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I'm pleased to see this thread make a comeback. The Dynarette continues to serve me very well and it's made a big difference for me.
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05-03-2015 04:24 PM
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Last edited by mr quick; 11-09-2019 at 07:47 PM.
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I had been on the fence about something like this for a while now. The suction cup ones seem too sketchy for me, which leaves the cushions. I might have to give it a go now that I have seen this thread. I was also trying the lap strap which seemed to work well, but not being able to shift my butt on the chair at all without slipping was an issue for stretches of long playing.
Would a rolled up towel be a way to simulate this enough to see if I would like it? Would a normal towel produce something like a "large"?
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Same here. I love mine (-a small one.) Never play without it.
Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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It will get you into the territory, probably enough so that you can decide if you like the idea. The Dynarette is a fairly complex design but the idea is pretty simple. Get the guitar into a raised playing position with all of the downward pressure on your leg(s) rather than your shoulder. It improves the stability of your physical base but at the sacrifice of some mobility. The longer I've used, it the more comfortable it's become and like Mark, I almost never play without it any more. Originally Posted by rio
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I've also been using an ErgoPlay (one of "the suction cup ones") not with an archtop, but with my flattop guitar. I have to say it works great, feels even lighter than the Dynarette, and its adjustability is a big plus - you can control the angle of the guitar. The suction cups are fine with my flattop, which has a poly finish - you really can't tell at all after removing them. I'm just not ready to try using it with a thin nitro finish. Originally Posted by rio
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Jim, where did you find and order the Dynarette from? What do you recommend for your 15" Single model? Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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I bought mine in Canada so you'll need to find a US dealer (I'm sure Mark can help you with that) and while the larger one is working for me, I'd probably have gotten the smaller one if I'd been able to try both. I think it would suffice for most purposes. Originally Posted by Wildcat
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I got mine from Elderly Instruments. Here's a link. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
Note: this picture is of the large one. I too bought the large one first and later bought a small one, which I prefer. I traded the large one to another member here. Ideally, one could go into a shop and try both, to compare and contrast. I didn't have that option. I chose a large because I figured, well, I'm a large guy, so... But my gutiar's not so large and the cushion is for it. The small is just right for me.
DYNARETTE CLASSICAL GUITAR CUSHION, LARGE (DYN-L) - Elderly Instruments
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i got the large one, and made my own smaller cushion with some rags. it's more or less the same thing, and a less awkward shape than the dynarette.
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I'm late to this thread but very thankful for finding it. I picked up the smaller size and have been using it to practice daily and my back feels much better. I am fairly tall at 6'2" and I gig on a variety of different sized archtop and flattop guitars. In nearly every picture of me playing sitting at a gig I'm slouched over the guitar in some attempt to lower my left arm to be able to play comfortably with a straighter wrist. I can definitely play a lot longer now without any discomfort. I can't recommend this little cushion enough. I'd say something like this is a must have for tall people.
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I've had mine for 5 months now. I use it (combined with a low foot stool) for 100% of my playing. It's been a great find and worth every dime I paid. Originally Posted by petermelton
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I feel the same way about mine. If I'm playing, I'm using it. (I got mine via Elderly Instruments.) Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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Mark Rhodes was kind enough to swap a large Dynarette for some dubious picking technique course materials. I also have a small cushion I got on my own.
The large one is necessary for me when using a 15-16" guitar but is too much for a bigger box. If I were Mimi Fox, it would be different. Come to think about it, a whole lot would be different! Time to shut down my imagination on that topic.
I found a place that sold the Dynarettes cheaper. I think it was in Ann Arbor. But here's a link that is even cheaper. I don't know about the quality though. It appears to be a rip off of the Dynarette.
http://www.amazon.com/Andoer-Portabl...guitar+cushion
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Okay, I found it. The Ann Arbor site is Strings By Mail. It no longer has the Dynarette but has yet another rip off. This one comes in both sizes and is $24.
https://www.stringsbymail.com/saddle...ize-14847.html
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FWIW. Don't see a mention in this thread of the NeckUp, one of the suction-cup devices but with a leather strap. I have four (yes) of them, and have used 'em with every guitar I own, for at least a decade. I tried the Dynarette first and couldn't get used to the sliding around and the feeling that something was between me and the guitar. The NeckUp feels very organic and easy to adjust guitar angle/height. I guess that's why all these companies are in business---different devices for different players. Ya gotta try 'em. Just like strings...
