a guitar support for archtops

[Lobomov]

I always use a strap, each guitar has its own

LOL .. Each guitar having it's own strap is probably a more common quirk that I assumed. My two telecasters share a strap as they are identical, but otherwise .. yeah

[guido5]

Let me know how you like it! I love those things, I use to always use in on my classicals for performances - it would suprise a lot of experience players because suction cups in general dont seem to be reliable on curbs - but since its mean to stick on a flat surface - there is never any issue. I am probably just gonna settle buying a small one for my archtop

So far it is working out very well on both the 16" and 17" instruments. My hips and back are so much more comfortable!

The thing I'd be cautious about with the small plate is the lower front cup placement and how it fits on the cutaway of your archtop. With the mid size plate I am right up against the cutout when the lower cup is in the 4th hole down from the top. I don't think it could work in the 3rd hole without interfering with the top cup. Of course you could just go with one cup on the neck end and two on the lower bout end, but I'd worry about stability with just three cups... Were I to buy again I'd go with the large plate for more freedom in positioning and stability...

My 2c. Hope it helps!

[sgosnell]

Well, I received my Mundo guitar support. Good news and bad news. It arrived with the leg split, apparently by having a heavy lateral force imposed at some point. The leg is a wooden dowel with both ends drilled for attachments. The end with the magnet was the one split, and I have no idea how it could have happened. The good news was that Mundo quickly offered me the choice of having another leg shipped for free, or a partial refund. I opted for the refund, because it wasn't so difficult to reglue the splits, with a zip tie for a clamp, and it works fine after letting the glue set up. Aside from that, the lift works very well. The ball joint allows free movement about all axes, and the suction cups hold very well. This support is very much superior to any others I've tried, including the Dynarette, the Sageworks A Frame, and straps. The three suction cups seem to be more than enough, and the device is very stable. You can place the cups anywhere on the back of the guitar, but due to the length of the leg they need to be pretty high. This is actually a plus, since the cups would probably slightly deaden the acoustic response of the back if placed in the center, but in the far upper bout it's not much of an issue. I've always had to hunch over to play my smaller guitars, like the Bambino Deluxe, and a strap pulls on my shoulder. Straps are essential for playing while standing, but I don't do that often. For sitting, the Mundo puts the guitar higher so that there is no need to hunch, and the strap isn't in the way. The Mundo is pricey, just over $100 with shipping, but a quality strap will cost near that. One support is enough, and it's far quicker and easier to switch it between guitars than it is to switch straps. I've been unsatisfied with straps for some time, and now I don't have to deal with them.

[Fra88]

Hi everyone, this is the thread that i'm looking for! I usually play an archtop George Benson Signature , and recently i bought an high cushion dynarette, and a footrest.
Anyway, when i play with the cushion and the footrest, after a while i start to feel pain in my lower back, so i decided to play with the cushion only.
I put it on my left leg, but despite the size of the cushion (i bought the higher one), i have to bend over to play correctly.
So i need something more higher to play comfortable.
I was looking the MUNDO guitar support, but i would like to know some other opinion before purchase it, because it's very expensive.

[Jabberwocky]

NeckUp Guitar Support

[Jabberwocky]

A Neck Up plus the Dynarette should give you lots of positioning flexibility.

[citizenk74]

I'm not sure if this belongs here but its at least technique related. So recently i just got an archtop - and prior getting one i was playing on nylon string guitars for about 15 years. So I have a box full of leg supports and wouldnt you know it - not one of them fits the archtop (except the cushion one i have but meh). I don't live in an area where theres music shops or anything - so I'm gonna have to probably gamble my luck finding one online. Now it doesnt sound that hard, i mean all id have to do is measure the side of my guitar - the problem is that most of these products dont list the size - itll just say great for thinner body guitars.

anyway, i've come across

NeckUp Guitar Support GS1
(which apparently fits archtops well?)

NeckUp Mini Narrow Body

GUITARLIFT Guitar Support, Medium Plate, Black (stringsbymail.com)
i know these are really good but so expensive lol.

for reference my guitar is listed as 2 7/8 on the side. anyway, any suggestion is appreciated in advance.

-Raquel

[citizenk74]

Hi Raquel,

That is a tricky problem; it does seem most of the supports out there are intended for wider classical guitars. As for other suggestions, you could try the Gitano, which is supposed to be 2.5 inches wide, or the A-Frame-Mi, which is designed to fit electric guitars. You might even be able to make the classic Dynarrete cushion work; it would be wider than you need but you're resting the guitar on it rather than attaching it. Edit: Whoops, just noticed you already had one and it wasn't working! Skip that I suppose.

However, I don't have personal experience with any of these. My preferred method, oddly, is a simple guitar strap. I've always wondered if more classical guitarists would use them if they had the strap pegs to do so. With the right strap, the angle and position is very customizable, more so than most lifts I've seen. This option is dependent on your guitar's weight, though. My ~9lb solid bodies really wear on the shoulder after a while, but lighter hollow bodies work well.

If you'd like some anecdotal reviews of lifts and things, I'd check classicalguitardelcamp.com (the classical guitar forum equivalent of this site in many ways). They're arguing about different lifts all the time over there. There might be more people who have tried some of these specific models.

[citizenk74]

I have experience with the Dynarette Cushion and the Guitarlift. I switch between both of them. Recently I started to use the Dynarette in combination with a crossed leg sitting position. For me, the Dynarette works especially well with bigger guitars, as for example a dreadnought.

While the Guitarlift is decidedly more expensive than the Dynarette and most other guitar supports, it offers very good stability (if the suction cups are clean) and flexibility. Its design allows for all kinds of extreme angles, which were fun to tryout. The design also enables you to use the guitar support with a large variety of different guitar shapes. However, if your guitar has a more pronounced arched back, you might need additional "spacers", which the company sells as well. Soundwise (acoustically and electrically), I didn't notice any significant difference. I can only recommend the Guitarlift, despite its higher price.

(Alternatively, you might be able to craft a similar product by yourself if have access to the necessary tools. It is after all mostly an acrylic glass plate with suction cups.)

[citizenk74]

LOL .. Each guitar having it's own strap is probably a more common quirk that I assumed. My two telecasters share a strap as they are identical, but otherwise .. yeah

In the case for each of my guitars is a dedicated strap for that guitar, adjusted for proper playing position. Also, at least one complete set of strings and single for the B and E strings. I like to be prepared.

[RJVB]

So far it is working out very well on both the 16" and 17" instruments. My hips and back are so much more comfortable!

The thing I'd be cautious about with the small plate is the lower front cup placement and how it fits on the cutaway of your archtop.

Any further experiences to share? Do you use the spacers (which apparently are plastic junk according to the single review on SBM...) ?

Until now I've been using the DeOro guitar supports on all guitars, including the Eastman Cabaret, but for some reason that guitar gets a bit unstable with the support adjusted for the optimal (classical) playing position it allows. As if it's doing a balancing act.
Then I saw some recent footage of Stephanie Jones with the latest GuitarLift model, adjust so the guitar sits more centred, almost like how Michael Chapdelaine managed to hold his guitars.

And that has gotten me looking for experiences using a GL with an archback guitar...