Sefirah Observance - minhogei aveilus during sefirah

What is the true minhag Ashkenaz with respect to the minhogei aveilus observed during the sefiras haomer period? Are the halochos kept from the beginning through Lag Ba'omer and afterward haircuts/music are permitted? I know that there are many variations practiced today, i.e. some practice them only starting from Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, some through the entire period excluding Lag Baomer, etc.

Steven

Akiva Miller found 12 different methods of observing:

A- The אַרִיזַ“ל , as per the שַׁערֵי תְּשׁוּבָה 493:8, who is quoted by ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אֵידעֶר, "Halachos of פֶּסַח" vol II, pp 330-331. It's also mentioned by
ר‘ בּלוֹמֶנְקְרַנְץ, "The Laws of פֶסַח - A Digest", 5753/1993 edition, pp 17-2, 17-3, as custom 4a. - The מַהַרִי“ל personally followed this practice, no גִילוּחַ
from פֶּסַח until עֶרֶב שָׁבוּעוֹת including ל“ג בָּעוֹמֶר.

All of these use the phrase "עַד עֶרֶב שָׁבוּעוֹת" implying that one may get a haircut עֶרֶב שָׁבוּעוֹת during the day. They make no mention of not
having to observe ל“ג בָּעוֹמֶר.

B- Same as A, but ends the morning of the first of the יְמֵי הַגְבָּלָה.

C- רַמָ“א 493:2, as per מִשְׁנָה בְּרוּרָה 493:6 and בִּיאוּר הַלָכָה "יֵשׁ נוֹהַגִים". In the בַּ“ה, it is the second custom listed under the first opinion. It's
mentioned in the אִגְרוֹת מֹשֶׁה and ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אֵידעֶר (ibid; b), quoting this רַמָ“א, ר‘ בּלוּמֶנְקְרַנְץ (ibid; custom 1) and ר‘ אַהֲרֹן פעֶלדעֶר in "מוֹעֲדֵי יְשוּרוּן".
In the last two sentences of the תּשׁוּבָה, ר‘ מֹשֶׁה says that the רַמָ“א was giving this opinion for סְפַרְדִים, disagreeing with the מְחַבֵּר (next).

D- עָרוּךְ הַשֻלְחָן 493:2, as explained in the מ“בּ (ibid) and בַּ“ה (ibid; 1st custom in the 1st opinion), the עָרוּךְ הַשֻׁלְחָן 493:4, אגרות משה
(ibid; 1st custom), ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אֵידעֶר (A) and ר‘ בּלוּמֶנְקְרַנץ (custom 2). The מַהֲרִי“ל taught his בּוֹחְרִים from פֶּסַח until after ל“ג בָּעוֹמֶר

E- בּ“ה (ibid; second opinion). He takes this as an explanation of K, and not a separate custom. אִגְרוֹת מֹשֶׁה, quoting the מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם
(no reference), however, ר‘ מֹשֶׁה holds no one follows this custom. Of the 39 days, 6 are going to be שַׁבָּתוֹת, leaving 33.

F- אִגְרוֹת מֹשֶה , quoting מ“בּ 493:15 from סִידוּר דֶרֶךְ הַחַיִים. This is the custom of פְרַנְקפוֹרְטְ. - [This was true not only פְפְד“םַ, but Germany
before the חוּרְבָּן in general. The rationale is simple: all days from פֶּסַח to שָׁבוּעוֹת except for days on which תַּחֲנוּן isn't said. (NB: On פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי, it is said.)]

G - מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם, as per בְּאֶר הֵיטֶב 493:8, MB 493:15 (who also quotes חַיֵי אָדָם), ע“ה 493:6, א“מ (4th minhag), ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אֵידעֶר (C, "The is..."),
ר‘ בּלוּמֶנְקְרַנְץ (custom 3b), ר‘ אַהֲרֹן פעֶלְדעֶר and is the custom in Elizabeth (R' ED Teitz's esteemed father).

H- בְּעֵר הֵיטֶב 493:3, quoting אוֹר זָרוּעַ
I- ר‘ בּלוּמֶנְקְרנְץ (custom 3a)

J- א“מ quoting the רַמָ“א 3 and מ“א 5, and ר‘ אַהֲרֹן פעֶלְדעֶר.

K- רַמָ“א 493:3, first opinion, as explained by מ“ב 493:14 (2nd half) and 493:15 (1st sentence), בִּעֵר הֵיטֶב 493:7 (quoting the בַּ“ח), בּיאוּר הַלָכָה
(ibid; 2nd opinion), ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אֵידעֶר (C: first 2 paragraphs).
L - The usual custom at the time of the מַהַרִי“ל was - from ר“ח אִיָיר until after ל“ג בָּעוֹמֶר

M - ... or, according to the מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם's understanding, from after ר“ח אִיָיר until after ל“ג בָּעוֹמֶר.
N & O - are variations on L and M, resp., according to those פּוֹסְקִים (מהרי“ב) who allow shaving on עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת in case ל“ג בָּעוֹמֶר is on Sunday.
O - has only 14 days, and something between this and 19 (L) was common specifically in those מְדִינוֹת that had a local and fresh memory of the crusades.
P - The longest שִיטָה in comparison keeps 50 days (incl. afternoon of עֶרֶב פֶּסַח and עֶרֶב שָׁבוּעוֹת until daytime), or in theory, 51.5 days, if עֶרֶב שָׁבוּעוֹת is a שָׁבַּת and you don't allow shaving on עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת. This would be the seventeenth method (*P), but I've never learned anyone who paskened thus.

ר‘ מֹשֶׁה lists 6 customs, given here as: D, C, J, G, F, and E. ר‘ מֹשֶׁה says that the רַמָ“א paskened against the first of these (i.e. D), and that in practice, no one follows the last (E). He shows that the other 4 are variations of the same מִנְהָג, and therefore one can switch among them without הַתָּרַת
The two most common מִנְהָגִים, which was Rich's original question, are probably C and either J or K.
All the methods include the ה‘ אייר. All the methods include the afternoon before ל“ג בעומר.

Rallis

So according to the German Minhag does that mean that on Rosh Chodesh Iyar, Lag Baomer, and Shloshes Y'may Hagbolah haircuts would be permitted?

What is the position of KAJ today?

Steven

Why do the sefiroh restrictions apply to Sheloushes Y'may Hagboloh?

Rallis