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I considered the NeckUp and there's certainly a lot to recommend it. Ultimately I went with the Dynarette because it seemed more convenient to have one that could move easily between guitars but I definitely understand your reaction to it. It did take some getting time to get used to it. Originally Posted by PaulHintz
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I like my Dynarette a lot. It's stable and I like not wearing a strap, having all the weight of the guitar (which inclues the weight of my arm on the guitar)held up by my leg rather than pulling down on my shoulders. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
But lately I have another concern. I need the guitar neck angled up higher because otherwise I bend my left wrist (-the fretting hand) too much. I have relatively short legs (for a guy who stands 5' 11") and a long torso. The Dynarette raises the guitar nicely and it's comfortable to hold but my left elbow is roughly parallel to the neck.
I've been experimenting with an angle more like the one Joe Pass has here. That seems better for my left arm. But there's no need for a cushion then (-and the jack-hole is hard to access---I'm not sure how Joe finessed this.)
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Great answer, Jim! Thanks. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
I'll have to give this a try.
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I play with the same angle of the neck as Joe....for me it just evolved that way to make certain voicings etc possible...and I played classical guitar for many years ...anyway...re the plug getting in the way, I just have always used a cable with a right angle jack. Pretty much all cable manufacturers offer a choice of straight or right angle options.
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I had been thinking about just that thing, a right angle jack. Originally Posted by Moonray
I've seen guitar where the jack goes into the rear pinhole (or so it seems). That seems nifty to me.
By the way, you don't use a Dynarette cushion to hold a guitar this way, right?Last edited by MarkRhodes; 10-17-2016 at 05:41 PM.
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The problem with a right angle jack is that the typical prefabbed right angle jacks don't fit in a lot of the input jacks common on solid body guitars like the cup jack on a Tele or the surface angled jack on a Strat. Of course for someone playing primarily archtops, that's usually a non-issue. Originally Posted by Moonray
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I've been using one for years for playing classical. I've had some lower back issues so I switch back and forth between footstool and cushion. Keeps me from being in the same position for too long. Not as stable as the footstool position for me because I like the guitar angled back a bit; it's not flush against my trunk so the guitar rests on an edge. Still, great product.
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Mark ..... yes I do use a Dynarette for some of my practice time to take the weight off
my shoulder ....I prefer a strap for sitting or standing when performing [not very often these days]
and use a 3 1/2 inch wide strap that's a single layer leather job.
The so called luxury straps that have
features like rolled edges, internal padding or even the widest neoprene ones are not as comfortable
as my now super-soft 20 year old leather strap is easiest on my shoulder and neck.
I got the larger cushion because my main guitar is a Howard Roberts Fusion model that's probably at most
16 inches at the lower bout ....I'm on the short side so the guitar needs more of a lift.
I also use the cushion on my left leg to keep my LH position ala classical ....allows me to do crazy kind of
reaches if I want ....one great legacy from the CG approach which offers the most technical advantages IMO
[All bets are off when I want to bend some steel]
The way Joe Pass held his guitar worked great for him .....obvious statement of the day....but in the second
shot shown above he's got the the body so far to the right that he wouldn't get to the dusty end very easily.....
....but as we know from guitar lore, there's no money to be had playing above the 12th fret anyway.
The right angle jack idea I suggested was mainly for the people who put the cushion on the left leg.....
I occasionally do that and it works just fine....the jack on the HR misses the cushion...no probs.
BTW....I've used right angle jacks for the last 20-30 years.....makes it easier to do the old lead tucked
through the strap to avoid the inevitable from happening.
Jim .....there are retrofit input cups that are nearer to flush with the body for Tele type jack.
I have a Mike Stern Yamaha signature model that has a flush mount input....[and is a great
instrument]
re Strat type top mount input...there's no problem....the lead won't be near the cushion.
Now I've explained myself .......I'll go to the naughty corner for such a tedious post.
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