Spamonkis Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I love my new Casino, except for one thing. For some reason, the way it hangs makes my left shoulder droop without me noticing. Then, after an hour or so, my upper back starts having spasms and hurts for days. I am mainly a bass player and play some really heavy instruments all night with no problems. It's just something about how the Casino is balanced. I was thinking of relocating the strap button from the base of the neck to the upper horn. Here are my two questions: 1) Has anyone else had this problem and tried moving the strap button to fix it, and if so, did it help? 2) Is the wood on the upper horn thick/ strong enough just to mount the button to it as is, or would it need some kind of reinforcement inside? I know Paul McCartney mounted his button on the lower horn, so it can be done. I just want to be sure I do it right. God bless, Spamonkis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I would not trust a strap button that was only fastened through the plywood of the rim of the guitar. It should have some backing. This would not be an easy task for you will have to work through the front pickup hole and/or the f-hole, and then hope to be able to get into the upper horn. You could either insert a wooden block or metal plate as a backer/stiffener, to fasten into and spread the load. If you decide to tackle this mod, make sure to document and photo your procedure and progress, it would be good for a "Do It Yourself" thread here on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweed2 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I don't know, I had it done to mine 2 years ago, by a Gibson Authorized luthier, and haven't had an issue. I'll see him this weekend and ask him how he did it, whether he reinforced or ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 There was a thread on the Gretsch forum a couple of months ago on just this subject. I couldn't find it but what he did was to make a wooden plug to fit the upper bout on the INSIDE of the guitar. Can't remember how he got the dimensions correct or how he got it in there when done, sorry. He then drilled a pilot hole where he wanted the strap button, had a string attached to the plug, fed the string from the inside of the guitar to the outside pulling the plug flush with the inside of the upper bout. Let the glue dry for a day or two then drilled the correct size hole into the plug, installed strap button. Sounds simple, but... I'm also with Larry on this one. I would not trust an unreinforced button on a hollowbody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantana Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I used to have this problem when playing my casino and my swamp ash strat and I too thought if I moved the strap button that it would help, but it didn't! For me, I found out that I was subconsciously tensing my shoulder expecting a heavier guitar (I usually play LP's) and this was causing the problem, it wasn't until a yoga-teaching friend of mine showed me some exercises and a new posture (playing in front on a mirror so I could keep an eye on myself really helped) that it improved greatly. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spamonkis Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 I don't know, I had it done to mine 2 years ago, by a Gibson Authorized luthier, and haven't had an issue. I'll see him this weekend and ask him how he did it, whether he reinforced or ? Thanks Tweed. Also, why did you move it and how do you like it now? I'll look forward to hearing what he did. I used to have this problem when playing my casino and my swamp ash strat and I too thought if I moved the strap button that it would help, but it didn't! Thanks for the answer. Sorry to hear that it did not work for you. For me, I found out that I was subconsciously tensing my shoulder expecting a heavier guitar For me, I think that my heavy instruments balance between my shoulders, but the light casino body makes the guitar neck heavy. In the mirror, I have seen my left shoulder setting lower than my right with the guitar on. playing in front on a mirror so I could keep an eye on myself really helped. I have been doing this since I noticed the problem and it does help. I have to deliberately keep my shoulders at the same level and then I have no pain. I'm just not sure I can make it a habit so that I play that way without thinking about it. Right now, it feels like I am hunching my left shoulder up to keep it level. Again, thanks all and God bless, Spamonkis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Norm Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I'm also interested in doing this to my dot... I will follow this thread closely. I don't have any problems playing the way it is now, but always hated the way the strap hang on the rear button. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweed2 Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 OK, just got back from another entertaining hour at my luthier's place. I dropped off the Zephyr Blues Deluxe, to get a new phenolic nut and a few other "tune ups". Mark is the one that did the rework on the Casino which included doing the McCartney mod. I asked Mark to recap how he does the reinforcement to Casinos, or any hollowbody for that matter. I've done a little diagram to help explain. He starts with 3/4" material, something not so soft the screw will strip it, but not so hard that it's fairly easy to work. Alder, fir, etc. On a Casino, a 1 3/4" diameter works well to match the inside of the curve at the end of the horn. Other guitars, you can trace the horn and make the backing piece a little smaller. If you dont have the capability of making a round piece to truncate, create the curve by sanding (this is why you wouldn't want to use, say, Maple). I would use a hole saw to make the round piece. Cut a piece off to create a half moon shape. Drill a 1/16" hole in the middle of the curved side. Don't go bigger than that as the hole will later become the pilot hole for the strap button screw. Find an old guitar string and slip a small washer down to the end. At the end of the horn, drill a 1/8" hole centered, front face of guitar to back face. Pull the neck pickup. Shine a flashlight through the f-hole towards the upper horn (it'll be out of the way there). Mark lays a long, narrow piece of paper inside the body, from the pickup hole to the horn, in case glue drips. Feed the end of the string through the hole at the end of the horn. Smear a little glue (you choice, Mark uses epoxy) on the curved surface on the wood backing piece. Then pull the string until the backing piece nestles into place. There are several ways to keep pressure on the block until the glue dries, Mark ties a loop in the string and uses a bungee cord to keep tension. Pull the paper out and when the glue is dry, you're ready to push the string back into the guitar and pull it out thru the pickup hole. Remount the pickup and relocate strap button to it's new home. As for why I do this mod to any guitar that has a center mounted strap button? Unless I move it, the guitar always feels like it's falling away from me, not comfortable. And, since I use one strap for 7 guitars, switching back and forth (Schaller strap locks) I don't have to worry about changing the strap length. Anyway, if what I've written here doesn't make sense, help me clean it up and make it easier for someone to understand. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Well written, great diagrams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Well written, great diagrams. +1. That's basically what the thread on the Gretsch forum I referenced involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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