Strap Buttons

[KL]

Has anyone ever known Gibson to factory fit a strap button at the heel of an acoustic guitar in recent years? I've never known them to do this but would be interested if anyone has ever come across it on any recent acoustic models.

[dhanners623]

I've never seen it, but I'm no expert.

 

I see where Guilds now come with the strap button already installed, on the upper bout near the heel, of all places. That strikes me as wrong in terms of both principle and execution. I've always felt strap button placement was a matter of personal taste. And I also always felt that placing it on the upper bout (where it needs to be reinforced on the inside) is wrong. But that's just me.

[Taylor Player]

I have shown this photo a few times before and I think it is helpfull. Many people have different preferences. Mine is on the lower part of the neck heel as in #5 in the photo. I have all three of my acoustics that way. My Taylor came with it installed there from the factory and my 2 Gibbys buttons were put on by the Podium. I feel it gives the best security and holds the guitar in the best balance this way. I personally can't stand the around the headstock look or feel.

 

 

[BigKahune]

Positions 4 and 5 are bad for me - I use that area when I'm playing.

[KL]

I have shown this photo a few times before and I think it is helpfull.

 

Yes that's a good photo thanks. I think I prefer position number 2 myself. Like BigKahune positions 4 and 5 are bad for me. I've seen guitars with strap buttons in postion 3 but that seems like a really bad place to put a strap button to me.

 

But have any of you ever seen a Gibson with a factory fitted strap button? I haven't.

[QuestionMark]

My preference is position number 4. Except, I can't get the nerve up yet to put a strap button on my CS 1964 J45. All my others have it in position 4, except the J45 and my 1936 Epiphone Zenith (as it doesn't seem to fit with its aesthetics to have an added strap button due to its age.)

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

[dhanners623]

To me, it is a question of how the guitar best feels balanced on the strap. I've got a handmade square-shoulder dread and have the strap button in the "5" position. But on my J-45, I've got it in the "4" spot because it just seemed natural to put it in the middle of that wide heel.

 

Every guitar I've ever stood up and played that had the strap buttons in the "1" or "2" spot always seemed to me like it wanted to tip forward. On top of that, strap buttons look kind of ugly there. At least to my tastes.

 

I will say, though, that I've yet to put a strap button on the Epiphone Texan I got, and I've been playing it with a strap around the headstock. It's a leather "choker"-type strap (those straps that tied to the headstock with a shoelace always looked cheap to me) and I've found it fairly comfortable.

 

Frank Ford has a good discussion on strap buttons on his site:

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenSetup/StrapButton/strapbutton1.html

[KL]

Thanks for all the replies, but my question was:

 

Does anyone know if Gibson have ever FACTORY FITTED strap buttons at the heel on acoustics?

 

Anyone know?

[Taylor Player]

I have never seen a "Factory installed" button on any Gibson Acoustic. I think it is one of the things that Gibson and Martin do because, as we have seen, preference for where to put it is all over the place. My Taylor came with the strap button in position 5 and I played only that guitar for several years. When I wanted buttons added to my Gibson AJ and LG1, I had them put in the same spot which is best for me. I feel it is more secure that way. My Casino has one in the Position 4 and I never feel safe just letting it hang by the strap like I do on my Acoustics.