Did I do this correctly?

[somewherepath]

Hello Mandolin Cafe -

this is my first question here, but I've been reading you every 30 minutes since I got my mandolin last week. So the strap I ordered for my A style just came today, and now I was wondering if I'd tied it correctly? See attached picture. The strings on the strap needed to be wedged underneath the strings of the instrument behind the nut pretty tightly to fit in there, I didn't know if that was bad for either the strap or the mandolin strings.

Thanks!

77141

[George R. Lane]

It looks correct to me. If it has an elevated fretboard some folks loop it around the neck heel and under the fretboard.

[Paul Kotapish]

Looks like you've got several wraps of the loop jammed in under the strings, which might make removing the strap or changing strings kind of a hassle. A single strand should be sufficiently strong, or maybe a second loop for security--but make sure the two passes are side-by-side to keep the whole assembly as flat as possible. Me, I like a good strap button to make the thing hang comfortably, but everyone has different preferences.

PK

[EdHanrahan]

Wellll...

My early setup looked a bit like yours, but I quickly figured out that pushing on the strings with the tie-on was counterproductive, as Paul notes above, and can cause tuning issues as well. (Note that some instruments have really tight clearance between string & headstock at the nut; yours may be one of them).

As I got more into it, I also found that tieing (spell?) at the nut would tend to catch my fretting-hand knuckles on the strap in certain chord positions. So what I do now, depending on the particular mando's head shape, is the tie runs between the two E-string tuners and just down-neck of the G tuners, thus moving the strap away from the nut and any flailing knuckles. At least once, I've gone a step further up-headstock: between the E and A tuners on the treble side and betwen the two G tuners on the bass; it really depends on the headstock shape.

You might not need to actually do this yet, but then again....

[Dave Weiss]

That looks good. It doesn't appear to be putting any upward pressure on the strings. That's where I like my strap and I don't find that it interferes with my fretting hand at all.

[Bertram Henze]

That looks a bit like shoelaces. Nothing wrong with shoelaces, but they sell much thinner ones, too, which might fit better under the strings; get some for fine business shoes, not for mountain climbing boots.

On the other hand, as Ed pointed out, the strap might present a handicap for your thumb when playing near the nut. When I had the strap fixed at the headstock, I tied it to one of the E string tuners or between E- and G-string tuners. The tuner shafts should be strong enough to hold, it's all lightweight after all, we're not talking about a banjo here ;)

[Ivan Kelsall]

I's go with what George says & loop it under the fingerboard extension . I fitted a Guitar strap button to the back of my (once owned) Weber "A" style - solid as a rock, & no strap anywhere near my left hand fingers. (Pic.courtesy of of TAMCO UK who re-sold it)
Ivan

[somewherepath]

Thanks for all the advice, I appreciate it. It's worked pretty well so far, way better than holding it without a strap at all, but as many have pointed out, it can be a little obtrusive. I never thought about changing the strings/shoelaces that came with the strap and using smaller shoelaces, that's a great idea, because it does have be wedged in to the point where it puts pressure on the strings, there's almost no room between them and the headstock. But maybe I should just drill the button, that seems like the best idea. I just hesitate to put holes in newly-acquired pretty-looking (to me) expensive (for me) objects...

[fatt-dad]

I go around the peghead to the north of the e-string post and under the strings.

I don't like going under the elevated fretboard or connecting to a strap button.

I didn't like going that close to the nut.

There are many choices, eh?

f-d

[JeffD]

Welcome to the cafe. As you just found out, you will get seven good answers for every question.

What you did is what I do. I only go once around, so the end of the strap itself is not right at the neck but a few inches away. On some mandolins there is not much room under the strings above the nut, but not a problem on mine.

So the answer is, yes, you done good. Yours is a very serviceable way of doing it if there is room, and if it doesn't get in the way of your playing, you are good to go.

I use the "shoe string" that comes with the strap for the most part. Eventually it seems to get lost and I replace it with leather shoe strings.


I only use a strap when I play standing up, which I try to avoid most of the time. I am playing in a band these days and kind of have to stand, so I can't go strapless.

[mtucker]

Are you holding the mandolin properly?

This over referred to vid will solve all strap, left and right hand issues ..;)
NmagoBQunZI

[somewherepath]

When I had it tied behind the nut, the problem was the strap would sit awkwardly close to my fat neck as I was looking down. I tried wrapping a leather shoestring and a dress shoe shoestring underneath the fretboard extension, but it's very shallow and narrow and I didn't think I should be wedging things too tightly into there. But the leather shoestring wrapped around the headstock between the 2nd and 3rd tuners with a tiny cable tie to keep the knot tight seems to work better at positioning the strap with respect to my body, so I'll try that for awhile. Thanks for all the advice, also for the video - I feel his advice is pretty consistent with all the good advice I've heard here? Maybe because everyone likes that video. In any case I think that's pretty close to what I've been trying to aim for, but I think I've been wearing the strap too tight while standing and holding the mandolin not in the center of my body (as he seems to do?), but too far to the right. So all that has helped. Thanks again!

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-en-7DKXdgBA/TpXMUvUqUoI/AAAAAAAAABQ/OffDyXqoor8/s512/2011-10-12_13-11-42_100.jpg

[Denny Gies]

If it works for you it is right.