# All I want for Christmas is a comfy butt!! (studio chair)



## JT3_Jon (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm using an old drafting chair as a studio chair and my butt hurts!! :shock:

Any advice or brand names to look into for a good studio chair that wont hurt the ol' anus? Back support and keeping cool in the summer are also considerations. The catch is my table is 29 inches tall, so a chair that can raise to about 22-24 inches would be best. 

"Has comfortable buttox and beautiful music will follow." -Hindermith :D


----------



## JT3_Jon (Nov 24, 2010)

:( I would have thought I would have had at least one reply, even if it was just to add to the humor! Come on....HINDERmith!!! Thats GOLD!!! :D Perhaps this isn't as funny as I thought it was. 

Anyway, I remember a thread on studio chairs a couple years ago but for the life of me I cannot find it! I remember there being two solid brand names, but I dont remember the actual names...


----------



## Nick Batzdorf (Nov 24, 2010)

HERMANN MILLER AERON!

Yeah baby.


----------



## JT3_Jon (Nov 24, 2010)

WOW NICK! You're forceful in the evening. I like it! 

Thanks for the reply. That was one of the brand names I remember.


----------



## Hannes_F (Nov 25, 2010)

After sitting my life on 15 bucks chairs because I could not use the 150 to 250 EUR category I finally found something that my back likes for paperwork:

http://salli.com/de/Produkte/St%FChle/Salli+MultiAdjuster (http://salli.com/de/Produkte/St%FChle/S ... tiAdjuster)

(600 EUR)

However for studio work I am considering this one:

http://www.hag-gmbh.de/produkte/hag-capisco/hag-capisco-8106/ (http://www.hag-gmbh.de/produkte/hag-cap ... isco-8106/)

(850 EUR)


----------



## NYC Composer (Nov 25, 2010)

Love my Aeron. The one my wife bought me because I was WAY too cheap to do so.


----------



## reid (Nov 25, 2010)

The HAG Capisco that Hannes is thinking about (do it, do it!) has been cradling my arse for the last year. It's wonderful - really, really wonderful.

I had a Herman Miller 'Mirra' for a year (kind of Aeron, but not so many adjustments) but never got on with it - the fabric on the seat is harsh on some clothes fabrics, and it always seemed to force my thighs into an uncomfortable position. Ho hum.

The Capisco is an ergonomic dream - fully supportive both sitting forwards and 'backwards', the cutaways mean there's no problems playing guitar whilst sat in it (try that in an Aeron without removing the arm rests) but it still provides just enough elbow / arm support. Washable cover, high quality, smooth as butter castors.....

I've been through a lot of chairs in my time, but the Capisco is the first one that I've had zero gripes with, 12 months later.


----------



## Nick Batzdorf (Nov 25, 2010)

I do have to add that you really need to try different chairs. While I am totally in love with the Aeron - as are a whole lot of other people, because it's still very popular after all these years - people do have different bodies. 

The Aeron lets you adjust the seat and arm height continuously, and it does come in three different sizes (it's important to get the right one for your height), but there are only two angle settings; it either works for your body or it doesn't. I know two people - my wife and a good friend - who both tried it and didn't find it comfortable.

My wife and daughter both have and really like the Swopper, and in fact I have one for auxiliary seating:

http://www.sittinginmotion.net/

...which reminds me that I need to take the company up on its offer to send me more plush foam for it; my problem with the Swopper is that it's too hard on my rear end, so I can only work on it for half an hour. They say your body needs to get used to the muscles it forces you to use, but that's not an issue at all for me.


----------



## juniorhifikit (Nov 25, 2010)

Aeron solved all my lower back problems. It's also mesh so it keeps yer butt cool when yer in the "hot seat". I got mine cheap at an auction when the dot coms all went bust.


----------



## reid (Nov 26, 2010)

JT3_Jon @ 25th November said:


> What options do you have reid? How is it heat wise? Does it breath well during the summer?



I didn't get any options Jon, and in the year I've had it I've not felt the need to add any on. Heat wise I've had no problems - last summer was scorching hot in Berlin, and I never felt any discomfort due to the chair. As Hannes points out, the cut aways for the thighs make a big difference both to ease of good posture, but also just allowing your body to feel a bit 'free-er' than on a normal chair. 

