How do you wear your strap?

[JHo]

I can't decide which way works better for me, over the right shoulder only (ex. Monroe style) or over the shoulder and the neck (ex. Sam Bush style). I'd be curious to hear any advantages or disadvantages to either or both that any of you folks have found. Thanks in advance.

[mandopete]

Proudly!

[Dan Krhla]

Shoulder and neck, dunno why.

[mandroid]

Over my head, and not my shoulder,
[strap/cord- around headstock on the A]

or Scroll(of course) on F.

[JeffD]

Shoulder and neck, like a guitar. If I use a strap.

[Big Joe]

I always use a strap, and only over my right shoulder. The only reason is it is hard to find a strap long enough to be comforable. I'm a little bit bigger than most mandolin players http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif .

[Jim Broyles]

I know what you mean, Joe. A friend of mine let me play his mandolin while he played guitar after a string broke on mine, and he's a little bigger than I am. His mandolin hung down past my waist! I had to sit to play. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Brady Smith]

Neck and shoulder....doesn't seem stable over just a shoulder.

[Lane Pryce]

Shoulder. Lp

[mang1974]

Over my shoulder and neck.

[bsny]

On shoulder. Sometimes woven through toes.

[B. T. Walker]

Shoulder and neck.

[MikeEdgerton]

Shoulder, that way don't have to take off my hat when I switch instruments on stage

[EdSherry]

Neck and shoulder. It seems much more stable that way.

[jasona]

Neck and shoulder. It seems much more stable that way.
Yes. I tried it just over the shoulder for a few weeks, and found I had to do more to keep it in position, which led to tension in the system.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Shoulder & neck for more stability. I have 2 tailor-made straps made for me by a great guy in Miami,Florida,John Brown. He will make them any length you'd like.He makes normal flat ones & also a great braided one - i have one of each & they are excellent. One of our fellow member here,Steve Humes, posted a pic of a couple of John's straps & very kindly sent me his e-mail address.

[Soupy1957]

"Jasona" has touched on a point that I was asking about in another thread, a while ago.

What IS accurate for "position" anyway? I'm sure it is different for different folk, depending on their waistline (cough,cough) or arm length..etc..

With regard to the "strap" (since that is what this is about), the strap will have to provide a secure anchor for the mando so it doesn't fall to the floor during a session but that must not be "all" that it does aparently.

I've been watching all the folks I can in the professional and unprofessional ranks, who play mando, and one thing I've seen over and over again, is a "machine gun" hold that many (Ricky Skaggs is very obvious when he does this; seems as if he is constantly re-adjusting by moving the neck out away from his body, if not at a 90º..most certainly a 45º) "pros" will default to, seemingly intentionally.

It's as if they desire to hold the mando pointing outward, almost downright perpendicular to their body. I'm not sure if their teachers taught that or not, but with the strap over the right shoulder ONLY, they can more easily get into that position.

With the strap around the neck, you can't really get a perpendicular position.

Just observations..

-Soupy1957

[MikeEdgerton]

They hold it out away from their bodies to let the back vibrate freely. If you've got a Tonegard you don't need to but you're talking about people that have been playing that way for years. Old habits die hard.

[tnpathfinder]

Shoulder only.

[Jim Garber]

I go strapless, esp on more formal occasions. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim

[Ken Sager]

Over shoulder and neck. Unless I'm playing basketball, then it's the usual place.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[James P]

Freddie King style. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVODiADJJ44&mode=related&search=) #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[MikeEdgerton]

I go strapless, esp on more formal occasions. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim
My old guitar player used to refer to playing the mandolin without a strap as "playing it like a man!"

[JHo]

Interesting, James P.

I'd never seen someone wear a guitar strap over just the right shoulder. Looks like it works for Freddie though.

[Michael Gowell]

A leather bootlace over the shoulder. #Unobstrusive, elegant, comfortable.

[MandoSquirrel]

As Jasona pointed out, over the shoulder of the picking arm is bad ergonomically; you have to work to keep the instrument where you want it, & it's more likely to slip off & become kindling, among other reasons it's not a good idea. David Grisman, I believe, once upon a time used a Saxophone strap, which fits around the neck, like a camera strap, modified for mandolin; Tiny Moore, if I remember correctly, also wore a strap around his neck. This works with some mobility, ala the one shoulder method, without the risks.

[Soupy1957]

The idea of a saxophone-strap arrangement is intriguing. How would I configure that set up with an F-Style?

-Soupy1957

[James P]

My experience with "Grisman" style was that the headstock always wanted to drop, and I found myself holding up the neck with my left hand. #

Playing "Freddie" style lets my picking arm counter-balance the headstock by resting on the upper bout, freeing my left hand to fret unfettered. #But I'm no David Grisman so...

[MandoSquirrel]

The idea of a saxophone-strap arrangement is intriguing. How would I configure that set up with an F-Style?

-Soupy1957
Attach to the scroll, sax straps have a metal hook thing that has to be replaced with a scroll loop thing.