Strap attachment

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HDinNC	Strap attachment	Lead	[-]
(08/25/09 10:04 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Will tying a strap to the headstock, as opposed to using a pin in the heel, have an adverse effect on the neck? I haven't done this... just curious. Thanks. Alan
Lefty00042		#1	[-]
(08/25/09 10:09 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	HDinNC wrote: Will tying a strap to the headstock, as opposed to using a pin in the heel, have an adverse effect on the neck? I haven't done this... just curious. Thanks. Alan Nope. ~ Herb -- Martin D-15 \|Martin HD-28V \| Martin 00-18VS UMGF Custom, #15 \| Martin 000-42 1935 Sunburst \| Martin 000-18 Golden Era 1935 Sunburst Martin LXBlack \| National Reso-Phonic Delphi \| Fender Standard Telecaster \| Epiphone Dot 335 \| Agile Al2800 LP-clone Martin 3 Cherry Ukulele \| Glyph Custom Ukulele \| KoAloha Soprano Ukulele www.angryherb.net
Davids Harp		#2	[-]
(08/25/09 10:20 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	As Herb said: nope. Some people take the other position, which is that the strap should always be fastened around the headstock, and not to a strap pin on the heel. It's an ongoing discussion. But as to your specific question: nope. David They said, "You have a blue guitar, you do not play things as they are." The man replied, "Things as they are, are changed upon the blue guitar." -Wallace Stevens
Bearclaw Dave		#3	[-]
(08/25/09 10:42 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Alan, I'll add one caveat: I've seen damage to the finish where the leather loop of a leather strap has been left in contact with the headstock for too long leaving noticeable marks on both sides. In its disclaimer regarding nitrocellulose finishes, Martin cautions against prolonged contact with leather (as well as vinyl and almost everything else), and I believe them.
RevGeo		#4	[-]
(08/25/09 11:18 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	This ongoing strap attatchment question has always been a non-issue for me. If a guitar is a regular gigging instrument and I will be playing it standing up I usually put a strap button on the heel. I have one guitar, a 100 year old Washburn parlor that I never play standing up, so no strap button. On an old Stella I have I tie the strap around the headstock. This will cause no damage to the neck unless you are a Pete Townsend type or something. As far as finish damage to the headstock, well, it takes about two minutes to tie and untie the little cord at the end of the strap to the headstock, so that has never bothered me. There might be a little wear from the rubbing on the finish after many years, but that would be something to be pround of, I'm thinkin'. No neck damage will result from tying a strap to the headstock. Much damage can happen to your computer keyboard if you get into a discussion with some folks around here about putting a strap button on the neck heel, due to pounding the crap out of it while reading some inane post..... Alan, your question was a good one, the kind we should have more of in the Technical Info section. Thank you. Rev George
HDinNC		#5	[-]
(08/25/09 11:40 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks for all the input. I haven't really decided which way I'll go with a new HD-28, but if I tie to the headstock, I certainly will not leave it attached in the case. I attended a performance this past weekend of a really good old time band. An acquaintance of mine in the band was playing his "America's Guitar" 28, a beautiful instrument, and I noticed he tied to the headstock. This is a pretty high dollar guitar (at least it would be for me!). I didn't get a chance to specifically ask him, but I suspect he didn't want to put a heel pin in that particular guitar. Again, thanks. Great info on this forum!
Still Waters		#6	[-]
(08/25/09 5:37 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I like the heel strap button better, because, it puts the guitar in a more better spot to play alot nicer good-er. Chaz.
Davids Harp		#7	[-]
(08/25/09 6:39 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Chaz' post suggests a good point, which is that different guitars balance differently and hang differently, based on everything from style of play to shape of body (mine tends to stick out a little in front)(okay, a lot). So there really are practical differences in the two ways of hanging a guitar onto one's corpus. David They said, "You have a blue guitar, you do not play things as they are." The man replied, "Things as they are, are changed upon the blue guitar." -Wallace Stevens
Still Waters		#8	[-]
(08/25/09 10:10 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	My strum hand wrist seems to be in a better position with the strap button on the heel. With the headstock strap, the whole guitar shifts to my right (right handed player) and makes it more difficult to play. Incidentally, I played with a headstock strap until two years ago and never knew any different. I still have a J-40 with a headstock strap and any time I play it these days it's tough to get comfy. FWIW. Chaz.
