Thanks for taking the time to learn more about the GelRest.
We are a small family company that became involved in violin ergonomics through the efforts of GelRest inventor Stephen Kallai, a lifelong violinist and fiddler, who sought to ease a chronic, nagging pain in his back that seemed to flare up within a few minutes every time he picked up his instrument. Although he tried different stretching excercises, postures, and shoulder rests, nothing really helped.
Inspiration came one evening when he heard the story of someone who was being treated for chronic back pain. The origin of their pain, it turns out, was traced to dental work the patient had received years before. Apparently, the stress from the dental work on their mouth and jaw had migrated to their back!
His attention turned now to his chinrest. He decided to experiment with gel materials similar to the kind in his computer mouse pad. His idea was to develop a pad that molds to a player's unique bone structure, that could be easily be attached to a violin chinrest.
Early models were pretty crude, but even then, one clear result told him he was on the right track: his back pain had disappeared!
Since then, The GelRest has improved greatly and as of this writing in 2011, over 30,000 have been sold! For anyone with back pain, neck pain, or just the common red mark associated with playing the violin, a soft chinrest that molds to you can make a big difference. Here's why:
(1) Gel's texture feels very natural against the skin. That's why we all love to squeeze gel, and why it's used for many ergonomic products, including shoe inserts, computer mouse pads, floor mats, and many more.
(2) Because it's moldable, like all plastics, gel can be cast into many shapes. We currently have molds to fit 7 of the most common chinrest shapes, with more planned.
(3) Gel easily accepts color, so colors are available that match the ebony, rosewood, and boxwood typically used for carving the chinrest. In fact, the GelRest is the only chinrest accessory that has this powerful combination of attractive styling and serious comfort.
(4) Gel is easy to clean because it is non-absorbent. Dirt and sweat just wipe right off. Or, simply peel the GelRest off and wash it in the sink with a drop of dishwashing liquid or other mild soap. Pat dry and re-install.
(5) The unique gel used in the GelRest has a non-slip surface, which makes holding the instrument easier, even when wet -- a very useful feature when playing outside on a hot day.
Try it and you'll know why our customer's say, "You'll wonder how you ever played without it!"
When he's not making GelRests, Stephen plays with his band 77 El Deora. Check out this clip from their European tour. Song is written by bandleader and guitarist Maurice Tani.
Check out this clip from the bluegrass band Savannah Blu, playing at the 2009 Grass Valley Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley, California. Song written by guitarist Dore Coller.
Thank You,
The GelRest Team