The Steel Guitar Forum

I am building a new lap and have a question. I have a couple of Rickenbackers a national a biscuit bridge dorbro each of them have a either a stinge cover or magnets that one can rest their right hand on while picking. And I use them to rest my hand on which I like to do. Is this a henderance to playing and should I break that habit. I might add that I have arthritis in my shoulders and they will lock up if I hold them in one position using that mussel. That is why I have found it comforting to rest my hand on these plats while picking. so should I break this habit or design a cover for the stings? thanks

how do you block with your right hand on a hand rest?

I'm no expert, but C.C. has a point. If you can play without resting, it will be to your benefit. But if it causes your shoulder to lock up, or gives you pain, you can always go back to the rest.

c c johnson wrote:how do you block with your right hand on a hand rest?

You can pick block?

I've had a couple of Supros since I was a kid in the 60's, and I have always managed to be able to palm block even though they have covers over the pickup. You just don't use the thing as a "crutch" and have your hand resting on it 100% of the time.

Phill: Until the Forum arrived on the scene, I'd never before heard the term HAND REST, ARM REST or whatever.

When using the pickup cover as a resting place for your right hand, more often than not, you're going to hear a SHARP or HARSH metallic sound from your guitar, instead of the sweet tone it was meant to produce.

As a round hole flat top player, I learned in the beginning, picking the strings above or slightly to one side of that ROUND HOLE, would give you the best tone and amplification.

When playing your steel guitar, using that same philosophy, I believe you'll find a much richer, fuller, and more EAR PLEASANT tonal sound. By moving your right hand left and our right a few micro inches, you can find thro' experiementation, what position best suits YOUR ear.

In another post on this site, there is a video clip showing JERRY BYRD with his right hand placement. An excellent training example.

Ray is right. Most people pick farther away from the bridge. The bridge/pickup cover then doesn't become an incumbrance.

Ray was right on about right hand picking. Depending on what type of song you're playing, you can get different's tones depending on how far from the bar you're picking
. Alvino Rey did this in the old clips you see of him playing.

Thanks all, this seems to of been a laze habit that I've gotten into. I won't put a cover over the stings on this one and break this habit. thanks again all.

You might want to check out Billy Robinsons 10 string Derby, When Charlie Stepp built it he put a pad on the rear.

It doesn't run the length of the neck like on a pedal steel, it is only about 8" long or so. Billy once told me he really liked it. He looks to be very comfortable when playing.

I had seen that where it was on a pedal steel. I'm thinking of picking up a keyboard gel pad and incoarperating it into the lap. thanks