Confusion!

[John Barleycorn]

Ok, I am very new to the Mandolin and I am loving it. I have been attached to it since I pulled it out of the closet... Yes I said closet, it was a gift to my dad for playing guitar in a church band he mentioned something about one they got him one, he fooled with it for a while, then into the closet for a year or 2.

Well I am 16 and have been completely in love with this instrument I also play percussion(bongos and other percussive beat keepers) and guitar (none I have obessed over like i am on the mando rigt now). But all that to get to the strap... I am told that it goes over the pickin hand shoulder, right for me, and not over the neck like a guitar strap would. So I am wondering what do YOU DO?

[Shelby Eicher]

I use mine over my right shoulder. I have used it over my neck before but it gives me a headache. There are no rules to the right way to wear it. It's what is comfortable to you.

[Mattg]

Either is fine, try both and see what works for you. It depends on the mando for me. Most of mine are over the neck but my flattop feels best over the shoulder.

[Mandolusional]

People wear them over the shoulder, over the shoulder and neck, and some go strapless. Bill wore his over the shoulder, Mike Marshall suggests you wear it over your shoulder and neck, but it's a matter of comfort and preference.

[Klaus Wutscher]

Simon Mayer has a funny write up about this topic in his method. He implied that Monroe wore it that way because of his Stetson. Simon implied that you could still wear a Stetson and wear the strap over shoulder and neck, but that would require "temporally removing the Stetson", which apparently was considered to be no part of nuthin for Bill:p

Finding the "right" position of the strap is very important since it determines your playing position. Try different positios and don´t go for the "cool" look - what looks good doesn´t always work musically. It also depends on where your strap is attached - at the scroll at the headstock or under the fretboard (A-style).

A few things to consider:

1)Your left hand should be totally free and not support the mandolin

2) Your right hand should be as relaxed as possible and should have the right angle to the strings, which is also determined by the way you hold your pick.

3) The back of the mandolin should be allowed to vibrate freely, as any dampening of the back muffles the sound .

You will most likely find that your playing position will change every now and then because your technique changes, or you gain weight, or both:p

[Ivan Kelsall]

I've tried both ways,over my right shoulder & around my back (as per a Guitar).I find wearing it around my back gives me better control over the movement over the Mandolin, certainly when playing fast,it doesn't move around so much,
Saska

[Bertram Henze]

Same for me, always over back and shoulder. I don't wear my Stetson while playing http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Edit: For that Stetson statement, I apologize in advance for giving TMI.

Bertram

[Fretbear]

A few banjo players like J.D. Crowe and Terry Baucom also just use their right shoulder and they are often seen Stetsonless....If any instrument needed some extra support you would think it would be a Mastertone....

[Stephanie Reiser]

I wear mine over the neck and shoulder, just like the guitar. I have seen so many mando players wearing the strap only over the one shoulder, ala Monroe, and having it constantly slipping off the shoulder and you see them always replacing the strap back on kinda like a slipping bra strap. Its a constant struggle and looks so uncomfortable.

[Alex Orr]

I wear mine over neck and shoulders. Either way is fine.

[CrazyMandolin]

On my Gumby where the strap attaches to the faux-scroll I just play over the shoulder. However, on the A-5 my strap is tied to the headstock and I find it more natural to hang over the neck and shoulder. I hated it at first but don't mind now. I've tried putting the other around the neck, too, but it's never caught on with me.