Merry Christmas and armrest question

[timcw4]

Merry Christmas all !

Question - I received a Cumberland armrest this year for Christmas. (Yes, we open presents on Christmas eve). I have a question regarding placement. Should it :

A) be right next to the tailpiece but not touching, or touching, or doesn't matter?

B) should the armrest itself line up with the very edges of the top or go in as far as possible?

If I make the brackets flush with the side, the armrest itself is going past the binding by a tiny bit. Might be easier if I post pics?

Thanks!
Tim

[Paul Statman]

Post pics! Please!

[Astro]

And I thought you attached it to your arm.

[Astro]

Sorry, its Christmas so even though I'm often wrong, If its any comfort to you I'll tell you what I do:

A: The first one

B: The first one

In fact I make sure to leave a little space between those side posts and the side of the mando to be sure it doesnt make contact and scuff the finish.

Now, back to work on solving the answer to the Unification Theory...

[Paul Statman]

A: The first one

B: The first one

In fact I make sure to leave a little space between those side posts and the side of the mando to be sure it doesnt make contact and scuff the finish.

I would agree with this, Astro. Well put.

[timcw4]

Yep - think Astro nailed it. Think I was just wore out last night...I noticed this morning that I didn't have the bottom of the armrest seated evenly with the top, this was making it go on at a angle. Once I put it on with a little more care it lines up nicely.

Ms Bovier (my A5T) had a good Christmas. My brother bought her the armrest and a buddy bought a Weber Wood Nymph. :)

[Marc Ferry]

Should it be right next to the tailpiece but not touching, or touching, or doesn't matter?

Put the armrest wherever your arm normally touches the side of the mandolin when playing. In my case, I put my armrest rather far from the tailpiece, near the F-hole.

[jhammond]

I put mine where my arm normally and comfortably goes while playing.
My trick to keep the posts off of the sides is using small 1/8ish inch grommets on the posts (on the part that screws into the part the adjusts it). Two at the top of the posts keep mine just enough off the sides of my mandolin. If I had a picture right now I would post it. Maybe later.

[Paul Statman]

I put mine where my arm normally and comfortably goes while playing.
My trick to keep the posts off of the sides is using small 1/8ish inch grommets on the posts (on the part that screws into the part the adjusts it). Two at the top of the posts keep mine just enough off the sides of my mandolin. If I had a picture right now I would post it. Maybe later.

It really shouldn't need any spacers. Now I have to see a picture!

[Astro]

Yeah I'm with mandopixie. With grommets or other padding, I'd then be afraid the grommets/padding would rub the finish.

I just leave a space of about 1or2 mm's. Just look for a bit of airlight between. Once tightened, it doesn't move. No spacer needed for me (I hope).

Although I have no scuffs yet, I do occasionally worry that the arm rest will cause some scuff under the pads or posts over the years. But even if it does it will be nothing like the scuff I often see on mandos that dont have an arm rest there.

And I think it helps volume by keeping the forearm off the soundboard.

Finally, I just assumed it went w/o saying that the rest goes under where the arm would be. Otherwise, whats the point?

[jhammond]

128039128040128041

Here's some pictures to give you an idea of how and why I use them. They may not be totally necessary but they protect my finish very well just in case.
On the armrest on my eastman, which I had first, I put a wrap of electrical tape around the post but left the holes exposed so I could adjust it. I just like keeping the metal and finish/wood from touching as much as possible.
No marks, scuffs, or scratches yet (from the armrest).

[Paul Statman]

@jhammond: I've never seen one mounted this way. Those metal bars do seem to be awfully close to the instrument wood. If it were mine, I would remove and remount it slightly differently:
Firstly, I would unscrew a few turns on the hardware's right-angle bend into the wood in a bid to distance the metal from the rib near the armrest. Next.. well, I was about to write that the other end should be mounted closer to the instrument's edge, but I see a different part there from what I'm used to. I've only dealt with a single bar attachment, so perhaps there's not enough metal/curve to play with.
A photo from the back would be helpful. If this is how it mounts, you may have done the best job with it already, and my suggestion is redundant!

[George R. Lane]

I used a piece of Elk hide as a spacer. Elk hide is easy to get here in Montana. You could use a piece of leather. I gave my wife a new leather wallet for Christmas and I cut the old one up for the nice thin leather.

[Toni Schula]

Now, back to work on solving the answer to the Unification Theory...

I hope you are working on the String Theory, as it's all stringed instruments arround here ;) And I can't even spell quantum gravity.

[Paul Statman]

Photos of one of my mandolins with armrest mounted.
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[jhammond]

Thanks for the suggestions. The metal feet are different but work quite well. The armrest on my other mando has the bar like yours. Both work well. The individual feet just allow for varied placement by the maker and the user I guess. Backing the post out from the armrest may give a little more daylight. As it is now I'm not afraid of damage to the finish. I have plenty of deerhide and cowhide pieces from straps I have been making. A thin piece may help a little on the feet.