I should also stress the value of being able to sit backwards on the chair - this way your chest is supported, and it can make for a welcome change of position if you're pulling a long session in front of the computer, without as many breaks as you'd like. The elbow rests can slightly interfere with piano keyboard playing in that position, unless you have the keyboard quite high, but it's a small thing in the overall scheme of things I found.

I'd really recommend finding one of these to try out if you're interested in a good, comfortable chair - it might not be 'the one', but it certainly deserves consideration. Damn those Scandanavians - they sure know what they're doing when it comes to design.... :D


----------



## JT3_Jon (Nov 28, 2010)

Anyone have any idea were to find a Hag Capisco dealer in the greater Los Angeles or Santa Clarita area? Maybe its that my google skills are poor, but I cant seem to find one anywhere!!


----------



## Animus (Nov 28, 2010)

I am typing this while relaxing in this: 







I have the cooler attachment too.


----------



## NYC Composer (Nov 28, 2010)

Animus @ Mon Nov 29 said:


> I am typing this while relaxing in this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very loyal of you to stick with an original iMac. I think those had 256 meg of RAM.


----------



## adg21 (Dec 3, 2010)

second hand hermann miller aeron or mirra. they are built like tanks


----------



## JT3_Jon (Dec 23, 2010)

Hey y'all! I've been trying to find a store that I can visit to try these out, but have thus far not been able to find one!! To those in the Southern California area, where did you go to get your chair?


----------



## Rob Elliott (Dec 23, 2010)

I can sit in this for 16 hours straight and NO pain. Recommended to me 7-8 years ago. Best $1K I ever spent. 

First time I looked at it I said no freaking way that is comfy - but MAXIMUS perfection in its design. :wink: 



http://www.amazon.com/HumanScale-Freedom-Chair-Headrest-Fabric/dp/B00062X3II (http://www.amazon.com/HumanScale-Freedo ... B00062X3II)


----------



## germancomponist (Dec 23, 2010)

http://p4.focus.de/img/gen/8/2/1282562749_GamescomEnde_26072550_1380171_1_dpa_Pxgen_r_700xA.jpg (http://p4.focus.de/img/gen/8/2/12825627 ... _700xA.jpg)


----------



## JT3_Jon (Dec 23, 2010)

germancomponist @ Thu Dec 23 said:


> http://p4.focus.de/img/gen/8/2/1282562749_GamescomEnde_26072550_1380171_1_dpa_Pxgen_r_700xA.jpg


 :?:


----------



## Lunatique (Jan 2, 2011)

If your chair's already very adjustable and you're happy with it except for the butt section, then I would recommend you simply get an orthopedic seat cusion such as this:
http://www.amazon.com/SEEN-SESMC6-Solution-Orthopedic-Cushion/dp/B000136P8C (http://www.amazon.com/SEEN-SESMC6-Solut ... B000136P8C)

I've been using one for years and love it to death. Can't live without it now. You can also take it with you if you are working remotely too.


----------



## JT3_Jon (Jan 2, 2011)

Lunatique @ Sun Jan 02 said:


> If your chair's already very adjustable and you're happy with it except for the butt section, then I would recommend you simply get an orthopedic seat cusion such as this:
> http://www.amazon.com/SEEN-SESMC6-Solution-Orthopedic-Cushion/dp/B000136P8C (http://www.amazon.com/SEEN-SESMC6-Solut ... B000136P8C)
> 
> I've been using one for years and love it to death. Can't live without it now. You can also take it with you if you are working remotely too.



WOW!! Didn't know such a thing existed, and at that price I think its worth a shot! Any problems with it moving around on your chair, or it loosing its cushion and going flat, or anything like that? 

Thank you very much for your reply!


----------



## Lunatique (Jan 2, 2011)

I have a couple of them, so if I was actually able to flatten one out after many, many hours of sitting on it nonstop, I can just swap it out with the other one. But I have never been able to flatten one out, and they return back to shape pretty quickly too. I'm about 176 lbs, so that gives you a reference. It doesn't move around that much, and you can always use a slip cover that has more friction if that's an issue. I don't use the original slip cover since it's harder to wash it, so I just take the foam out and put it in a pillow case. Much easier to wash the pillow case.


