Many guitar players have trouble attaching an acoustic guitar strap to their instrument, unlike the electric guitar most acoustics only come with one strap button located at the base of the instrument. Despite the fact that this problem is rather easy to solve, most acoustic players never actually get round to attaching a strap to their guitars, instead they either play it sitting down or push it into their chests while they play, unfortunately prolonged use of the latter technique can result in rather serious injury.
This article is going to go few a couple of ways you can attach an acoustic guitar strap to your instrument, the method you eventually choose will generally depend on how you answer the following questions; "Are there two strap buttons on you guitar?" and "Would you object to manually adjusting your guitar in order to attach an acoustic guitar strap button?"
If your guitar already has two strap buttons then there’s no problem, simply attach your acoustic guitar strap following the instructions provided, be aware an electric guitar strap may not fit. My instinct tells me that if you’ve found this article it is because you’re having trouble because your instrument only has one acoustic guitar strap button, for some odd reason guitar manufacturers insist on only installing one strap button on acoustic guitars despite the fact that it’s a real pain for many players. Here are a few ways to deal with this problem.
The easiest thing you can do to solve this problem is tie a shoe-lace to the acoustic guitar strap and attach it to the headstock of the guitar, this is the old school way of doing it and is genuinely effective. If this method seems a bit tacky to you, then maybe you should consider buying a hanger, this is a small apparatus that you attach to the headstock of you instrument a then connect to the strap.
So far my suggestions have been aimed at players who aren’t too enthusiastic about the idea of installing an acoustic guitar strap button manually, if you enjoy tinkering with things then this next method maybe just the thing for you. At this point I would like to warn anyone attempting the instructions provided below that you do so at your own risk, if in doubt please take the instrument down to your local music store where a technician can do this for you. I personally would only try out this method on cheap guitars, but if you feel your up for the challenge then there’s is nothing to stop you.
- Purchase or acquire an additional strap button.
- Mark a suitable place on the heel of the guitar neck and drill a hole into it.
- Slide the screw through the centre of the strap button and proceed to screw the button into the hole.
That’s it guys, let me just say I would advise anyone to watch a few videos of this last procedure being carried out before you attempt it yourself, this article is meant to draw your attention to a few possible solutions to your problem and not provide thorough written instructions on how to do so.
Adam Perlmutter, an acclaimed guitar journalist and editor of ‘Acoustic Guitar’, holds a master’s from New England Conservatory. Based in Culver City, he excels in writing, transcription, and engraving. His works, including ‘Color Your Chords’, blend music theory with practical guitar insights. At Fretterverse, Adam’s expertise enriches content for guitar enthusiasts of all levels.
Learning to play leads to many other lessons, such as how to write good songs or how to practice regularly.