (if that ),but the armrest was asigned to the trash can before i was tempted to try it again & sustain even more damage. If i was using one now,i'd place a piece of thin leather between the clamps & the mandolin side to prevent any damage. So,my bottom line is - armrest are excellent,IF you take care to prevent any damage. It's only the prohibitive cost of importing from the US these days that's prevented me from buying one for any of my 3 mandolins. The price hike on US postal charges + 25% import duty etc. has made importing almost any item expensive,
Ivan

[David Rambo]

I have Doug's armrests on my main 3 mandolins. Simply put, I love them. I haven't had the problem that Ivan had, as my cases must be slightly larger.
Dave

[TonyP]

Thank you for the great testimonials. Right now I'm way behind in production and to top things off I'm fighting a tough upper respiratory infection. I hope to get back in the shop some tomorrow but not sure how long I can hold out. Good thing I have masks, dust collection , & air cleaners.

Sorry to hear that Doug. Working with wood and the resultant dust is very hard on the respiratory. Hang in there and I hope you get well soon.

[Stainless]

Thank you for the great testimonials. Right now I'm way behind in production and to top things off I'm fighting a tough upper respiratory infection. I hope to get back in the shop some tomorrow but not sure how long I can hold out. Good thing I have masks, dust collection , & air cleaners.

Get well. We will keep you in our prayers for a speedy recovery.

[dhbailey]

Indeed, Doug, get well quickly! Regarding armrests, I hadn't had my mandolin for more than a couple of weeks when I realized that I wanted/needed something to help with arm/wrist position as well as holding the instrument, so I bought an armrest based on suggestions I read here at the cafe and I've never been sorry I did so.

Between the armrest and the tonegard I find it very easy to hold my mandolin and for around the house or other informal playing I don't need to use a strap. And my arm, where it rests on the arm-rest, has stopped hurting as it did when I first started playing mandolin.

[Ben Cooper]

+1 on Doug, he's the guy you'll most see here on the Cafe, and for good reason. You want a good product that's got the best support, and that's Doug in a nutshell. NFI, yadda yadda.

Add another + on that one. I love mine and working with Doug to find the right one was a pleasure.

[Susan H.]

I've been using one of Doug's McClung armrests pretty much since I began playing mandolin, it's comfortable and I feel my hand is in the right place to play. He even made me a McClung with a cardinal inlay...beautiful.

[Dave Greenspoon]

The Newsom came with one and I added a McClung to the Washburn. I'm also a huge fan of Doug's work. Someone mentioned Tony's tonegard...that's on my Rigel. The radiused sides precludes the need for an armrest. Both are great products from great people.

Doug, I hope you recover fully and quickly!

[mandognome]

I would recommend Doug's McClung as well. Doug came to a house concert I did a few years ago now, checked out my mandolin, and went to some trouble to make me an armrest that matched my instrument perfectly. I loved what it did for my arm and I felt like it made the top more resonant too, much like folks say a Tonegard does. I ended up giving it to a friend when he was going to Africa to do some relief work and wanted to improve on mandolin as his personal relief work. I was experimenting at that time with a right arm that was more over-the-tailpiece than they higher altitude edge of the mandolin's tail/butt/whatever-you-call-it. But I'm over that now and have Mike Marshall backing me up that it's better to have the pick hit the string at an angle, rather than exactly perpendicular.

Doug is a fun guy to talk to and a stand up guy to work with. You'll enjoy the experience and the product.

Hope you get standing up and working again soon, Doug!

[Doug Edwards]

Brother Tim, just thinking about you a week or so ago. I hope all has been good.
You had one of the first ten or so McClungs. At the time I was sending out a standard and McClung to a few field testers for feedback. The product has changed slightly over the last nine years and several refinements to increase function and appearance. This year I've changed some equipment to provide a much nicer lacquer finish. It takes longer and costs a bit more but the results are much nicer. The process has contributed to my back log in production.
Currently I'm still quite sick. I'm on a steroid for the lining of my lungs and the good cough medicine but still coughing my toenails up. Back with the Doctor on Monday.

[Verne Andru]

So sorry to hear that Doug. I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

Another McLung fan here! They raise the arm up just enough for better picking action and clears the arm from the soundboard which I find helps with tone and volume. And they look so kewl!

[Tezzerh]

I second all the messages praising Doug's McClung and hope he is soon well. Only snag I found was, as Ivan has pointed out, import duty etc., almost doubled the cost of my armrest from Doug. Worth it, though. It's a work of art and even if it doesn't improve your playing (which I think it does) it's a lovely thing to look at!