I have tone gards on all my acoustic mandolins, mandola and octave mandolin. Tony used to make custom gards based on measurements you sent him. He doesn't do that anymore; wish I could get one for my F4 mandocello. When I saw he also makes them for dreadnought guitars I got one for my Martin HD-28 too. They stay on all the time and fit even in the case. They work for me.
I have several arm rests. The best are by Steve Bell, who I don't believe is in business anymore. McClung by Doug Edwards are very good too. I used his as a template to make a couple of my own. I don't care at all for the small kidney shaped arm rests sold by Cumberland.
I've had to make my own hardware using long chin rest barrels (38 - 40 mm, available at various online violin shops) and a 6 - 40 die on 1/8" brass rod. Cutting the threads work hardens the brass surface causing it to break if you try to bend it after threading with the die.
I've put the stick-on John Pearse arm rests on several guitars (but not the HD-28).
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