Would you install a strap button on the heal of the neck of your archtop?

**SwingSwangSwung** · 01-25-2011, 08:46 AM

I've got a Gibson L-5. Most of the time I play it on gigs I'm sitting down and don't need a strap. However, I have a recurring gig with a band and there's not enough real estate on the stage for a chair, so I have to stand up. I've been playing solid body electrics on this gig, but I'd like to take my L-5.

I'm a bit hesitant to install a strap button on the heal of the neck, and I'm not crazy about tying a strap around the headstock.

Thoughts?

**mr. beaumont** · 01-25-2011, 09:09 AM

There's one on my Kay that's obviously aftermarket--now, that guitar isn't worth as much as yours, but it is 50 years old or so, and while I don't know when the strap button was added, it's either held up well or caused no structural damage to a guitar that's older than me.

Guitars are for playing after all. I'd just make sure that if I wasn't comfortable doing it, that I took it to someone who is.

**docbop** · 01-25-2011, 10:35 AM

I had a strap button put on my GB-20 and my luthier recommend on the heel position #4 on the link in the earlier post. Been there for over a decade and no problems.

**msr13** · 01-25-2011, 10:51 AM

My 175 doesn't have one, and I have been hesitant to put one on. I sit, and the guitar rest fairly well in my lap. But, after a little while it is uncomfortable. Position #4 would be my choice, as well. THanks for the Stewmac link, Bill. I think I will do it. What's the worst that could happen?

**billkath** · 01-25-2011, 10:59 AM

Take your time. Measure twice or three times, then mark with a pin. Then use a thin bradawl, then drill the pilot hole, and then screw in the button, with felt washer. Slow and careful.

**fws6** · 01-25-2011, 04:13 PM

Yes I would without a moment of hesitation

No matter how nice or valuable the L5 is it will be of little or no consequence to the value

it is a small mod and the guitar was made to be used

rather than risk dropping the L5 with some second rate option like a headstock strap

**steev** · 01-25-2011, 04:56 PM

Thankyou for starting this thread! It has always been fustrating for me having my guitars fall away from me all the time and trying to hang onto them or as you say support the neck to a degree that its hard to move your fretting hand. I thought the middle age spread was making it lean forward (lol). The Stewart Mac link was most helpful and I will be looking for someone to move the strap button to possibly the 3rd or 5th position very soon.
Thanks again guys as always this forum comes up with the answers.

**funkmp** · 01-25-2011, 05:03 PM

I had a K&K Pickup installed in my Lowden F23 a while ago. Took my Byrdland with me and asked Gerrit van Bergeijk if he could fit a strapbutton on it. Cost me about 5 Euro's and saved me the risk of messing things up myself. The heel of a Byrdland is a bit smaller.
I could wait for the pick-up installation and de strapbutton while trying some his guitars and drinking coffee.

My L5 (Super-V bjb) came with a strapbutton allready fitted at the heel. Both guitars hang very comfortable. Much better than a strap at the headstock.

**hurricanebob** · 01-26-2011, 02:30 AM

It's one of the first things I do to a guitar that doesn't have one. At first I insisted that my local shop do it. Then at some point I realized (with their encouragement) that it's a pilot hole (done with a drill *gasp!*), followed by a gentle turning of a screwdriver. Done.

If it makes the sitting more comfortable, then do it. It does for me, for sure. Eighty years from now we'll both probably be dead. Will the guitar care? Nope. It's a guitar, not a museum piece. You bought it to play. A strap will make it easier to play. Yes? Yes.

**mangotango** · 01-26-2011, 09:06 AM

Much as I admire the playing of both Wes and Grant Green, their use of a strap that ties at the headstock always looked a bit naff to me. If I bought a guitar with no strap button, having one installed would be the first thing that I'd do.

**cjm** · 01-26-2011, 10:57 AM

I tried using a strap attached to the headstock of an L5 for a time. It was never fully satisfactory in that it didn't hold the guitar as steady as a strap connected at or near the neck heel.

A strap button was then installed and years later the guitar was sold -- through archtop.com. It didn't lower the market value of the guitar by one cent, and it increased the intrinsic value as an instrument.

One of the things I appreciate about inexpensive Asian built laminate archtops is that for the most part the manufacturers are smart enough to install an upper strap button at the factory.

**kenbennett** · 01-26-2011, 02:19 PM

I have no problem installing a strap button on the heel of any guitar. I worked in a repair for a guy who wouldn't do it. Apparently he had tried before. Once he hit some neck mounting hardware on a flattop with neck bolts. Another time he drilled the hole too small and split the neck heel as turned the screw in.

I don't know of any archtops with bolted necks. So do it, but make sure you drill the whole big enough to clear the shaft of the screw.

I'm building my first 2 archtops now. My first thought was to make the end blocks as small as possible to keep weight down. The neck block could be extended out just enough to put the strap button on the side. That's a good idea.

**Meggy** · 01-27-2011, 02:29 PM

My Ibanez JP20 did not have a strap button as sold, and for years I somehow managed without one, but last year (approx 25 years after buying the guitar) I finally put one on! Don't regret it, the guitar is far more useable for me now. I went for position 2 as shown in the Stew Mac diagram. This works well for me - personally I don't want the guitar to be pulled back on the upper bout at all, and this position allows the guitar to stay pretty much flat against the body. Depends on the individual I guess.

