Dean T - Posted - 06/29/2026:  17:42:11

RB-1 mentioned this in another thread, and I think it’s a great topic. I spent over 22 years, with my armrests as low as they would go, thinking it kept my hand up close and personal with the strings. Then, last year, I got a used banjo with the armrest super high, and tried it before adjusting anything, and was surprised how clean I played, and how much less my thumb pick was hitting the head. Long story short, after several weeks of experimenting and lots of playing… the armrests on all my banjos are now as high as they will go. I’m playing better, less thumb thumping the head, and with a more relaxed hand position. It’s interesting how things change as we travel along our banjo journey.

Owen - Posted - 06/29/2026:  18:28:46

I also found that it reduced pick-on-head scraping .... alas after it had noticeably worn a good pick.

The legs themselves are clamped fairly low... make the top of my homemade armrest covers about 1.5 cm higher than the plane of the head ... 'cept one that's a bit more due to a sloped upper surface. 

GStump - Posted - 06/29/2026:  21:23:28

As they say.... don't be afraid to try new things! Also on the other side of the coin don't get so caught up in always trying something new or different as far as the set up and tinkering, that you forget to play and practice. If it's not broken, don't try to fix it......It is said Don Reno used to say, "I'd get so darn worried about getting all out of the banjo I thought I could that I finally realized the banjo either had it or it didn't. So get it set up well, THEN leave it alone as far as set up, THEN LEARN how to play it."

Culloden - Posted - 06/29/2026:  21:45:00

Several of my banjos have Gibson style armrests and several have the Vega style. I like to put the Gibson style so that the bottom of the bracket is level with the bottom of the tone ring. That way, the Gibson and Vega armrests are about the same height. Like you, I found out that a low armrest makes for a lot of head scraping. My playing gets sloppy if the armrest is too low.

RB-1 - Posted - 06/30/2026:  06:40:33

I'm glad to see that some of us independently came to the same conclusion.

And since we all have different hands, hence for so many players this set up would be detrimental to their playing, so they'd be wise keeping the arm rest as low as possible.

Early in my 'career' I found that I could get a clean, powerful attack when arching my wrist sufficiently.

Sadly this gave me a prolonged pain that went away again as long as I kept my wrist straight, but sloppy playing was back.

After a while I concluded that I could get my hand somewhat in the same position by moving my elbow out. Too bad this made me lose contact with the arm rest, (with the under arm now 'floating') de-stabilizing the 'tripod' ( ring, pinky and under arm, OK, my ring is mostly floating nowadays).

Cranking up the arm rest corrected (in my case) this flaw and I haven't been playing any different since...

RB3 - Posted - 06/30/2026:  07:14:06

Let's ask Earl Scruggs.

Earl Scruggs Hand 2

 

RB-1 - Posted - 06/30/2026:  12:51:53

quote:

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Originally posted by RB3

Let's ask Earl Scruggs.

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He appears belonging to the group of players I mentioned in the second sentence....

reubenstump - Posted - 06/30/2026:  13:25:48

quote:

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Originally posted by Culloden

Several of my banjos have Gibson style armrests and several have the Vega style.

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I'm not knowledgeable on the subject.  Can you describe or differentiate Gibson v Vega armrests?  I did a cursory search and didn't find anything that made the difference clear, and none from what I might assume to be an authoritative source (like BHO ).  I found some old BHO threads which didn't say nice things about the Vega armrests, but without much explanation.

Thanks.

Dean T - Posted - 06/30/2026:  14:29:01

The Vega armrest is a simple one piece stamped out armrest, that is either mounted on top of the tension hoop for the low position, or with the hooks through the slots at the top of the tension hoop, for the high position. There isn't any in between.

Edited by - Dean T on 06/30/2026 14:36:47

Dean T - Posted - 06/30/2026:  15:25:24

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I assume a “Gibsons style” armrest is the style just about everyone uses these days, which mount to the hooks, and you can adjust them anywhere you want. This is my Sierra’s armrest, set as high as it will go.

Culloden - Posted - 07/01/2026:  06:05:11

Dean's posts show the difference between the Vega and Gibson armrests very well. I use the Vega style armrest in the high position. Compare that to his picture of the Gibson style armrest and you can see how similar they are in height.

Edited by - Culloden on 07/01/2026 06:06:57

RB-1 - Posted - 07/01/2026:  11:23:11

Here are some pictures of the armrest on my RB-1 (please ignore the distortion through the lens...)

As you might notice, the tailpiece is high as well.

If not, it chokes the life out of the banjo. I really dislike a 'can-of-nails' or 'crushed glass' sound.

Pick-A-Lick - Posted - 07/02/2026:  00:55:16

One option would be to Switch to a wooden armrest which will automatically raise your arm because of the thickness of the wood. I find the armrest on my Nechville to be a good height but there are several sources for nice looking wooden armrests.

RB-1 - Posted - 07/03/2026:  06:49:26

To me, in a banjo, wood just belongs in the neck, rim, resonator and bridge...

 

Give me the looks of a nearly 90 years old arm rest anytime....

Owen - Posted - 07/03/2026:  07:57:34

My banjos are modestly priced, and I suppose I coulda covered  up the ug-lee "embossing" (?) on the armrest with duct/masking tape, but, as an inveterate putterer, I decided to make wooden covers instead.   

Edited by - Owen on 07/03/2026 07:58:45

made with Saskatoon wood

Dean T - Posted - 07/03/2026:  08:24:07

The Deering wood armrest is just a nice slice of wood sticky backed to a regular armrest. I kind of like it on my open back, but prefer the stock dull old one on my Sierra tank.