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Thread: Cheap ebay mandolin arm rests

  1. #1

    Default Cheap ebay mandolin arm rests

    I'm slowly getting won over to the idea that an armrest would improve my playing. Most of the regularly advertised ones are 45 dollars or more.

    There are many cheap ones for sale on ebay -- five or six bucks, although with shipping tacked on, they approach $20.

    Does anyone out there have any experience with these cheap ones? The main concern, of course, is whether they might damage the instrument. But beyond that, are they well made? Is it complicated or can they, in fact, be made properly in a workshop in India?

    Anyone have any experience with these CHEAPOS?

    Thanks,
    Alan Spector
    =========================================


    Some good stuff, a 2006 Taylor and an unusually lovely and HEAVY1980s Imperial Banjo, a 1917 GREAT sounding Gibson Oval Hole A....a prewar Gibson banjo (mandolin....)...and a bunch of intermediate stuff. And a lot of..,,um.....stuff that I'm gonna get around to fixing someday. Maybe. If I don't hurt my back fishing it out of the dumpster once/week from when my wife is home without me.

  2. #2
    Registered User tjmangum's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cheap ebay mandolin arm rests

    No experience with cheap ones, but in the process of getting a 3rd McClung from Hill Country Stringworks. Yes, they start at about 40 bucks, but you get fast feedback from Doug and I have no doubt they will handle any concerns. I've been through those phases where I've tried to cheap things out and usually regretted it. To me, well, worth it to spend a bit more on something you're going to look at every time you pick your instrument up.
    " Give me some words I can dance to and a melody that rhymes" - Steve Goodman

  3. #3
    Registered User Mandobart's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cheap ebay mandolin arm rests

    It's more a factor of the shape for me. The traditional skinny "kidney" shape like Cumberland Acoustics offers is not near as comfortable to me as the wider "banana" shape Doug Edwards makes.

    My favorite arm rests by far are the long, wide, rounded (hemispherical) top ones I got from Steve Bell many years ago.

  4. #4
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Question Re: Cheap ebay mandolin arm rests

    No, but mail me one or 2, for comparison, to revue, & I'll Opine.
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Cheap ebay mandolin arm rests

    I have one of those cheap Ebay ones, from India in my case. There's nothing much wrong with it, except the shape is to my mind a bit small and old-fashioned looking. I think it's based on violin chin rest fittings and if tightens on OK.
    Eastman MD305 mandolin
    Kentucky KM250 mandolin

    2 x Fiddles, 1 x 5 string viola, 1 x 5 string octave viola, 2 X nyckelharpas
    2 X 12 string guitars, 3 x 6 string guitars, 1 x Cuatro de Puerto Rico
    5 x recorders - descant, alto, tenor
    1 X Highland bagpipes
    1 x Garvie 'Session' mouth blown bagpipes in A

  6. #6

    Default Re: Cheap ebay mandolin arm rests

    If this is for your 1917 Gibson, spend $25 more for a U.S. made one. I think you'll find that they really help with keeping your picking centered over the sweet spot.

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