**Eddie Lang** · 01-27-2011, 10:36 PM

Strap buttons are a must for me as I really dislike the feeling of having the strap attached to the headstock.

I have guitars from the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's with buttons in positions #2, 4 and 5. Some of them I have had for 30 years and they already had their button installed before I got them. I also have a recent Godin 5th Ave that came with a button in position #3.

My favorite is #5 and it is what I choose when I install one myself, but there is really nothing wrong with the other positions. (But I don't like #1 at all.)

#2 is on my ES-225. In theory, I do not like that position, but I must say that I am comfortable with the guitar and don't notice much difference compared to #4 and 5.

Just make sure that you drill a hole first and use a tap. Screw slowly because wood can crack.

Also, if you go for #3, make sure that there is a block behind...

**kawa** · 01-27-2011, 11:46 PM

from https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...-position.html

I chose the LP style positions for my '67 ES-175DN at last for the best standing playability.
Place : 28mm from the top and 18mm from the heal.
Tools for pilot hole ‘åH“¹‹ïi‚«‚èj uŠp—˜ Žl‚Â–Ú ’†v‚Ì”Ì”„“X@(\483)
'67 Gibson ES-175DN
(Fill the old hole by putty)
The sounds were changeless, still good.

Jim Hall & ES-175 Germany TV Show 1973 from thread "Good Sounds" #336
(placed strap button as like to the LP position and replaced pickup)

with Attila Zoller

__________________

**Cooperro** · 01-28-2011, 05:24 AM

Originally Posted by billkath

Take your time. Measure twice or three times, then mark with a pin. Then use a thin bradawl, then drill the pilot hole, and then screw in the button, with felt washer. Slow and careful.

I did exactly this. I bought mine back around 1979. Saw Grant Geisman playing his standing up with Chuck Mangione. Went home, got out the drill and haven't had a problem since. I've also had her appraised with no "hit" in value due to the mod. I didn't put a button - I went for it with a Straploc, which has never failed.

I installed it on the heel "under" the neck, NOT on the back like a 335.

Good luck :-)

**Meggy** · 01-29-2011, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by Eddie Lang

Just make sure that you drill a hole first and use a tap. Screw slowly because wood can crack.

Also, if you go for #3, make sure that there is a block behind...

Very good advice here, go carefully, do things the proper way, and think twice, drill once!

**Jim Bastian** · 02-01-2011, 09:06 PM

I feel so strongly that a guitar has to have a pin that I have even put them on really old vintage gutiars when I knew I was going to keep the guitar and play it.I never regretted this. I feel the correct spot is on the flat of the heel (not on the rounded part that can interfere with playing.

As a person that buys and sells a whole lot of stuff, I never felt that the strap pin hurt anything value wise.

I actually discussed this topic on my website in the Gibson Barney Kessel pages and show pics of bad pins and good ones.

**SwingSwangSwung** · 02-12-2011, 01:16 AM

Had a good tech put the strap pin on today. Looking foward to trying it out, but stuck at work with a problem to solve.

**TheCaffeinatedOne** · 02-27-2011, 12:03 PM

My favorite spot is #5 below. It's never interfered with playing around the octave and it orients the instrument correctly when standing.

**caravan** · 02-27-2011, 09:13 PM

I like to have my strap button here:

**adammberk** · 05-13-2013, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by msr13

My 175 doesn't have one, and I have been hesitant to put one on. I sit, and the guitar rest fairly well in my lap. But, after a little while it is uncomfortable. Position #4 would be my choice, as well. THanks for the Stewmac link, Bill. I think I will do it. What's the worst that could happen?

I also agonized over where to put the button on my 175 and came across the stewmac link which was a great help. My cousin who is a guitar tech, took a crappy a acoustic cutaway and put one button in each position. I tried them all and concluded that position 3 was out due to not wanting to drill into the laminate and possibly no support block below. Position 5 is used a lot on Taylor acoustic guitars because it keeps the guitar from turning out and away from your body but I didn't like the look on the neck and the possibility of it interfering with the fretting hand. I settled on position 2 on the heal. That position was also recommended by Gibson, unofficially of course, when i called customer service for advice. I am not sorry about the decision. It looks good and feels fine. I rest my picking arm on the face of the guitar anyway due to the deep bout so the guitar is balanced and comfortable.

Good luck to others struggling with this choice.

**Archtop 13** · 05-17-2013, 07:56 PM

Mine go 1-1/4" from the neck on the upper bout. I glue in a piece of mahogany so the button doesn't cause an damage. I've retro fitted guitars with the same thing. I don't like them on the heel. It's in the way for many players.

**Archtop 13** · 05-17-2013, 08:35 PM

You can see here what I mean. The mahogany block being clamped/glued into place. To retrofit, Drill a hole & slip a guitar string through it & pull your block with glue on it, through the f-hole

**Spook410** · 05-18-2013, 03:10 AM

Much prefer the pin on the upper bout. Guitar hangs naturally with the pin in that position. Just make sure you have a block supporting it as stated in above posts.