The Steel Guitar Forum

I just purchased a Fishman Nashville Reso Spider pickup, which I have not installed yet.

I do not use a palm rest and rest my palm directly on the saddle. Does anyone know if this will cause problems with the pickup?

One of the few players I know who doesn’t have a palm rest on his main guitar (Tim-built Scheerhorn) is Greg Booth. I believe he decided to go that route years ago because he had been a pedal steel player for decades prior to getting serious about dobro, and he doesn’t like the palm rest.

As a second guitar for plug-in use he has a more recent Nati-horn (Scheerhorn made at National Reso-Phonic here in California), and I believe that guitar has the Nashville installed. But I don’t recall if there is a palm rest on that guitar. When he comes down to the Bay Area from Alaska to play with The Kathy Kallick Band he always brings the Tim-built ‘horn and plays into a mic, it’s straight ahead bluegrass.

The cap on the Nashville is made of a very hard synthetic material, but for myself I would be very hesitant to use it as a substitute for a palm rest. Overall I think of the insert as being somewhat on the delicate side. And if it were damaged somehow from repeated “palm resting” it would be a very expensive replacement. Quite a contrast compared to damaging a regular insert, and if need be you can get a replacement from Beard’s Resophonic Outfitters for $10-$15.

And if you’re planning to install that pickup yourself, you probably ought to do a search on the problems involved.

I wouldn't do it. I recently purchased a Fishman Nashville Spider Pick-up which now has an ebony top with the piezo sandwiched between it and the maple bottom. It broke very, very easily when a small bit of force was applied durning installition. Fishman was very generous and supplied me with a new replacement free of charge, but you may not be so lucky.
My second attempt at installation was a success and sounds really nice! But, it is very delicate...and I use the palm rest.

Yes I have the Fishman Nashville pickup on my National Scheerhorn L Body like Mark says and it doesn't have a palm rest. I don't rest my hand on the bridge unless I'm doing a muting technique but even then the pressure is minute compared to the 200 some pounds of pressure in G tuning. Nothing to worry about.

Garry Vanderlinde wrote: which now has an ebony top with the piezo sandwiched between it and the maple bottom.

Actually a man made, ebony substitute.No trees were harmed on the upper piece.

h