Straps

[Chip Booth]

I bet they work well and feel good, but for my taste I prefer something more down to tearth, like the usual braided leather. Good luck though!

Chip

[Frank Russell]

This strap sure makes me think of George Costanza. He surely did love that velvet. Frank

[JEStanek]

Can you make them with adjustable ends (e.g., have different lengths on the same stap) or add a guitar strap style slider? Cool look. Purple Velvet!

Jamie

[glauber]

They look comfortable! Good luck. There are several mandolin straps advertised in the Cafe's classifieds, i guess you could advertise yours there too.

[harleymando]

yuk!

[Sarge]

I made my own out of some leather string using a 4-string braid. Attached a loop at one end to attach to the neck (or scroll for an F-style). You can actually push the bottom button through the braiding, so you can adjust it very well.

[DryBones]

it appears you scoundrels have driven off the original poster! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[TommyK]

"The homemader the better," I say. #The little girl's department at the belt rack feature the beginnin's of some potentially great mando straps. #Narrow, leather and cheap (mostly) #If'n you're a feller though, don't spend much time there. #Just go to the rack, inspect the wares and get out. #Mothers may take you for a wierdo. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif #Better yet, take your wife, daughter, grand-daughter with.

Leather boot laces complete the ensemble. If you cut the buckle end off with plenty of tag end to punch a hole and tie one lace, you can have the buckle between your neck and mando, allowing for adjustment. Just be careful of buckle to finish contact and stay away from vinyl belts. Leather is best, followed by jute. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[Soupy1957]

Sarge:
Was it you who suggested getting some leather boot laces (72") and braid them to make a strap? Sounded like a great idea and I wanted to try it, but needed a bit more feedback about the type of loop or whatever for the Scroll end, and then perhaps the right way to build in a loop for the tailstock.

Pictures would be a BIG help; of the laces themselves, and either end loop.

-Soupy1957

[fatt-dad]

Well if it wasn't Sarge it could have been me. . . .

Here's what I do (it helps to soak rawhide laces in water first): Take two 72-in shoelaces and make a HANGMAN'S NOOSE (http://www.geocities.com/roo_two/hangmansnoose.html). After that, take the third lace and just push the end into the noose knot (it doesn't have to be too tight - just good enough. Commence to BRAID (http://www.ehow.com/how_13449_braid-string.html) until you get the correct length. End it with a FIGURE EIGHT KNOT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figure-of-eight_knot) (this will be using three strands). Realize at this point you will have two short laces (the ones that were used for the hangman's knot) and one longer lace (the one that you added). Cut the two shorter laces after the Figure 8 knot. Then make a standard SLIP KNOT (http://www.iwillknot.com/slip_knot/). You will quickly realize that there is a smart way and a dumb way to make the slip knot. The smart way tightens as you pull it onto the tail pin and the dumb way doesn't.

It may take some trial and error, but it works for me. The last page of MY MUTH THREAD (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=40181;st=25) shows a photo of my mandolin with my strap.

Good luck.

f-d

p.s., I'm saving this post to my "notes" so I don't have to retype this again - ha.

[OregonMike]

What was the original post?

I still think the best home made strap going is an old silk neck tie with a button hole sewn in one end. No buckles to scratch anything and it fits in ths case easy as can be.

You can even use those ugly polyester horoscope ties from the 1970's that are in the dollar bin at the Good Will.

[Caleb]

Neck tie is a great idea. Is it long enough though?

[Frank Russell]

I tried the tie, among other materials, but for me, I like my strap to stay in place. I find with anything other than leather, I get "slippage," which is not what I need with a strap. Bad form or not, when I hold the mandolin away from my body, I use the strap as an anchor, and if it slides, it makes me fumble. I've tried parachute cord, round-braid leather, and I always seem to come back to my own homemade flat braided leather straps. Frank