Removing the hand rest

[Deleted]

Mike Dowling removes the hand rest from his NRP guitars, so he can dampen the strings more easily. They are held on by screws so it's easily done. If I change the cover plate and remove the hand rest, would playing it like that damage the guitar? I have an MM Blues 28 and Busker Deco.

[bryanbradfield]

I've played resos for decades and have never removed a hand rest. You asked "would playing it like that damage the guitar?" In my opinion, your question should have been "could playing it like that damage the guitar?" The amount of pressure that needs to be applied to the bridge saddle to damage it is ... ?
My biggest worry would be in transporting it in the case or gig bag. I would either modify the case or gig bag, or create a small adaptor to place on the cover plate to prevent pressure against the saddle while it was cased up.
In my experience there is a slight difference in damping on the saddle, as on a guitar, and damping on strings close to the saddle, as on a dobro. There was a bit of a learning curve, but the key is to be comfortable while beating on the thing.
Finally, if you are nervous about caving in an exposed cone, you probably will not be playing the instrument as you could or should.

[Deleted]

On the AGF there was a similar question - here's Wade Hampton Miller's response.

" That's what I did on my National M2, and catastrophe has NOT followed. I just removed the stock hand rest and haven't put it back on.

On the National RM-1 mandolin that I helped design, acting as a consultant on that project with Don Young and McGregor Gaines at National, Mac made me a special cut out handrest/bridge cover that is cut away directly over the bridge saddle so that I can palm mute, but there's still protection there.

I palm mute on all of the instruments I play, so for me it was a necessary modification.

I think that so long as you're careful, you shouldn't have any problems. Obviously you'll need to avoid bumping the guitar in its stand so that it falls face forward on a concrete surface, but that actually happened to me with my National M2 (somebody else knocked it out of its stand) and the cone wasn't damaged, even though I'd removed the hand rest long before.

So these guitars are more robust than many might expect. Obviously, the cone can be damaged, but if worse comes to worse, the cones can be replaced. I'd say if you palm mute on your guitars, removing the hand rest is a calculated risk, one that's perfectly manageable provided that you stay alert.

Oh, and pounding as hard as you can on the bridge with your fist is probably a bad idea.....but normal playing technique shouldn't hurt anything."

[Michael Messer]

I am with Bryan on this. I have played resonator guitars for 40-ish years and have never even thought about the problem of damping. I can damp the strings perfectly well with the heel of my hand tucked into the corner of the handrest.

When I first saw that National were making removable handrests I thought it was a ridiculous idea, although of course I understand that it makes setting the guitar up quicker, but it also means you can unscrew the handrest and wreck your cone. Mike Dowling does play without a handrest and each to their own, but I do not recommend it. One knock on that bridge and your cone is dented and the guitar is unplayable.

Musicians have been making great music on standard factory-finish National guitars for almost 90 years. I see no reason to modify these guitars. However, that is just my advice and it is your guitar.

My manufacturers in Shanghai offered me screw-on handrests, but I declined as I see no need for them. Much like Fender Telecaster 'ashtrays', 30 years from now many NRP guitars will be without their original handrests

Shine On
Michael

[Michael Messer]

I hope my previous posting doesn't read like a rant! .....I was not ranting, just stating my views on the subject.

Shine On
Michael

[pete1951]

An exposed cone can be damaged, I have not removed the cover on any that were factory fixed. However, on one I made, I put a removable cover and it made setting up easy. On my electric guitars I am always palm-muting (I would remove a Tele `ash tray` to play it) For my next (but one) resonator I plan a palm rest that finishes over the bridge (so you will see the centre of the bridge if you look down on the guitar) I am hoping this will let me palm-mute and protect the bridge.
PT
Try to get to know your guitar with the hand-rest on, your style may have to change a little ,but learning new stuff is good for the brain!

[Michael Messer]

Forgive me, but why is palm muting a problem on these guitars. I do it all the time.

Shine On
Michael.

[Deleted]

Palm muting aside, I think they look a bit ugly with the palm rest removed.
TT

[bryanbradfield]

This topic reminds me of some of the innovations of the past. It seems to me that Fender and possibly Gretsch developed and sold regular guitars and steel guitars (meaning Hawaiian type guitars played with a solid steel bar) that had some sort of pad attachment that the player could raise into the strings in the area of the bridge to damp the strings. I believed that these would be somewhat suspicious as they would eliminate the player's ability to finesse the sound.
So I suppose what I'm saying is that modifications don't necessarily improve the playability. Measure twice, cut once.

[Michael Messer]

Phil,

If you do decide to go this way, you will have to get a coverplate with removable handrest, via me, from the manufacturer in China. A National coverplate is a different shape (the depth is different) and 'may not' fit your guitar.

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

Thanks for the responses. I don't actually have a problem damping on the Blues 28 or Deco, so probably won't go to the trouble of removing the cover and hand rest. I just wondered what the opinions were of playing without one. Obviously they are there for a purpose. Anyway, back to Zep 3 on YouTube. Love it. One of the first LPs I bought in my teens.

[pete1951]

Re; Palm Muting, I`ve tried it on this guitar but I need 3 hands

[slide496]

It occurs to me that - maybe he didn't - but Mike Dowling may have done more than just remove the hand rest - he may have also had national make modifications to accommodate that set up, so I thought I'd mention it.

If you have a screw on one, you just could screw it on for transport and protection.

[Deleted]

I can see where having a removable handrest allows you to fiddle with the guitar's setup - but really, how many times in the life of a guitar will one do this? (It's similar to Fender putting the trussrod adjustment at the heel end of the neck, I suppose.)

I find the handrest is helpful for palm muting -- it provides a brace for the hand. You don't have to exert any effort/muscle tension (however minor) holding your hand in place, like you do on a normal bridge. The hand just snuggles in.

[slidincharlie]

Hello guys
this thread comes in real helpful because I was trying to figure out how to access easily the saddle in my MM Blues guitar for maintenance work, especially for intonation issues that I am having after a serious damaged occurred to the neck.
While I find useful and even necessary to have a palm rest (I use it for clamping a small goose neck mic, and I can dampen the strings quite easily, btw), a removable hand rest would definitely do the trick.
If the MM manufacturer in China can provide a cover with removable hand rest, that would be my solution!
--Carlo