Yep, what @besley said. I would definitely recommend the strap buttons for the same reasons (not in the way and much harder to add afterwards) and I'm also considering the stiffening rods. It's probably fine without but since I've invested in the unit, I might as well be sure it's a durable as possible. I don't want to wish I had done that later on.
Plus, I'm not planning to add a bunch of other ukes to my stash so I want to make sure it's as durable as I can (I know, UAS is definitely REAL! But I'm planning to resist...).