Strap button on my national?

[Rick Crenshaw]

I just bought a National reso-mandolin from the classifieds and it's great! I'm in no hurry, but I'm used to having a strap on my guitars and mandolins. I have no qualms about putting a button on the treble side of the heel on a guitar. I wouldn't own a guitar with out it. But I'm really thinking if I want to put a button on the mandolin. I'll probably end up doing it, unless I end up liking the feel of a strap tied on the headstock. I usually hate that and don't think it's that good for the mandolin, especially this little boat anchor.

Issue #1, I'm not used to short necked mandolins and wonder if the strap button would end up being in my way.

Issue #2, should I ever decide (or my wife decide) to sell this fun ear-blaster, would it affect price and salability.

Yer thoughts.

[JEStanek]

My thoughts on your questions...

#1. Maybe... you can always tie to the headstock.
#2. Nope. It's not like putting one in the heel button on an F5...

Jamie (I like strap buttons too).

[jim simpson]

I just bought a Collings MT (used) with a button already installed on the treble side of the neck heel. I don't mind it at all (save me the trouble of deciding what to do).

[8ch(pl)]

Vintage Nationals have collector value that will be affected by doing this, in my opinion.

[Rick Crenshaw]

Should mention that the mandolin is a newer National... not a vintage.

[mandroid]

The wooden Buttons at LMI and Stew Mac are very nice, would blend in more than the plated metal ones .


The manner of reaching over the body to get to the higher frets arches your palm
away from the neck, and should clear a button placed on the Treble side of the heel.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[JeffD]

Here is my harsh opinion.

You have to decide if you are a player or an investor.

I would not own an instrument, or anything else for that matter, that I couldn't customize the way I wanted because of worry about its resale value. For me if its too valuable to use, its too valuable to own.

[Rick Crenshaw]

Well, I am decidedly a player. Look at my nice Daley mandolins sometime. I don't even wipe them down. I play them and anyone here who meets me can too.

I guess my main worry at this point is the button getting in the way of left hand on that short, short neck. Anyone here put a strap button on a short necked A mandolin? What's your verdict?

[Keith Owen]

Tie a strap off to the headstock. Play the thing for a week or two that way.

If you find you hate it, put the button on. Otherwise, just stay with the headstock tie.

That's my 2 cents.

[sgarrity]

I like strap buttons on long necked A-styles. But on the shorter neck models, I have always just tied to the headstock. Makes playing up the neck much easier.
Now if they'd just make an F5 resonator, we wouldn't have these issues! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif