Installing a top strap button

[sleigh]

I need to add a stop strap button to my new E6D-TC -- I'll do that tomorrow!

[Funky Chicken]

I put one on my E6D-TC today. Position 5 on the diagram earlier in the thread.

[sleigh]

Mine will also go in Position 5, which is where all my top strap buttons (more or less) reside.

[Treenewt]

Added position 5 to me E8OM yesterday. Was going to play it today at church for the first time and realized “I need a strap button!” I’ve installed quite a few over the years, but it stilll makes me skittish every time!

[phydaux]

"I noodled around on acoustics for 50 years before starting to learn classical guitar...  With a strap, I can keep a an acoustic in roughly the same position as I do when I play classical...  I may well add strap buttons to my classical. The classical snobs may turn their nose up at this..."

Willy Nelson plays his classical guitar using a mariachi strap.

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Does anyone out there play with the strap tied off to the headstock?

[Grandpa Bucky]

I had always used Position 5 for acoustic buttons until just the past year when I tried attaching at the head-stock on my resonator. Truthfully, I did that because it seemed like it would look right, not for any legitimate guitar positioning reason. It took some getting used to and can slightly restrict access to a cowboy chord F. Not impossible, just restricted. Sliding the guitar body to the right relieves that pressure point). After acclimating to the new strap, I like it more because I can move the guitar into positions that attaching at the heel restricts. I have switched to that kind of strap on most of my guitars.

Because of the freedom to reposition, I wanted a strap that could easily slide. I like polished leather straps but they tend to make squeaking noises against the guitar body. Suede feels great, doesn't squeak but does not easily slide across the shoulders. I won't use nylon because I know it is too slippery plus I worry about how it will react with a nitrocellulose finish. Speaking of which, to protect finish, I will not use any strap that has metal parts; buckles, conch, studs or swivels, etc. My favorite material is cotton which slide easy enough and is very comfortable. Franklin makes a great cotton saddle blanket strap. The leather strap ends are polished on the exposed side but suede where it contacts the guitar, so no squeaking.

If you decide to attach at the head-stock and your new head-stock strap seems to be all dried out, do not use leather softener or that little strap will squeak (says the guy who used leather softener).

One further great reason for attaching at head-stock. When you put your guitar in the case, if attached at the neck heel, you will need to either detach each time or leave the strap bunched up risking damage to the guitar. When attached at the head-stock, you can lay the strap flat across the strings and then loop over the headstock at the end so no stress or pressure damage to the guitar. Pull it out of the case and it is ready to go.

Finally, about the earlier position diagram for a Les Paul. Both positions 4 and 5 would appear to block your palm, limiting upper fret access and defeating the cutaway . Positions 1 and 2 will gouge the guitar case. I gouged plenty of guitar cases before I quit putting buttons there and started using Position 5. Just like on the Les Paul, Position 5 might impact upper fret access on a cutaway acoustic.