FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Acoustic Guitar Strap

Question:
I need help with a guitar strap. There is only one peg at the bottom of the guitar.  Is the other end supposed to be tied around the head stock, at the point where it meets the neck? I know this is a dumb question, but I'm curious.

Answer:
What kind of guitar? You can tie it to the headstock (I tie it right behind the nut, others between two of the pegs, further up on the headstock - you could get a hair-splitter going over that), or you can install, or have installed, a strap button on the guitar. Typically, these go in the bottom of the neck heel, or the side of the heel. Not a dumb question, Jason. The neck end of the strap can either be attached at the base of the headstock, by tying it around and under the strings.  That's why the straps normally come with a leather thread/string which feeds through the hole on the strap. The alternative to tying it onto the headstock is to have a strap button installed at, on or near the base of the neck.  On an acoustic guitar, the better places are on the heel of the neck, so that the strap button sits parallel with the back of the guitar: http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/20U/20U-6506_back-detail.jpg or, better still, on the treble side of the heel of the neck, facing away from the player, at about a 45 degree position: http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/20U/20U-6310_back-detail.jpg Or, there's the position favored by our own Wade, this variant: http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/20U-6502.htm Dang!  It sure is nice of Elderly to post all these helpful depictions on their website, huh? The strap-button position favored by Wade is shown more precisely, HERE: http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/20U/20U-6502_back-detail.jpg Get a strap pin professionally installed on the hilt of the neck.   There is a new system that D'Addario just introduced. Instead of having to tie a string around the headstock of the guitar, you use a clip system that attaches to the headstock and strap. It makes things a lot easier when playing on stage if you are using multiple guitars.  It's called the Quick Release System.  I'm sure one of your local stores carries it.  It cost about $4.00.