Question for the group - Armrests

[jstream]

Hi All,
As I'm reading and researching, I find myself wandering all over the place thinking about different things. I had seen one or two in the past, but a week ago, my wife and I went to the Candyrats Guitar Night at Shank Hall (name that movie :P) here in town, and two of them were using armrests. So of course that got me wondering. I've found several descriptions, and interestingly, none of them talk about comfort. Instead, they talk about sound as being the reason for armrests on acoustics. Specifically, that when an average person lays their arm across the top of the guitar, they are damping the vibrations and thus damping the sound. While this makes perfect sense to me, I'm curious as to whether or not you think this is accurate, or just a marketing ploy. I like the idea myself, but want to get the opinions of others.

[Tony_in_NYC]

Armrests are for chairs.

I could simply give you the answer to this question, but then, what have you learned Grasshopper?
Try strumming a chord with your arm resting on the top, then strum with your arm off. Or, you could strum a chord with your arm off, and then put your arm onto the body. Do you hear a difference? Ah so! Now you have your answer!

OK...I will just tell you. Yes. Having your arm on the soundboard when you play will damp the sound. Is it enough to warrant using an arm rest? Not for me. But that is up to you.

Edited to add: Welcome to the forum!

[deadedith]

I have used them and I like them. Tony put the theory forward well. An a-b test makes it very clear that the sound of your guitar is more distinct and louder with the armrest than without, all other things being equal.
DaveB

[MuddyFox]

I've only played two guitars with armrests (one John Pearse, one homemade). While there is indeed a perceptible difference in sound when you focus on hearing the difference, I have come to the conclusion that ambient noise and my sloppy playing do more harm to the sound than any armrest could possibly fix. YMMV.

[darren]

Hi All,
As I'm reading and researching, I find myself wandering all over the place thinking about different things. I had seen one or two in the past, but a week ago, my wife and I went to the Candyrats Guitar Night at Shank Hall (name that movie :P) here in town, and two of them were using armrests. ...

I have nothing to add except that I was trying to go to that show but family commitments got in the way. How was it? Who ended up playing?

[jstream]

@muddy - Good one! Can I use that?

@Darren -That's why I took my family :) Craig D'Andrea opened, followed by Stefano Barone and Gareth Pearson, and closed by Ewan Dobson.

No takers on the Shank Hall question? :P

[darren]

umm, I think it was spinal tap, the theater had to ask the producers if they could use the name or something like that.

[jstream]

DING!!! We have a winner!!! You've won a no-expenses paid trip to mini Stonehenge!

[deadedith]

You're right about the armrest not being designed to correct or enhance anything - it just allows the top to do more of what it is supposed to do and free up the sound from dampening.
DaveB

[Woody OKeefe]

I use armrests on my guitars because it's comfortable, keeps perspiration and acid from affecting the finish and I like the look.