DIY Strap from Paracord with a Petros Strap Button on my Tenor

joneo

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So, I don't use a strap with my sopranos. I find they are small enough to hold comfortably, for me. But the tenor is quite large, comparatively. And after debating about it for some time, I finally decided to get a strap button put on my tenor. But I didn't want just any old strap button ~ and after some searching I found some really cool ones by Petros Guitar Shop! (located in Kaukauna, WI - https://petrosguitarshop.com/collections/all/strap-button)

The paracord strap was super simple and basically free since I had most of the materials lying around the house. I took one end of the cord and made a small loop just big enough to get around the (large) strap button and wrapped it with thread to hold it together. Then I covered the thread with a small piece of heat shrink tubing, secured in place with a heat gun.

I put another small piece of heat shrink tubing on the other end of the cord to keep it from fraying, plus one small drop of super glue in the very tip for good measure. That end gets slid under the strings at the top of the headstock and made into a loop with a cord lock, which is placed just out of the way of my hand. It's just my version of a simple shoestring strap ~ although perhaps a bit more tactical. lol

tenor with strap.jpg tenor strap ends.jpg tenor strap button petros.jpg tenor strap headstock.jpg tenor strap.jpg
 
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I think you did a really nice job. Personally I would worry the thinness of the strap might bite in after a while, but if not, it's quite an elegant solution.

I looked at those strap buttons myself, I figure if I'm going to add anything to a valued instrument it should look good too.
 
Nice! Paracord is cool stuff
 
Thank you! Since the uke is pretty light weight I'm not too concerned about the strap biting into my shoulder. I think it would be more of an issue if it was on a full bodied guitar. Time will tell though. Side benefit: It almost disappears in the hard case, so I don't have to mess with taking it on/off all the time.
 
It works great and does not eat into your shoulder at all. I have made my own version a while back, but it's a leash kind of strap. Do put a sleeve around the head stock area though, paracord could potentially be abrasive enough to damage the finish.
 
I made two different kinds of Paracord straps. One is a large loop that goes around the right arm, up in the arm pit, around the neck and over the shoulder, and the other end has a small loop I fit over the A string Tuner knob. It holds the neck up and the butt end I hold with my forearm.

The other has a loop the fits on the Butt Button and the other end has a small loop over the A string tuner knob.

Fitting on the tuner knob is a lot easier than tying under the strings.
 
Thank you! Since the uke is pretty light weight I'm not too concerned about the strap biting into my shoulder. I think it would be more of an issue if it was on a full bodied guitar. Time will tell though. Side benefit: It almost disappears in the hard case, so I don't have to mess with taking it on/off all the time.

I made a shoulder pad out of an old piece of belt. I put two holes in each end of it and laced the paracord down thru the end hole and then up thru the other hole then pulled the paracord down and up thru the other end holes and on to the peg head.

Another way to attach the cord to the peghead is to make big loop by sticking the cord thru the cord lock and then back the other way. Then you slide the loop under the strings and around the peghead and thread the cord through the loop and attach it to the bottom strap button. That makes it easy to remove and is somewhat adjustable if you left a tail.

I've made some like Jack Luis too. They hold the peghead up nice. Nobody likes a drooping peghead.

Whew! :eek:ld:
 
I use paracord on concert and tenor with just simple knots for the bottom button and above the nut. Camo paracord looks good with the rope purfling on the Mainland. And, of course, every prepper knows that you are ready to survive anything with a few feet of paracord and a ukulele. :)
 
Great job on that strap!!! Starting to use a strap changed my playing - really opened up some doors for me, musically.
 
This is a good cord option and a great strap idea! If you're handy with knotting or braiding, you could dress up a strap, either of paracord or twine etc, by making a design/pattern with knots. It strengthens the strap too, as long as you remember to tighten down the knots. I've woven straps as well - not of paracord - but that assumes you know how to weave and have some basic equipment. Paracord OTOH, is readily available and it takes few if any tools to make a strap like this. DIY at it's finest: simple and practical! Thanks for sharing! :)
 
there are tons of youtube videos about weaving paracord into something thicker and heavier duty. There's probably some 2 strand weave that might do the trick.
 
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It works great and does not eat into your shoulder at all. I have made my own version a while back, but it's a leash kind of strap. Do put a sleeve around the head stock area though, paracord could potentially be abrasive enough to damage the finish.

Thanks for the tip! Definitely don't want to mar the finish!

I thought about making a leash type strap too. Maybe will do that in the future, along with some of those weaving ideas from good ol YouTube :)
 
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