Non-skid strips

OldePhart

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 18, 2010
Messages
8,338
Reaction score
9
Location
DFW, TX, USA
Having become tired of chasing my ukuleles all around my ample body when playing I decided to apply non-skid strips to those that I don't expect to ever sell.

I used the non-skid shelf liner you can get at WallyWorld and some 3M spray adhesive (spray on shelf liner, allow to dry for several minutes, press to uke). I put a fresh coat of Renaissance wax on the back of the uke first, as well. Note that, while I was able to remove a strip a few minutes after applying it and clean the residue off easily with rubbing alcohol, I suspect that when the strips are left in place for long periods of time they probably will damage the finish. Thus the caveat that I'm only doing this to ukuleles that I expect to have pried from my cold dead fingers (and yes, that is my KoAloha longneck soprano in the picture).

This works like a charm, the strip sticks to my shirt and the uke doesn't even try to shift when I make quick changes between say an A7 and a barred Bb (a song with some of those was what finally brought the annoyance factor up enough to make me do something about it).

John
 

Attachments

  • nonslipstrip.jpg
    nonslipstrip.jpg
    93.7 KB · Views: 74
Interesting idea. I've pondered this myself but I'm a chicken when it comes to glue.
 
Might you consider a 'repositionable adhesive' instead of what you have going on there? It'll make the shelf liner more like a post-it note.. which would be better for the uke..
 
Non-skid strips on a KoAloha?!?! Sacrilege! Blasphemy!!

I think I'd wear a rubber shirt first! :)
 
Might you consider a 'repositionable adhesive' instead of what you have going on there? It'll make the shelf liner more like a post-it note.. which would be better for the uke..

That would probably be better for the uke but, honestly, I'll never sell any of the three ukes I put them on, anyway. And, technically the 3M 77 spray is considered repositionable (it's basically rubber cement with an aerosol spray). My experience though is that even just the soft rubber of the strip in very long term contact with a nice finish will damage it. In fact, I have some ingles string swing guitar hangers with rubber arms that discolored a couple of my guitars with nice finishes that I'd left hanging for too long.
 
Non-skid strips on a KoAloha?!?! Sacrilege! Blasphemy!!

I think I'd wear a rubber shirt first! :)

Heh, heh. I'm far too practical a guy to get too wound up over an "insult" to an instrument. It's gotta work for me, not the other way around.

Hmmm, rubber shirt, though, that might be interesting for other reasons entirely... LOL

John
 
I mean... you could use a strap?

I have a strap on the tenor but it doesn't entirely do the job of stabilizing the uke for me, and I really didn't want straps on the longneck sopranos. Seems like ukes, even tenors, just don't have enough weight to provide stability just hanging from a strap. The strap on my tenor will keep me from dropping it, but doesn't do anything to keep it from moving around when I'm playing. My basses and guitars work fine with straps, but they weigh a lot more than the uke.
 
Wow. I'd be too scared of deadening the ukulele's sound. Not a problem, I hope.

I wish you'd kept this a secret long enough to be able to report the looks on your fellow ukulele-lovers' faces when they realize you've glued a rubber strip to the back of your KoAloha:
Ukulele enthusiast at UWC 2012: "May I give your KoAloha a strum, John?"
OldePhart: "Sure, here ya go." [hands over the uke]
"Wow, thanks. This is beautiful... [quizzical look] uh... [look of concern] what's this?"
"That's my custom non-skid strip!"
"Oh, [slowly shakes head, probably subconsciously] this must work great; [almost imperceptible scowl] just glued it on there, huh?"
"Yeah, works great!!" [big OldePhart smile]

Glad you've found a slipping solution! Unfortunately, there are a few songs you'll need to drop from your ukulele repertoire: Slippin and Slidin, Slipping Into Darkness, and the entirety of Bon Jovi's album Slippery When Wet.
 
That would have been a good scene at UWC 2012. Well, I'm sure some people will have forgotten about my post by then...

Doesn't seem to deaden the sound any that I can tell, at least, not any more than it was deadened by being clinched in a death grip against my chest. In fact, with a looser grip, might even be deadened less?

Also have to give up Simon & Garfunkel's "Slip Sliding Away" as well... :)
 
I put some non-slip tool grip strips (adhesive back 1/32 open cell foam in sheets) on my fluke. That is one slippery uke.
Worked great.
 
Doesn't seem to deaden the sound any that I can tell, at least, not any more than it was deadened by being clinched in a death grip against my chest. In fact, with a looser grip, might even be deadened less?

Also have to give up Simon & Garfunkel's "Slip Sliding Away" as well... :)

Excellent. I love when people treat ukuleles as instruments rather than collectibles. Good on ya.

Oh, you can always learn Stuck on You, Sticking with You, Stuck in the Middle, ...
 
Should have just opted for Velcro. Then you could have stood up and the uke would have stayed put... ;)
 
The only thing l'd do is to put screw heads (or preferably something that looks like a screw head) in the rubber strips, just to make it look like you screwed them onto the ukulele.

Strictly from a "gotcha" perspective, of course.

(g)

-Kurt
 
The only thing l'd do is to put screw heads (or preferably something that looks like a screw head) in the rubber strips, just to make it look like you screwed them onto the ukulele.

Strictly from a "gotcha" perspective, of course.

(g)

-Kurt

BWAA-HAAA - I may have to do that!
 
As I always say, "It's your baby!"

It is a symbol of your commitment to your instrument.

AND... if this makes your uke more enjoyable for you to play... I say, more power to ya! I had a uke I was not playing much, added a strap and buttons... and I fell in love again! So, I am a supporter of making your uke YOUR uke! :)
 
If anything, the back of the uke should be easiest to refinish.

I like it. I too like that you got big brass clangers to do it because you want to play better.

Me, I'm thinking of making a vest of that material instead.
 
Me, I'm thinking of making a vest of that material instead.

I actually considered something similar to that. I think a vest would be a bit much, well, it might work if you actually made the vest of cloth with the shelf liner attached to that - I don't think the shelf liner is strong enough to stand up to being a garment without a backing.

What I considered doing was simply cutting a wide strip that I could drape over my shoulder and let hang down my chest. The stuff clings on both sides so it would probably stay in position over the shoulder fairly well. In the end I decided I'd probably end up forgetting it when I needed it most so just stuck to the expedient mechanism of gluing it to the uke so I know it will always be with me.

John
 
Top Bottom