What's up with no end pin?

UkeKiddinMe said:
What's up with no end pin on my new bari uke? :D

Are most ukes without an end pin? Is this just to follow tradition?

I know I can add one, but I was surprised to not see one.
Click to expand...

Personally, I would rather tie on the strings. I always feel like the end pins are going to shoot out at me when I'm restringing with them.
 
You are talking about a strap pin or bridge pin? Never knew it was a required item. You can always add your own or had it installed if you bought it from a vendor.
 
Ukulele strings don't usually have ball ends that I know of. I must say tho that in my 27 years of playing guitar I've never had a string break away from the ball and shoot out at me. Lol.

Oops my bad. I thought you were talking about strings.
 
I'm talking about the strap pin. I guess my terms are off. :)
I know I can add them. Just wondering Why? I'm a Why kinda guy.
 
Not all people like them and they are so easy to install...plus the damage if you take it off...I mean the hole....um
 
Many people play ukes without a strap or they use a strap in the soundhole like Jake. I prefer them on the endblock but I definitely think I am in the minority.
 
My concert had one fitted by the shop I bought it from, my tenor came with one as standard. I will be adding one into the heel of each, as I don't like to tie the strap around the headstock and I can't really get on with my soundhole strap - but it really is a personal preference thing, which I guess is why more often than not, they don't come fitted as standard.......
 
Very few production ukes, even baritones, have strap pins unless they have a pickup, and not even all the time then. This follows the convention of classical guitars which also don't usually have end pins - I think because the "traditional" way to play classical guitar is seated.

I really dislike pins on anything smaller than a tenor, because I don't care for around-the-neck straps on smaller ukes. In fact, when I installed pickups in my sopranos I intentionally used a panel jack on the side of the uke instead of an endpin jack so I wouldn't even be tempted to use a shoulder or neck strap with them. On tenors and baris they're fine.

John
 
The lack of the pin has interfered with initial fun. I bought a soundhole strap this morning - and I hate it. :)
I can't get a strap pin on this bari fast enough.
 
Most ukuleles don't come with a strap endpin. Straps are very handy though, so don't let that stop you. Some amp jacks double as strap buttons, but they need a larger hole than a standard strap button. I offer some solutions at Uke Leash... see link in signature. Those 2 inch wide guitar straps seem a bit out of proportion to the instrument, so check out a strap for mandolin (not sure if they would be long enough for a bari) or Uke Leash Guitar Style Strap.

–Lori
 
Lori said:
Straps are very handy though, so don't let that stop you.
–Lori
Click to expand...

Thanks. I agree.

I now have a strap pin on, and I'm using my Kala strap with one end with the pin, and the other end tied to the headstock.
Feels much better now. Ahhhhhh.
 
UkeKiddinMe, on your next ukulele you might check out the Mobius Strap first. It's what I came up with just for your situation -- I wanted a strap and didn't care for any of the other alternatives or modifying my vintage instrument!
 
Tim Mullins said:
UkeKiddinMe, on your next ukulele you might check out the Mobius Strap first. It's what I came up with just for your situation -- I wanted a strap and didn't care for any of the other alternatives or modifying my vintage instrument!
Click to expand...

Tim - I will consider it next time. Thank you. I looked at your strap, and it is a very interesting approach.
 
I got in an almighty row a while ago on Facebook about the use of strap pins and straps full stop on ukes. (my view being that if you want to, go for it).

I am with OldePhart - dont see the need on sops and concerts, but I play tenor in our band and have all my Tenors with buttons fitted - they cost a couple of bucks and fitted them myself in 20 seconds.

In the argument I had - there were people claiming it was a crutch, affected play etc - all total bull. A quick search of images will find Jake using a full neck strap from time to time - as does James Hill. If its good enough for those guys then...

As for why not - well, it's just never been traditional to fit one - but if you look at luthier build instruments - they will all offer a pin as part of your specification.

I personally prefer the button approach - dont like the stress a soundhole strap puts on a uke, nor the impact of an around the body strap may have on the tone of the vibrating top. Beauty of a button is it allows you to be totally hands free when not playing and grabbing a beer mid set - and interferes in no way with the top. Just my two cents of course.
 
My concert came with a strap button fitted (by the shop I got it from) and my tenor came with one fitted as standard.

I've tried a soundhole neck strap and can't find a nice balance on any of my ukes, and I've tried a 'normal' guitar strap on the concert and tenor - certainly for the tenor, it's a massive help!

Having done a bit of experimenting, I prefer the balance of my bigger two ukes when there's an attachment point on the heel, rather than tied round the headstock - it certainly makes for easier fretting on the tenor, IMHO.

All about personal choice, isn't it...... :D
 
For me, it's a no brainer. A person can't play with best technique while holding an instrument up.
Even with the small size of a uke, I am surprised by the "tradition." And for a bari player like me, it would
be downright stooopid to play without a strap.
 
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