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I am considering putting a built in armrest, bevel style like Laskin and Ryans, on the guitar that I just started.
The only small problem is that this is just my third guitar and I don't really have a clue as to how to do it:)
So before I figure it out for myself and screw it up...has anyone done one of these?
Any tips, hints, diagrams:)

Hi Bill,
Tony Karol has done some and has some instrutions on how he does it. I just emailed you what I had.

Bill, I think there's a prior thread by one of the Kinnaird builders - although I can't remember which. I do remember it was darned creative and looked great though.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

I think Tony Karol did a pretty good photo essay on it over on the MIMF forum some time back. Might check the archives over there.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Yes I did ... not sure if it has made it in over there, but I know Anthony Zlahtic kept a wird doc with all that info in there, I never did. He might be able to post that over here. I do things a bit differently now, but it definitely gives you the idea.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Give us the details Tony. What are the steps? I have to do another one and that first was such a bear that I am wondering if there is not an easier way.


John

I remember that Tracy sent me the article Tony did on MIMF. I imagine he still has it.

John
I was able to visit Tony about 2 weeks ago and he explained how to do his version of the armrest. Much simpler than the Laskin style. I am going to be starting a guitar next week that will feature a armrest and ribrest in what I am calling the Laskin/Karol style. Laskin being the inspiration for the rest and Karol the inspiration for this particular design. I plan on documenting the process with pictures as I build the guitar. I would be happy to post the process here (if Tony doesn't have any objections) when I am finished. Mind you this will be my first attempt at this process. If Tony wanted to document the process from start to finish that would also be great, but I know he is pretty busy right now. It will be a few weeks before I have this done I am sure, but I will do my best to make detailed notes of the whole procedure.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Tony, I put two files together a couple of years ago for future reference which I have emailed you. Funny story -- a couple of years ago I sent them to Mattia, who sent them to Tracy Levesque -- who was kind enough to send them back to me.

It's your work product so I would be comfortable with you controlling the circulation.

Anthony Z38701.5264814815

Sounds really good to me. I am looking forward to your pictures.

Thanks
John

Here is the link to all the documents Tony and Anthony had put together. It is a hidden link on my website. This should show you everything you need to know to do it! Good luck!
Get it Here
Tracy

Hey Tracy -- I thought I had seen it on your site. Here's the MIMF library link as well:

http://www.mimf.com/library/karol_laskin_armrest.htm

and one more method

http://www.mimf.com/library/gabriel_bandsaw_laskinarmrest.ht mAnthony Z38701.5938194444

Bill

Maybe we have all gotten a bit ahead of you. A brief explanation of the armrest is as follows.

You decide where and how big you want the rest to be. Then you glue a block on the inside of the guitar instead of the lining in that area. You assemble the rest of the box at this point. After the top and back are one you carve out the rest. Then you bind it. Binding it seems to be the big difficulty. If you read through Tony's article you will get a picture of how the Laskin rest is done. Grit Laskin binds his guitars in ebony and then paints the armrest portion black. Tony Karol likes to leave the armrest natural allowing the wood to show through. Guys like Ryan and Beneteau like to veneer there rest so that it matches the binding. There are many was to skin this cat and they all work. The produce different looks but mainly the same results, which is having an armrest. Tony's design involves running the binding around the top only which is the simplest design I have seen. The Laskin style usually has the binding continue along the top and side.

Sorry that this info is a bit random, but I thought it might help. Take a look at these guys web sites to see what they are doing.

-William Laskin
-Kevin Ryan
-Tony Karol
-Marc Beneteau

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Hi all,

Thanks for posting the link, as it states it shows how I did a Laskin style, bound top and sides style armrest. Since I found cutting the binding/purf channels by hand a nightmare, I figured there ahd to be a way, maybe a little less ornate, to accomplish the same effect, that of having a bevel for the forearm of the player. I discovered on the first of the new style i did that using a binding wood that was different from the side wood causes some cosmetic issues at the ends of the rest, whcih doesnt happen when you do side binding. If you use the same wood for binding as the side, like EI rw all round, the problem 'disappears'. I did however come up with a solution to the different woods scenario, in that if the armrest binding channel is the same depth thru the armrest as the binding channel itself on the rest of the guitar (usually as per Grits, its only slightly deeper than the top thickness on the armrest itself), then the bindings line up and look much better.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"