What not to do with your Collings..

**catmandu2** · Sep-20-2009, 5:41am

...pass the wood filler

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/90U-5402.htm

**F-2 Dave** · Sep-20-2009, 8:50am

That does seem odd. I put the strap button on my MT just around the corner on the treble side of the heel. I emailed Collings first and they assured me that this place was OK.

**jim_n_virginia** · Sep-20-2009, 8:53am

Ouch!

**250sc** · Sep-20-2009, 9:33am

That wouldn't be a deal breaker. It can be easily filled and touched up.

It looks like MTs resale value is holding up.

**Len** · Sep-20-2009, 10:11am

I will admit I just got one and it is really hard to put a strap thru the headstock.....But I really LOVE the mando..I have two old Gibsons.......they should have thought about the strap

**Rick Schmidlin** · Sep-20-2009, 10:33am

never ever for mine

**sunburst** · Sep-20-2009, 11:09am

People do that with guitars all the time. Guitars are expected to have a hold drilled through the nicely applied and buffed finish into the carved mahogany neck heel for a strap button. What's the big difference?

**Philphool** · Sep-20-2009, 11:09am

Cat,
Do you own this or just looking at the pix?

Honestly, I don't see anything that couldn't just be a weird reflection off the finish from taking the picture. Is that white near the button really wood??

Maybe I need new glasses.

Edit:
Oops!! See edit in next post. My bad.

**Philphool** · Sep-20-2009, 11:17am

This pic from a different angle looks a little different.

Edit:
Oops!! Looks like I missed the point. You just don't want a button on the mando!
Sorry. Point taken.

**Geoff B** · Sep-20-2009, 11:42am

my only beef would be the placement--my thumb likes to hang out right where the button is when playing up high, but I see no issue with having a strap button in that region. People put all kinds of cooky stuff on mandolins, this is at least functional...

**Jim** · Sep-20-2009, 12:47pm

I put my thumb there too but rarely, I guess since it's already there I'd use it though a dowel,some glue and a lttle stain would be a good option too.

**catmandu2** · Sep-20-2009, 12:55pm

Originally Posted by sunburst

...What's the big difference?

1. unsightly
2. unnecessary
3. interferring
4. did I mention unsightly..
YMMV

**Douglas McMullin** · Sep-20-2009, 12:57pm

It is so easy to tie a piece of leather around the top of the body, under the fret board extension, I don't know why I would bother with a strap button.

**sunburst** · Sep-20-2009, 2:27pm

Originally Posted by catmandu2

1. unsightly
2. unnecessary
3. interferring
4. did I mention unsightly..
YMMV

Yeah...but what's the difference?

**F-2 Dave** · Sep-20-2009, 2:34pm

Why isn't the thread called 'What not to do with your A style mandolin'? Or is it just a problem when people want to install strap buttons on their Collings mandolins?

**catmandu2** · Sep-20-2009, 2:42pm

Originally Posted by sunburst

People do that with guitars all the time. Guitars are expected to have a hold drilled through the nicely applied and buffed finish into the carved mahogany neck heel for a strap button. What's the big difference?

A mandolin is not a guitar.

**Gerry Cassidy** · Sep-20-2009, 2:45pm

Originally Posted by Geoff B

my only beef would be the placement--my thumb likes to hang out right where the button is when playing up high, but I see no issue with having a strap button in that region. People put all kinds of cooky stuff on mandolins, this is at least functional...

I agree. A little further down toward the treble side, and maybe a 1/8" further toward the body and it would be just fine.

**Tripp Johnson** · Sep-20-2009, 5:53pm

I agree. A little further down toward the treble side, and maybe a 1/8" further toward the body and it would be just fine

.

Agreed.

**Patrick Sylvest** · Sep-20-2009, 6:30pm

I've got a piece of leather looped through the headstock on mine. Works great. Also have this on my Martin....couldn't bring myself to drill it either.

**sgarrity** · Sep-20-2009, 7:23pm

The placement on this one is a little off. But other than that, I love strap buttons on A5s. They just "feel" and work better than using the headstock.....YMMV. Now on short neck oval hole models, I prefer using the headstock for the strap.

**Ted Eschliman** · Sep-20-2009, 8:02pm

Originally Posted by arcopizz

I agree. A little further down toward the treble side, and maybe a 1/8" further toward the body and it would be just fine.

Ditto here, too. That's the first thing I do with any new A (or 2-point) mandolin; install a strap holder near the heel, treblish side, because if the instrument doesn't hang on me right, I don't care how good it is, it isn't worth playing.

**sunburst** · Sep-20-2009, 10:25pm

Originally Posted by catmandu2

A mandolin is not a guitar.

Oh... so it's OK to drill a hole through the nicely applied finish and into the carefully carved wood of a guitar neck for a strap button, but it's not OK to drill a hole through the nicely applied finish and into the carefully carved wood of a mandolin neck for a strap button, Now I see... well, no, actually I don't see the difference...

**woodwizard** · Sep-20-2009, 11:29pm

I really can't stand to have a strap tied to the peghead. It just doesn't hang on me right, gets in the way, feels terrible and I don't like the looks of it. That being said... I did not drill and place a button on the heel of my old oval hole. Used a string and tied the strap to it and it feels when I hold it like the position it would be in if it had a strap button on the heel. On a newer mando I probably wouldn't have a problem with a button on the heel. I don't think they look that bad. I would just worry about the wood on the heel cracking or something even more terrible happening.

**catmandu2** · Sep-21-2009, 3:15am

Originally Posted by sunburst

Oh... so it's OK to drill a hole through the nicely applied finish and into the carefully carved wood of a guitar neck for a strap button, but it's not OK to drill a hole through the nicely applied finish and into the carefully carved wood of a mandolin neck for a strap button...

You got it.

It's like putting a saddle on a dog.