----------



## Lunatique (Jan 4, 2011)

Actually, I think there's some kind of system some of the online retailers are using, where they have ways to keep track of what you browse via cookies or browser history, regardless if it was in their store or their competitor's, so when you go into their website, they show you the stuff they think you've been interested in. It's a little creepy, because it can feel like they are reading your mind, but it can also be helpful if they present you with options you didn't know existed before.


----------



## Hannes_F (Jan 4, 2011)

Hehe, I know what a cookie is, but still it is a little spooky because usually I see orchestral CDs and music books at that place of the screen and now there is one wedge cushion with p00ping notch besides the next ...  :mrgreen:


----------



## Lunatique (Jan 4, 2011)

Hannes_F @ Tue Jan 04 said:


> Hehe, I know what a cookie is, but still it is a little spooky because usually I see orchestral CDs and music books at that place of the screen and now there is one wedge cushion with p00ping notch besides the next ...  :mrgreen:



I think what surprised me with the latest development is that retailers in the past only tracked what you browsed on their websites, but now they are doing it across many other websites you visit, so it's like some kind of a pact between all these retailers. That is what's creepy. I remember browsing for something at some really obscure website that no one's heard of, looking for something very specific and equally obscure. Then at a later time, I was at some big retailer store--it was probably amazon, and BAM, right on that page, it's nothing but the same obscure stuff I was browsing at some other website. This has never happened before. And I think it works globally too--so even if I'm browsing some Chinese online retailer--same thing.


----------



## Hannes_F (Jan 4, 2011)

Robert, yep, I remember I searched for accessory for inhalators a while ago (got a bad cold but luckily it is gone). One advice that manufacturers give is to desinfect them in a device originally used for baby food bottles ... which I researched among other things like inhalants etc.. Next time I entered one of those sites I got offered lots of baby accessories. I remember staring at the screen thinking "now they are taking it a bit too far". :shock: 

Sorry, I am babbling, back to topic.


----------



## cc64 (Jan 4, 2011)

Funny you should talk about this. Just yesterday i was doing some research for the Hag Capisco chair and the Embody chair by Hermann Miller and since then everywhere i go i get announcements for these chairs...

But as i mentioned in a thread about 6 months ago, NI is following me everywhere i go on the net. Very weird to be on a site completely unrelated to music and see adverts of The Finger or other body parts from NI ; )

I think it has to do with google ads.

BTW to get this back on topic, if anyone can tell me where i can try/buy Hag chairs in Canada(Preferably Montreal)...

Best,

Claude


----------



## Hannes_F (Jan 4, 2011)

cc64 @ Tue Jan 04 said:


> ... NI is following me everywhere i go on the net. Very weird to be on a site completely unrelated to music



Now that you say it ... totally true. Felt like the moment when the John Anderton guy is talked to personally by an ad in minority report when it happened the first time.

Sorry, no direct recommendations for shops, probably best is to mail to the sales of the manufacturers.


----------



## madbulk (Jan 4, 2011)

Rob Elliott @ Thu Dec 23 said:


> I can sit in this for 16 hours straight and NO pain. Recommended to me 7-8 years ago. Best $1K I ever spent.
> First time I looked at it I said no freaking way that is comfy - but MAXIMUS perfection in its design. :wink:
> http://www.amazon.com/HumanScale-Freedom-Chair-Headrest-Fabric/dp/B00062X3II (http://www.amazon.com/HumanScale-Freedo ... B00062X3II)



Yeah, if all you want is a comfy butt, a used aeron is probably the most comfiness for the buck. Rob and I are out a few bucks more, but we're very comfy for it. (You got the gel seat option. Right, Rob?) Plus we get oohs and aahs.

Now if you're above oohs and aahs, that's your business. I'm not above that. I'm shallow.

Do the arms of an aeron adjust to go lower than the tops of your legs, Nick, others?
Cuz the freedom chair's arms do, and so you can sit with a guitar comfortably in this thing. Maybe aeron does too, but I wouldn't want to do without that.

You sit in this thing every day for years. Shop and try stuff out like someone said. Spend what you need to spend to be happy *every day for years.*


----------



## DKeenum (Jan 4, 2011)

Lunatique @ Sun Jan 02 said:


> If your chair's already very adjustable and you're happy with it except for the butt section, then I would recommend you simply get an orthopedic seat cusion such as this:
> http://www.amazon.com/SEEN-SESMC6-Solution-Orthopedic-Cushion/dp/B000136P8C (http://www.amazon.com/SEEN-SESMC6-Solut ... B000136P8C)
> 
> I've been using one for years and love it to death. Can't live without it now. You can also take it with you if you are working remotely too.


I ordered one. I have high hopes, so I'm looking forward to trying it. I have developed some nagging backaches of late.


----------



## gsilbers (Jan 4, 2011)

maybe this came up on another similar thread but 
its good to watchout for public auctions of studios or buisiness that go out of business. 
in LA area i went to a major studio props warehouse where they where getting rid of the "office set" furniture and i got me some cool 60's modern looking chairs for $20 each. 
i think they where on mad men's show  

but also there are many studios and business that go out of business that have tons of herman miller chairs for $50-$200
so its a good idea to be on the lookout on craiglists for the actions or visit the realtime auction sites of your area.


----------



## Guy Bacos (Jan 4, 2011)

A good chair is very important, no doubt, but doing 30 of jogging a day, can be more often the solution.


----------



## Lunatique (Jan 4, 2011)

When I bought my chair, I totally considered the very expensive and famous ergonomic chairs that everyone always talk about. But then the pragmatic side of me took over, and off to Office Depot we went. Elena is almost as pragmatic as I am, although she tends to tolerate eye-sores less than I do, being a woman and all. Luckily for me, the far, far cheaper ergonomic chairs that Office Depot had on display had pretty high SAF (spouse Approval Factor). I ended up getting one that only cost around $300, and was every bit as comfy for long, long hours of work session. 

When you go to buy ergonomic office chairs at Office Depot, they have these signs on them that marks the number of hours they were designed to be sit in very comfortably, and I went for the highest number (don't remember how high it got--probably something like 8 hours or more), and it's highly adjustable, and the seat very comfy for entire day of sitting. I feel no discomfort whatsoever, and with the orthopedic cushion on top, it's even more comfy. 

So, if you're looking to save some money but want high performance ergonomic office chair that's good-looking, jump into the Office Depot website and browse around--you'd be surprised how many well-designed ergonomic office chairs that aren't famous, but are still very good, are available.

The only small complaint I have about my chair is that after a few years of usage, it got a bit noisy. Whenever I move around, it'll make creaky noises. I tighten all the screws and it doesn't help, and I try oiling joints, but I have no idea exactly where the creaks are coming from. Everything else is totally fine though.


----------



## Lunatique (Jan 4, 2011)

synergy543 @ Tue Jan 04 said:


> Robert, you went to Home Depot to buy a chair made in China to bring back to China? :lol:



Office Depot. I don't know if their selection is more focused on office chairs than Home Depot. I don't recall ever looking at office chairs while at Home Depot--I only go there for tools, lumber, and plants. :D

And yeah, the irony of buying anything and then ship them back to China, where they're originally made. But the thing is, the stuff that China manufactures on contractual basis for companies outside of China are held to much higher standards than the crap they produce for their own local markets, so it's not like I can find the same stuff here in China. But more and more I'm seeing some stuff "leaked" into the local market. I bet it's just people at the factory sneaking shipments out to sell locally at super cheap prices, or they simply "secretly" manufacture the designs of their clients for the local market but maybe change the logo or something. 

Here, I can find almost anything on taobao.com, which is like the premiere online superstore in China--from pro audio electronics to domestic stuff, to items that are smuggled into China by the Chinese who live abroad (they often use their relatives who work at airlines to do this). I can buy American snacks and condiments and spices on taobao.com that I would not be able to find anywhere in China, but I have to pay a lot more than I do than in the States. Which is a good thing, or else I'd be going through a bag of Cheetos everyday. :D


----------

