Ukulele Arm Rest

schoonerman

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I have a Pono Tenor ATSH that I love but the top edge where it meets the side along the purfeling is really sharp and just bugs the crap out of me. Always leaves a bunch of fine dents in my skin when I play this..hence I don't play it nearly has much as I'd like to. Love the Uke but not a fan of the hard edge. I'm looking for a armrest for a tenor Uke and am completely surprised that none seem to exist? Searched long and hard on the web....nada. I found one being made in Vietnam but doesn't really fit and he wants $50 for it. I also play mandolin and arm rests are common for those and banjos. Any suggestions short of beveling this edge and refinishing the top :-(
 
Any reason not to use a clip-on mandolin arm rest? Other than the label what would be different from a ukulele arm rest?

You might also try changing how you hold the ukulele to reduce the pressure on the edge. A strap may help if you aren't using one.

Depending on your music genre you could bodge some foam onto the edge ;)
 
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Or wear a elbow sleeve, hope that helps
 
There's plenty on eBay, from $10.00 and up. Just search on ukulele arm rest. Most look like knockoffs of the John Pearse guitar armrest. They sure work on guitars, providing the extra volume that usually gets soaked up by your arm resting on the top. Haven't tried them on ukes, but play a chord, lift your arm off the top, and you can hear what they will do sonically, in addition to relief they may provide from sharp edges.
 
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I just use a strap, at all times, and never have issues with the instrument digging into my arm. :)
 
I had a Pono pro classic cedar and macassar ebony tenor. The binding edge was also sharp so I took some sand paper to it and rounded it off nicely. Afterwards I applied a few coats of Danish Oil to the raw wood only. It was easy and worked like a charm. I have done this to two Mya Moe ukuleles as well, much more expensive then Pono. Instruments are meant to be played and any modifications needed to make that easier and better I don't hesitate to do.

I also use straps on all my ukes, including sopranos.
 
Try a sweat band or something like that on your arm. It would be easier to remove if you find that it mutes the uke.
 
There's plenty on eBay, from $10.00 and up. Just search on ukulele arm rest. Most look like knockoffs of the John Pearse guitar armrest. They sure work on guitars, providing the extra volume that usually gets soaked up by your arm resting on the top. Haven't tried them on ukes, but play a chord, lift your arm off the top, and you can hear what they do.
You know, I have a Mainland ukulele that got tossed by my grand daughter and fell on the upper bout. It separated the top from the side just a little bit and put a crack in it that extends out about an inch and a half. I glued it back together but it looks like crap. This is such a great idea. I'm sure one of these rosewood arm rests would go right over the top of the damage and it would look good. Thanks for the idea. I'm going to go for it. Except I have a wood working shop and I'm going to make one myself from walnut, but the same thing.
 
I got a nice rosewood John Pearse arm rest from Banjo Ben and sanded it to fit my Pono bari. Cuts down on creasing my right arm and lifts it off the soundboard.
 
I had a Pono pro classic cedar and macassar ebony tenor. The binding edge was also sharp so I took some sand paper to it and rounded it off nicely. Afterwards I applied a few coats of Danish Oil to the raw wood only. It was easy and worked like a charm. I have done this to two Mya Moe ukuleles as well, much more expensive then Pono. Instruments are meant to be played and any modifications needed to make that easier and better I don't hesitate to do.

I've done this more than once as well. Once it was on a uke with plastic binding and I ended up just sanding down plastic. Another time the binding was wood, and afterwards I honestly couldn't tell anything was done.
 
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