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Straps attached at headstock: Have any of you ever seen any damage from this?

 An acquaintance on Facebook saw a picture of a young guy playing a Martin with the strap attached at the headstock and raised a bit of fuss about it. I remember when I was a young guitarist , I thought the same thing too. But I have never seen anything ever come through my shop that would indicate that there is a problem with it.

 What think you Forum? 

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A strap attached to the headstock can hamper fretting hand movement and adversely affect the balance of the instrument. That's why I attach the strap at the heel.

I have guitars that have a strap pin in the heel and some that don't. Personally, I've never had a problem playing either way. 

There can be some finish wear next to the nut when tying the strap to the head but I tie mine on using a square not leaving the loop of the string loose rather than cinching it tight around the head. I also don't leave straps on my guitars so the strap is only attached if I need it. The "damage" I get from tying on my strap is a dulling of the finish just above the nut, where the string on the strap passes under the guitar strings.  I can easily buff it out with some very fine compound on a rag If/when I need to.

Kerry,

I've seen this discussed before. As I recall, no one has ever seen structural concerns caused by this method. Cosmetic, yes.

I see it simply as a matter of personal preference.

Look at old photos of the Grand Ole Opry.  Prewar pictures have all the musicians with straps on the peg head.  Much later, they have them at the body.  I've always assumed it was the Fender and Les Paul guitars with their built-in buttons that changed the style in later years.

Bill Monroe';s mandolin has the perfect strap holder (the body scroll) yet even he had the strap at the peg head in those early years.

No one has reported damage caused by normal use of straps tied on peg heads.  Except, that is, potential finish reaction or scuffing in the immediate area.

Martin makes a leather Tie-Strap Button for wrapping around the neck above the nut. A strap attached to the button is easily removed and the leather is said to reduce finish wear caused by the sawing of a nylon or poly cord. I used one on my D28 before I gritted my teeth and installed a strap button on the heel.

 I played in a rock-a-billy band when I wore a younger mans clothes and the strap was attached to the head stock.

I still own the guitar and it has NOT had any neck problems to this date-- so take it from there.

Peace,Donald

Donald, I have a guitar that I've owned and played since 1977. The strap has always been tied to the head stock and it's never had any neck problems either.

 I really think it's a matter of personal preference. Some people feel the strap is in the way and are concerned about damage if the strap is tied around the head and others do't like the balance with it attached at the heel and I have seen a lot of guitars with cracked heels where strap buttons were installed. (Not to mention the number of guitars that I've seen with strap buttons screwed directly into the sides with no reinforcement to support them.)

 

Piling on, a bandmate plays a 1956 D-18 that he bought it new.  He's always played it with the strap on the head stock and has never had any problems.  The guitar looks and plays great and sounds fantastic.

Larry

My first acoustic guitar had its strap tied to the headstock with a shoe lace (supplied by Yamaha), right behind the nut under the strings. The shoe lace wore through the finish something awful. The little leather strap that Martin sells would likely prevent this.

Just out of curiosity, Ian, how was it tied? Was it loose on the head or tight around it? 

If I remember correctly, it was pretty loose. I have since put a button at the heel.

Just a bit of trivia.....

Fender basses used to come with a strap button on the back of the headstock. Some Fender vintage reissues still do.

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