So, you landed your first gig. While trying to calm down your excitement and fear, you might realize that there is one obstacle on the way of you becoming a new Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift. Apart from the appropriate gender, vocal skills, and multimillion audience, you also miss a guitar strap on your acoustic guitar. And trust me, playing for even an hour on stage without a strap, isn’t a super pleasant experience. I might not be able to help you get the first three – that’s up to you. What I can do is to show you how to put a strap on.
As you might’ve already gathered, putting a strap on an acoustic guitar is a bit tricky. In contrast to electric guitars that come with strap buttons or pins, most acoustic guitars come without strapping mechanisms or have only a single button at the bottom of the sound body. But if the guitar has no mechanisms at all, there are two more ways to attach a guitar strap: through buttons and strap locks. But first, let’s find the proper strap for you.
Finding the Right Guitar Strap
The main rule for guitar straps is that it must have proper length, fit/comfort, and width. Choose the length that allows you to play at the preferred height (at the waist or even at knee height). The strap should fit you just right, and be comfortable. If you have shoulder or back injuries, make sure that the strap has extra padding and is made from soft material. With width, the rule is the heavier the guitar, the wider the strap. Thus, for acoustic guitars, width is not too important, as the guitars are relatively light.
Another critical thing to consider is whether or not your guitar has a knob at the bottom. If yes, you’ll need a strap with cords at the top. Otherwise, any standard strap will do.
Option 1: Tie a knot
Let’s start with the easiest option here. If you are in luck and your guitar has a button at the bottom of the sound body, all you need to do is tie the cords of the strap at the headstock. So, here’s what to do:
- If you have a standard strap without cord, take any kind of string, and tie it to one of the buttonholes on the strap;
- Pass the other side of the cord below the guitar strings, at the lower part of headstock right above the nut. Make sure the cords are not on the fretboard;
- Make a tight not around the peghead;
- Secure the other side of the strap onto button at the guitar base;
- Adjust the length, and you are done!
Option 2: Buttons
If there are no strap pins on the guitar, that’s where It gets tricky as you’ll have to install them yourself. The process isn’t complicated but has to be done very carefully, as there is a danger of irreversible damage to the guitar. If you don’t feel comfortable working with a drill, it may be a good idea to pay a visit to the guitar doctor to do it for you.
If you up for the task, let’s grab a couple strap buttons, a drill, felt washers, and your guitar. You either need to install 2 buttons or one, depending on whether there is a strap pin at the guitar base, but the process is the same. And please be careful!
Measure the exact places where the pin buttons should go and mark them with chalk or pen:
- The bottom button should be precisely in the middle of the bottom bout;
- The top button goes on the guitar neck or the upper part of the sound body. To measure the place for the top button, take a guitar in your arms and ask someone to wrap the strap around your and left shoulder. Thus, you can identify the right place and angle where the button should be installed;
- Take your buttons and the drill. Measure each to make sure the drill bit is smaller than the diameter of the button;
- Mark the exact depth of the hole on the drill bit. It’s crucially important for the top button if it goes on the neck, as you mustn’t let the bit to come on the other end. The approximate depth is about ½ – 1 inches.
- Next, very carefully drill the hole in the guitar body. Countersink a screw or a bolt into the hole and rotate to create the threads matching the button. I’d recommend not missing this step, as it will help secure the position of the button;
- Put the felt washer above the whole and slowly screw the button in the hole. Make sure it goes in smoothly. If it gets stuck in the process stop immediately, as it might crack the wood;
- Repeat with the other button, and you are done!
Option 3: Strap Locks
The difference between a strap button and lock is that the strap lock consists of 2 parts: one is attached to the guitar, another to the strap. Due to the lock having 2 pieces, it doubles the strap stability. Yet the installation process is pretty much the same up until the very end:
- Repeat the steps 1-6 from Option 2 with the first piece of strap lock instead of the buttons;
- Attach the other piece onto the strap according to manufacturer instructions (it’s essential to follow the official manual as each pair is pretty different);
- Attach the parts together and voila!
Final adjustments
Even if you had measured the strap length before attaching the step, you still need to do some final tweaks to ensure it fits you perfectly. It’s as easy as adjusting the backpack straps. Put the strap around the shoulder opposite to your lead hand, stand up, and tweak the strap’s length to the point where it’s most comfortable to play.
