Single- Neck Armrest Testimonial...

Wes Hamshaw · From: Pacific City, Oregon * R.I.P.

As we all know, for years many makers of steel guitars have been building single neck
steels on a double frame with a pad. For one, I really didn’t give them much thought.
Seemed rather pointless - until I tried one!

Recently, on the Forum, I read of a Forum member who is making an “after market”
armrest for single neck steels. The illustrations looked pretty good and the price
seemed reasonable, so I ordered one. What an improvement on my old single neck!

With the pad, the player just seems to “cozy up” to the steel and it’s noticeably more
comfortable than just holding your arms out there with no support. It’s probably just
psychological, but I’d swear my playing has even improved - I can use that.

Don Blood, a newer member of the Forum, custom makes these to most any single
neck steel. Mine was an old Fender 400 with oversized legs (about 1” in diameter).
It came out beautifully, fits and looks great. Easy to put on and off with just a few
turns of an allen wrench on each rear leg.

You might want to check it out. For more details Contact Don at: donald.blood@verizon.net

Russ Tkac · Posted 15 Dec 2005 8:31 am

Sounds great. Could you post a picture? If not send me one and I'll post it.

Russ

Curt Langston · Posted 15 Dec 2005 11:20 am

quote:
With the pad, the player just seems to “cozy up” to the steel and it’s noticeably more
comfortable than just holding your arms out there with no support. It’s probably just
psychological, but I’d swear my playing has even improved - I can use that.

While that is true, there are some of us who do not like a pad. Some folks like the angle of the wrist better without a pad. While the rest of the folks like that fact that a pad keeps your wrists fairly straight. I like my elbows lower, and my wrists bent at an angle.

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I'd rather be opinionated, than apathetic!

Russ Tkac · Posted 15 Dec 2005 1:08 pm

Here is what it looks like.

Curt Langston · Posted 15 Dec 2005 2:19 pm

That looks really cool Russ!

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

Will this arm rest fit in the case, in the spot where the legs and rods go?

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I like a single neck on a double frame more for a comfortable knee lever placement than for the pad.

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Steelin' Greetings
Marco Schouten
Sho-Bud LLG; Guyatone 6 string lap steel; John Pearse bar; Emmons bar; Evans SE200 amp

Wes Hamshaw · From: Pacific City, Oregon * R.I.P.

Yes, the pad does fit in the case with the pedal board. Fender provided just enough room - very thoughtful of
them I'd say.

Granted, you have more room and less clutter with a double frame. We're not saying that this is a better way
to design steel guitars, it is, however, a clever way to
enjoy the benifits of a pad if you already have a guitar that
you're comforatible with and prefer not to invest in a
different one. I have no trouble working the three knee
levers that I've added to the old Fender with the pad in
place.

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

Let me rephrase the question:

Does anybody know if this fits in a standard S-10 case, next to the pedalboard and leg bag?

Wes Hamshaw · From: Pacific City, Oregon * R.I.P.

Chris, The only case that I have to measure is for a S-8. I
have the one in the photo above - Fender 400. Since I
don't have access to the S-10 case, I can't say for sure. I
realize that for those who are "steady giggers" that taking
anything else extra along to the job could be a drag. For
some of us, it's no problem.

Wes Hamshaw · From: Pacific City, Oregon * R.I.P.

Chris, I forgot to mention, the space in my S-8 case measures 7 &3/4" wide by 36 and 1/2" long. With a little
creative packing, the arm rest goes in together with the
pedal bar, pedals and the legs & bag. Keep in mind, I have the narrow pad - about 3 1/2" wide. Don makes most any size you want.

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

Thanks, Wes......I'll measure mine up and see. I gig a lot and would need to have it fit in my case. Great idea, and it looks great too.

Don Blood · From: Illinois, USA

Just wanted to mention that I'm having a mid summer sale on these armrests/pads. I have more pictures and details posted on my website--- www.donblood.com Go to interests and scroll down to see pics.
Thanks, and I hope everyone is having a great summer.

Don Blood

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Don. I liked the pic of the guitar and trombone duo! What were some of the big tunes you guys did?

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Don, do you have to send measurements of your steel to you or do you have most models on file?........thanks, JH in Va.

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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Wes,,
I play [play at] a single neck on a double body with pad because it is more roomy, and more comfortable for me on my legs, and knees.However I have found I need to pay more attention to my arm and hand placement though. I found myself leaning on that pad to much and it really created some problems that was hard for me to correct, still working on them!! lol..

With the availability of this add on pad I certainly won't shy away from buying a nice single neck guitar if one comes along in the future.

Larry

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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

David Doggett · Posted 26 Jul 2006 10:35 am

I started on an S10 Maverick and never got comfortable with a double-neck or an SD with a pad - just too much stuff in the way of my arms and between me and the E9 neck. When I moved to S12 uni with a small body ledge in front of the neck (most pro S10s and S12s have a ledge about half a neck in width, or a little less, to make room for levers). I would often rest my picking hand palm on the ledge, but it seemed a little too low. So I experimented with a piece of wood 3/4" high (about the height of the aluminum neck) and about 1 1/2" wide. There is no padding, but the stick is covered in duct tape and stuck on top of the body with double sided tape. This works amazingly well. I can steady my picking hand, especially when doing rhythm work on the low strings for rock and blues (when playing on the high strings I rest my picking palm on the uni low strings to dampen string noise and don't need a pad). Yet this small "pad" does not interfere with my bar arm the way the typical wide pad does. At some point I might get someone to make me a real pad with the same dimensions, and attachable with velcro. If you are not a big arm pad guy, try this kind of small palm pad - you might like it.

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Student of the Steel: Zum uni, Fender tube amps, squareneck and roundneck resos, tenor sax, keyboards

[This message was edited by David Doggett on 26 July 2006 at 11:38 AM.]

Bill Moran · From: Virginia, USA

Single neck, double frame, pad. Sounds like a good idea.

Bill

Don Blood · From: Illinois, USA

Jerry, It would be best to let me know the measurements of your steel, just to make sure it will fit when it arrives. It is adjustable to a point, but I can change dimensions fairly easy. Also, make sure it won't interfere with where the cord plugs in to go to the amp.

Bill, I don't remember too many of the tunes my brother and I played with the guitar and trombone, it was more of a pose, but he also played the drums (we played Wipe Out- alot),and he could play about anything on the trombone. After high school, he left his instrument at the school and never played again.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

From what I've read, I suspect that players who have a double neck and use the E9 most of the time use the C6 neck to lean on. Maybe a cover for the C6 neck would save the strings on that neck from getting worn with perspiration, and prove comfortable when playing E9. (I'm assuming, of course, that you've got the C6 tuning on the neck nearest to you.)

Then, what happens when you play the C6 neck ? If the cushion is so comfortable, then why not make an add-on that you can connect to any instrument ?

That brings up another question. If you have two necks the pedals don't change position, so when you're playing the front neck you're inclined to lean forward more than of the back neck. Maybe the phenomenon of comfort on the front (i.e. away from the player) neck has as much to do with the forced playing position of having another neck between you and the one you're playing on.

I shall shortly find that our for myself. So far I've been using a single-neck Carter, but I recently bought a double-neck Sho-Bud on eBay which hasn't turned up yet. (I've played double-neck non-pedal instruments, but I tend to stand up for those.)

[This message was edited by Alan F. Brookes on 28 July 2006 at 08:38 AM.]

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