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Strap button vs headstock strap


uncle fester

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Hi, Billroy,

 

I own a number of good vintage Gibsons (see my signature), plus other guitars such as a 1826 (almost 200 years old!) Lacote Romantic guitar that is so light, it feels like it's made of balsa wood.

 

All of them have the strap around the headstock. Not only that, but to me the strap is an essential tool to keep enough tension between my body and the neck, so that I don't have to use the left hand to hold the guitar up even when I'm seated.

 

Until about 1950, that was the standard way to tie a strap to the guitar. I wouldn't worry about it one bit. If there is fret buzz, it's due to the setup, or perhaps to a weak spot around the heel, which the strap is only bringing to light.

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A strap on the headstock won't harm the guitar. The neck (and neck/body joint) is designed to take the stress of strings tuned to pitch. The stress of a guitar hanging by a strap attached to the headstock pales by comparison.

 

Frank Ford says hanging a guitar by a strap affixed to the peghead does "ABSOLUTELY NO HARM" (all caps are his) to the guitar, and if Ford says it, I believe it. http://frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/GenSetup/StrapButton/strapbutton1.html

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Hi all - I am officially part of the strap button community, and I made my way, wasn't born into it. I put one on My Guild to make sure I got it right, and test out the feel - and it really does feel more natural to me. Was going to wait a bit to make sure I liked it, but it felt good enough to me to put one on my J-45 right away. I tell you, no matter how small the mod, drilling into a several thousand dollar guitar makes things crawl up into your belly. Thank you all again for the input and Kidblast - for the detailed pics.

 

PS - I believe the fret buzz is on me. Seems like the A&D strings are prone to buzz at the 12th fret or so if I don't hit them exact. Might be a set up thing, or just poor technique. Will play the crap out of it while I give it more time to settle in to the environment then do a re-evaluation.

 

Long story short - I really love playing this guitar, and it just got better!

 

rgds - billroy

 

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I tell you, no matter how small the mod, drilling into a several thousand dollar guitar makes things crawl up into your belly.

 

oh yea,, no doubt about it... Gibson should evaluate the "TRADITION" to not include, and just DO IT... I guess THAT would crawl up other peoples other body parts tho..

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