kcoyner		#9	[-]
(08/26/09 12:33 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I like the heel strap button better, because, it puts the guitar in a more better spot to play alot nicer good-er. I agree for most guitars however I do have a featherweight D-18 that had stock Rotos and it was heavy on the neck end. Out of balance bad with the strap on the heal. The problem was solved the problem when I switched out the Rotos for Waverleys. k
Davids Harp		#10	[-]
(08/26/09 12:51 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Yep. Also some capos are heavy, especially when "stored" on the headstock. Even digital tuners add weight. So some of my guitars tilt thataway when I have them strapped to the heel. David They said, "You have a blue guitar, you do not play things as they are." The man replied, "Things as they are, are changed upon the blue guitar." -Wallace Stevens
kcoyner		#11	[-]
(08/26/09 1:04 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Yep. Also some capos are heavy, especially when "stored" on the headstock. Even digital tuners add weight. So some of my guitars tilt thataway when I have them strapped to the heel. That's right David, I hadn't thought about dig tuners and capos probably because I don't keep anything up there, but a lot of players do. It's amazing how that little bit of weight waaaaaay out on the headstock can tip the scale, but that's just a matter of physics. k
bryankimsey		#12	[-]
(08/26/09 9:43 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Every now and then I use a Stroboflip to tune. I've noticed that it can tell whether or not I still have my hand on the tune buttons or not. If I tune with my hand resting lightly on the buttons, and then check with my hand off, the little wheels will start turning as soon as I remove my hand. Reach over and touch the buttons like I'm about to start tuning, and the wheels stop. Wonder what a strap on the headstock would do? There was a time when I got a stack of Martins in for neck resets. Every one of 'em had a loose heel and (drumroll) every one of 'em had a strap tied to the headstock. But, do whatever you want. Bryan Kimsey http://www.bryankimsey.com Coram Deo
Petespix		#13	[-]
(09/10/09 12:31 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Timely question for me Alan as I have been on the fence about adding a strap button to the heel or not on a 1956 00-18G I received last week. Bryan Kimsey's remark may push me over to the heel position, but if anyone else has an opinion on this please chime in. Peter
jscio		#14	[-]
(09/10/09 12:52 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	bryankimsey wrote: There was a time when I got a stack of Martins in for neck resets. Every one of 'em had a loose heel and (drumroll) every one of 'em had a strap tied to the headstock. Were they older guitars?
kydave		#15	[-]
(09/10/09 1:18 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	There was a time when I got a stack of Martins in for neck resets. Every one of 'em had a loose heel and (drumroll) every one of 'em had a strap tied to the headstock. That is VERY interesting to hear, Bryan. It's the first evidence that what to me & others seems common sense physics (the weight & even more so, the player pressure on the neck with strap dangling from the headstock), is often poo-poo'd by others as meaningless. It always seemed to me that the headstock was not a good place for a strap, let alone the way it feels, which has never been as right feeling to me as the heel button attachment. Thanks for that tidbit! Dave
Brent Hutto		#16	[-]
(09/10/09 1:45 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm with Dave. It may or may not do any actual damage, and my guess is it probably doesn't in 99% of cases) but it does seem like a needless chance for a big bending load on the neck attachment. I'm really suprised anyone still does it that way unless they're doing the Norman Blake thing and going for a vintage vibe with a hank of rope.
kozsak9		#17	[-]
(09/10/09 2:00 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I tried putting a strap on my D18GE a couple months back, tied to to the headstock. I noticed that my natural playing style caused a slight bend in the neck. You could actually see the strings pull slightly away from the neck. Of course, this was from me putting too much pressure on the top of the guitar. It may not ever cause a structural problem, but in the very least it might cause tuning/intonation issues. On my guitars with the button on the heel, I don't notice the same phenomenon.
bryankimsey		#18	[-]
(09/10/09 5:31 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	jscio wrote: bryankimsey wrote: There was a time when I got a stack of Martins in for neck resets. Every one of 'em had a loose heel and (drumroll) every one of 'em had a strap tied to the headstock. Were they older guitars? Actually, no. They were all 80's or newer Martins. One of them was a Marty Stuart Sig and the neck was so loose that- I'm not kidding!- I loosened the fingerboard and removed the neck. No steam. Shall we talk about paper shims in the heel now? I'll say one thing- paper shims sure make it easy to do neck resets! Bryan Kimsey http://www.bryankimsey.com Coram Deo Last Edited By: bryankimsey 09/10/09 5:35 PM. Edited 2 times.
Guitaropsimath		#19	[-]
(09/10/09 5:45 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	My lightest guitars are comfortable to play with a headstock mounted strap, and because of the light weight there's not a lot of torsion on the neck, but OM/000 and D size guitars, for me, have to have a heel mounted strap pin. Doug
kydave		#20	[-]
(09/10/09 6:04 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm thinking that paper is probably not the shim of choice? Seems like it would compress and deteriorate in short order...

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