Novel way to attach a strap

[Rick Lindstrom]

Stumbled across this on my way to somewhere else, and took a moment to digest the story that my eyes were telling me:

http://www.vintageinstruments.com/museum/lilpupfulpage.html

Look carefully to see how the strap is attached http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Rick

[sunburst]

I've seen several screw eyes on old Martin guitars. Apparently a common practice at one time.

[cooper4205]

that's how Pete Seeger attaches the strap to his banjo

[250sc]

I think the extra sound holes are more interesting than the strap solution.

[MikeEdgerton]

It actually was quite common on guitars. I've had several come through that had them. The mother of all screw eyes appeared in this (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=43119;hl=strap+button) thread.

[Rick Lindstrom]

Look closer- it's not a screw eye!

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

Rick

[Rick Lindstrom]

Oooops- it is a screw eye. I should have looked closer- duh.

It must have been a matter of perspective, but at first glance it looked like a hole had been drilled and a thong put through it and knotted.

Better make an appointment with my optometrist.

Rick

[John Flynn]

I would worry about that pulling out. Not to mention the fact that is an ugly solution.

[Bill Snyder]

Rick is this (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=32962;hl=proulx) what you were thinking of when you saw the eye bolt.

[Rick Lindstrom]

Yup- that's more or less what I thought I saw. At first glance, it looked like a hole into the side and out the back with the thong pulled through and knotted.

Rick

[Jim Garber]

Tiny Moore had some sort of hardware on his Bigsby -- also on the Roberts knockoff that I have -- that was essentially an upgraded eye bolt. He used it with a saxophone strap.

Jim

[F5G WIZ]

Cool looking mando, definitely looks old. The headstock and flower pot don't look quite right to me. Has anyone verified this to be a genuine Gibson?

[Soupy1957]

I used to put one of those strap eye thingies on the upper-side of the neck of my guitars, (near the dovetail joint) as a rule of thumb. It kept the strap away from my left hand (I'm a right-handed player).

I would suppose that the placing of the "eye" on the mando that doesn't have a scroll, makes perfect sense.

-Soupy1957

[MikeEdgerton]

I would suppose that the placing of the "eye" on the mando that doesn't have a scroll, makes perfect sense.

Not to me it doesn't.

[fredfrank]

Larry Sparks uses a screw eye on his guitar. Then the end of his strap has a metal clip that goes on the screw eye. Then the whole thing is wrapped in duct tape to keep it from rattling.

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

[MikeEdgerton]

Larry Sparks uses a screw eye on his guitar. Then the end of his strap has a metal clip that goes on the screw eye. Then the whole thing is wrapped in duct tape to keep it from rattling.
OK, that makes perfect sense to me..... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Timbofood]

Saddest mandolin strap arrangement I ever saw was a sax strap just hooked inside an F-4. Last time I saw it, the poor thing had 2 holes in the top, I almost cried.

[Jim Hilburn]

In most cases no one hesitates to install a whopping big strap button on an instrument, usually guitar. It's intended for the purpose. But on an A mandolin the only place to put it is in the way of playing. An eye bolt is really no more unreasonable but since it's not the norm we find it to be crude even if it is a great solution to the problem.
Maybe someone should make them in gold, come up with a catchy name for it and pay Tim O. to use one.

[MikeEdgerton]

OK, I can accept an eyebolt but would someone please make a nice nickle plated one so I don't have to use a galvanized bolt that will just rust.... just kidding, I'd rather see the strap button and they don't have to be in the way. The old style nickle plated Gibson style strap buttons sold by All parts are small and unobtrusive and when used with a slotted oval head plated screw even look vinatge on older mandolins.

If the fretboard is raised just loop under it.

[Jim Hilburn]

You noticed I didn't say I was about to do it to MY mandolin.

[MikeEdgerton]

You noticed I didn't say I was about to do it to MY mandolin.

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

[delsbrother]

A recent mando purchase of mine has a tiny circular patch in EXACTLY the same place as Grisman's eyebolt. I wonder if some past owner screwed something in there that s/he thought better of later. What remains doesn't look particularly elegant (the patched hole looks to be the end grain of a dowel, set in into the extremely curly maple side).

Now that it's mine, I recognize it really NEEDS a strap, and I too am not a huge fan of tying one around the headstock. Do I drill another non-original hole in a more politically correct place for a normal strap pin? Or do I redrill through the patch for some "period original" hardware? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[mandroid]

'Period original' could be eyebolts, as the first blacksmith made eyebolt was a very long time ago.

I note looking at Tiny Moore in a picture on the back of the LP I have that the Bigsby and or Roberts,
is hanging from the Sax hook at the perfect playing balance point.