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In retrospect, the idea and purpose of the John Pearse® Armrest seems self-evident. One friend described it as an idea which makes you slap yourself "up-the-side-of-the-head-wondering-why-[you]-didn't-think-of-it!" It is no surprise to anyone who knows John that he could design this wonderful guitar accessory!
You know that wonderful sound of your guitar when you strum the strings just before you close the case--that true voice of your guitar? Being personally involved in the design and building of all sorts of instruments, as well as being a successful record producer, John was constantly irritated that he could never seem to capture that same tonal richness in the studio or on the stage.
The problem? The player was holding the guitar, of course! Most steel string players have a tendency to "hug" their guitars! Unlike classical guitar players they never learned to keep their forearm off the top of the guitar!
By placing your forearm on the top of the guitar, you lose between 15% and 20% of the power and projection of the top of the guitar--and we are talking as much about the clarity of the notes and quality of the sound as we are about the volume!
The John Pearse® Armrest will give your arm a more comfortable contour over the edge of the guitar while helping to protect the top of the guitar from perspiration. Most importantly, however, it allows you to play normally while it gently lifts your forearm clear of the top--allowing you to experience all that your guitar can give!
The John Pearse® Armrest was originally made out of Acoustron [as seen in the black and white photograph], a polymer developed for lightness and density. They started appearing on professional musicians' instruments who, literally, "sang" their praises! 
Some players, however, would have prefered it were not "plastic". So, when the mold literally "broke", we decided it was time to make them out of exotic woods. And thus were born the John Pearse® Fine Wood Armrests. We took the shape of the original armrest and made it in Ebony, Boxwood and Rosewood [color scan of three armrests] and, for the first time, introduced models to accommodate LEFT-HAND guitar players.
If you have a dreadnought-size guitar and hold the guitar so that you are playing down literally on the "end" of the guitar [towards the end pin] you might consider looking at the LEFT-HAND ARMRESTS. The reverse curve works well for Right Handers who play down at the lower end of the Bass bout of the guitar! [Double check where you play against the template for your best info!
We then introduced two new models. The Rosewood "Jumbo" is on the left in the photo with the 4 armrests. It is made to fit the contour of "jumbo" size guitars. The other new model is the Ebony "Slim Line". It has the same contour as the original armrest but with a much smaller profile, making it ideal for the smaller, more delicate, guitar. Some people call it the "eyebrow!" It is the second from the right in this photograph. On the far right is a Left Hand Rosewood Model, and the second from the left is a Right Hand Boxwood Model, so you can see the comparison of shapes.
These are our BRAND NEW John Pearse® JUNIOR Armrests! The same "shape" as the Original and Slim Line Armrests, they have been "scaled down" to accommodate smaller instruments--like the mini guitars and mandolins! In the photo on the left, you can see the Rosewood Right Hand Original Shape on the far righthand of the photo. Then moving to the left are the Juniors of that shape: the Ebony Junior and, to the left, the Rosewood Junior. On the far left is the Ebony Slim Line Junior.
The underside of the John Pearse® Armrest features a very narrow profile that rests along the top edge of the guitar over the what is called the "kerfing". That is the name for the slotted flexible triangular wood strip glued to the inside of upper edge of the inside of the guitar's side which becomes the surface to which the guitar top is then glued. Because this area is sonically dead it has no damping effect whatever upon the soundboard. [You can see the'footprint" in the black & white photograph above.]
The outer edge of the John Pearse® Armrest is a compound curve so that it can conform to a wide variety of body shapes. It is attached to the surface by means of a double-sided adhesive strip, developed to hold it securely without harming the delicate lacquer of the soundboard.
Believe it or not, the Armrest is still a new concept for many players. It is for players who want the full voice of their guitar! If the sound of your instrument is important to you, experiment by playing normally, and then playing while holding your arm up and away from the top of the guitar. You will hear the difference an Armrest will make in the sound and volume of your guitar! If you play in situations without amplification, then you will be amazed at the difference a John Pearse® Armrest will make in the volume and projection of your guitar!
The John Pearse® Armrest is designed as a permanent addition to the guitar--as is a pick guard or a bridge. Although it should only be removed by a competent repair person, attachment should not be undertaken lightly. We will be glad to discuss any concerns that you have directly with you.
We feel that the best way for you to decide which of the armrests is the right one for your guitar--and for the way YOU PLAY your guitar--is by the use of our templates. The two sheets include the various armrest shapes and sizes for you to cut out and compare with where you play your guitar. PLEASE be careful when printing the images so that you use NO REDUCTION! If you are unable to download the files directly, you can email us, with your postal mail address, and we'll be glad to send out a hard copy for you.
AR-Scansheet.pdf [Color] 897 KB
AR-Scansheet-2.pdf [B&W] 227 KB
Now Available in ELEVEN Models!
New! John Pearse® "Slim Line" Ebony Junior Armrest.................$ 29.95
New! John Pearse® Ebony Junior Armrest................................$ 29.95
New! John Pearse® Rosewood Junior Armrest..........................$ 29.95
New! John Pearse® "Slim Line" Ebony Armrest..........................$ 34.95
New! John Pearse® "Jumbo" Rosewood Armrest........................$ 34.95
John Pearse® Original Design, Rosewood, Right Hand Model .....$ 34.95
John Pearse® Original Design, Rosewood, Left Hand Model ... ...$ 34.95
John Pearse® Original Design, Ebony, Right Hand Model ...........$ 34.95
John Pearse® Original Design, Ebony, Left Hand Model ....... .....$ 34.95
John Pearse® Original Design, Boxwood, Right Hand Model ........$ 34.95
John Pearse® Original Design, Boxwood, Left Hand Model ...... ...$ 34.95
John Pearse® Replacement Adhesive/piece.....................................$ 8.00
Graphics and logos on this web site are trademarked, copyrighted, or registered by Breezy Ridge® Instruments, Ltd., Mary Faith Rhoads-Lewis or John Pearse, Center Valley, PA 18034, and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Breezy Ridge® Instruments, Ltd.
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