Where can I find an OM armrest?

[judith]

Does anybody know where I might get an armrest whose span is wide enough to fit my OM (depth 2.6")? I'm tending to lean more than I want to on the bridge. So far, my internet search is only yielding regular mando-sized armrests. Thanks! J

[roland]

I have gotten one from King Brown in Australia that fits a 2.25 inch deep mando from "Taiwan" and it's great. I bet he could make one for your OM.

http://kingbrown.netfirms.com/New%20Products.html

Roland

[Gerry Cassidy]

Judith,

Maybe ask Chris if he can make one for ya'?

[steve V. johnson]

Hi,

I use John Pearse's armrests on many ... ok... -all- of my instruments. The claim that they free up the top to vibrate and improve the sound is probably accurate in terms of physics, but the sound rarely changed in my experience. I do find them comfortable and they help me hold the bouzouki or guitar vertically in crowded Irish pub sessions. <GG>

There was a discussion here on the Cafe somewhere, in which someone was concerned about the adhesive that's provided with the JP armrests. I've taken the armrests and the adhesives off, and put them on again and the adhesive has never affected the finish nor been difficult to remove. It is strong enough to keep the armrest in place, and still allowed me to remove the armrest when I wished.

Have a look at the "slimline" models.

http://www.jpstrings.com/braccess.htm

http://www.elderly.com/search....x=0&y=0 (http://www.elderly.com/search/elderly?terms=pearse+armrest&x=0&y=0)

stv

[judith]

Thanks for all of your responses. I did email King Brown and he can make me one to fit. I don't think this is Chris's "thing" and I suspect he has his hands full...2 little kidlets besides his luthier work. Steve - what sort of height are the John Pearse armrests? I want to use it mainly to increase my right-hand comfort and it seems like the higher it is, the better. If the John Pearse ones are really flat, seems like they would mostly work to keep sweat off the finish. Whaddaya think? J

[steve V. johnson]

Hi Judith,

The JP Ebony Junior that's on my old Kalamazoo is 5/16" high, or ... thick. #On the underside they are sculpted away from the outer rim. #That is, the part that adheres to the instrument rim is the thickest part of the piece and the body of it is 'sculpted' thinner. #I assume that that is for two reasons, one to allow cleaning the instrument top below the 'rest, the other would be structural, to transfer the arm pressure back to the rim.

The tops of all the JP's I have are flat, and all the edges are very nicely rounded off.

I have no idea how high the others are... the fiddle clamp kind and the ones that Weber makes...

I guess it goes without saying that I find them comfortable, or I wouldn't recommend them. #But, only on the big, deep O-model Lowden and the Tacoma A/E bass, have I felt any particular difference. #On the others I didn't -perceive- my arm/wrist to be higher off the top, but I like the feel better because I like only feeling the armrest part rather than feeling my arm sprawled across the tops of the things.

I've had sweat on the tops of my instruments, but it's dripped there, not been rubbed on, so I guess I can credit the JPA's with that.

I hope this helps,

stv

[EdSherry]

I can echo sliabhstv's recommendations for the John Pearse armrests. #I have them on a lot of my instruments. #They raise your arm about 3/8" off the body, which may not be enough for Judith's concern about "right hand comfort."

Pearse makes different models, both in choice of wood and in shape. #Like sliabhstv, I like the "Junior" rests for OM. #Go to the Pearse website for templates for the size of the various Pearse armrests. #I buy mine from Janet Davis Music, who seem to consistently have the best price.

I have several different (non-Pearse) mando arm-rests, with different heights, from different makers. #The Pearses are too large to fit on mandolins, but IMHO are fine for OMs. #(I installed one on my Sobell cittern, and another on a Flyde OM.) #

I personally prefer relatively low heights (along the lines of the Pearse) for my instruments, and I'm not a big fan of the taller heights (whether for mando or for OM), but YMMV.

[EdSherry]

I just saw this one from Janet Davis Music. #If it fits a guitar-depth body, it should be deep enough to fit an OM just fine (though I'd ask her about how adjustable the mounting bracket is, in case it can't be adjusted narrow enough). #Apparently made by the same "Cumberland" folks who make fine mando bridges. #

http://www.janetdavismusic.com/guitar_armrest.html

[judith]

Thanks for thinking of me, Ed. I actually went ahead and ordered one from King Brown, in Australia and it's working fine. The only issue (through no fault of the armrest itself) is that it marred the finish beneath the cork...maybe the instrument was too new and the finish had not completely settled...I don't know. Its weird - my new OM's first blemish. Oh well. Judith