Sound Hole Straps and effect on tone?

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JollySam

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Hi,

Just wanted to get some views on whether sound hole straps tend to decrease the resonance produced by the uke. I have a feeling it does. It is only slight. I am using a low G setup, and feel the Low G resonance is less evident. In a way I can see how this might happen, since one is strapping the sound hold and against the body, although the latter is less of an issue.

My strap has a metal hook with a little fabric "sock" over it to protect the woodwork, see: http://omegamusic.co.uk/buy/tgi-bla...undhole-hook?gclid=CLef3NXZt7sCFSkEwwodRlwABA

I did not get my TGI strap from here.

Just wondering about thoughts.

Thanks,

Sam
 
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I have never used one of those straps, because I don't like the idea of putting any extra pressure on the thinnest part of the instrument. I do know that holding the uke against your body will muffle the sound coming off the back of the uke. I find that playing while seated, with several inches between me and the back of my uke, gives maximum volume. I would expect that a hook on the hole would restrict the free movement of the sound board. I know the hooks do not hold the uke securely, and if you let go, the uke will barrel roll and possibly fall to the floor.

–Lori
 
What Lori said - I really wince when I see them in use - that part of a uke is thin and not well supported - hang a uke from it... eek!

I know people do use them, but its not hard to use a Leash like Lori makes, or screw in a strap button on the butt and use any kind of strap.

People say 'but i have a vintage uke, I don't want to use a strap button' then hang it from a hook in the sound hole!
 
The hook will support the weight of the uke and so you can imagine that the hook is applying a force to a vibrating component equal to this weight. However the angle of application of this force is critical. If the uke was suspended flat (horizontal) the effect would be at a maximum and would be pretty disastrous to the free vibration of the top. If the uke was vertical, the applied force would be vertical and would have minimal effect on the vibration which would be at 90 degrees.
So, IMO, if the uke was played by an experienced player who did not need to see the strings to be able to play and who could let the uke hang vertical then he would be hard pressed to notice any detrimental effect. However a beginner would need to tilt the face up a little to see the strings and would definitely experience a dampening effect.
Any detrimental effect would be at a maximum at low frequencies and probably not so pronounced at higher frequencies
 
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I have never felt happy at the idea of a hook in the sound hole of the uke. I feel there is too much potential for damage even with a plastic hook. A metal one with a protective cover on it - most definitely a no-no as far as I'm concerned.

I use a uke leash, at least on concert and tenor ukes. Soprano I just cradle it in the tradtional way. I'm not keen on the idea of fitting strap buttons to any of these sizes - mainly for cosmetic reasons.

If I got a baritone, I think I would want a strap button fitting as I feel that it would be more difficult to support with a uke leash than concert or tenor ukes.
 
I am guessing having the uke close to your body is dampening the sound more than the hook.
Additionally I am not a fan of the hook either, they were popular in the 60's for guitars as well.
Strap buttons are easy to put on, mandolin buttons are a bit smaller and look better on uke.
 
I've tried sound hole hooks but never felt comfortable with them for above mentioned reasons, IMHO if you don't want a strap button the Uke leash is the way to go.
 
Thanks all. Really interesting comments. My suspicions and concerns are shared it seems !! I happen to like the button idea, my concert has one prefitted and I use it with a mandoline strap and it is very comfortable. Just being abit shy about drilling holes into my soprano. The Mandolin button idea seems good. Will look out for these. I am in the UK, so not sure if one can get the Uke Leash here? My only concern with the leash was that one still needed to hold the Uke with the right hand, so not free to develop a more open and flexible technique with picking and strumming. I guess I need to try one to really fine out.

Thanks again,

Sam
 
JollySam said:
I am in the UK, so not sure if one can get the Uke Leash here? My only concern with the leash was that one still needed to hold the Uke with the right hand, so not free to develop a more open and flexible technique with picking and strumming. I guess I need to try one to really fine out.

Thanks again,

Sam
Click to expand...

I am in the UK too and have three uke leashes. Order from Lori (link on her posts here) and you can pay by Pay Pal. She sends them US mail at a reasonable charge and take about a week to get here. You may get stung for VAT - I did once. The only issue with that is our post office charges a £8 fee for paying it for you which is unreasonable on a £4.00 VAT charge. I've only got stung for VAT once so overall it's not so bad.
 
While I agree with the points made here, I spoke with Jake Shimabukuro about it at a concert....

He has and uses a custom made strap, that has a nice flat and wider hook that conforms to his Kamaka custom made Uke.

He said it gives him the freedom to move around and keeps it secure. I suggested he market them, and he just laughed and agreed... ;)

I personally like a regular guitar with a button on the pickup jack and one behind the neck joint on the back, but only on the ones I would perform with... Other ukes I just use without any straps...

I don't like having a hook on the sound hole, I would worry about it more than dropping it without a strap...
 
If you like to use a strap as I do now and then, check out the Chicago Kells mandolin strap available from Eagle music Huddersfield UK, I have two of these they are made of very soft material, feel great and look good too.
No way could I use a sound hole strap.
 
bravo to freewheeler... strap use is personal not manditory....if one needs to see the strings & fretboard just be aware and cautious of how the uke is being held...remember this is an aid not a crutch.
 
I use a sound hole strap sometimes for my baritone and my U Bass...Kiwaya. Ukes are so light that you really are not putting that much pressure on anything and it just frees up the left hand a bit. You also could just learn to hold your uke correctly, as like many things in music, it is a trick! The effects on the tone are minimal...it is a folk instrument folks! Play it and enjoy the unique sound!

600799_443715702365621_1459715102_n.jpg
uke_strap_red.jpg
 
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Just spent an hour or so on my Luna pina, with the Kiwaya strap...works just fine, frees up the left hand and has little to no affect on the tone and volume.
 
Intuitively it would seem that a hook clipped to what is probably the most sensitive and responsive part of the soundboard would adversely affect volume. In practice I've found just the opposite, probably because when using the strap you tend not to hold the uke so tightly and dampen vibration. As for damage to the sound hole it's not likely if you are a careful user because most of the weight actually is on the part of the strap that wraps under the uke and the padded hook should be pulling straight down against the edge of the wood, not outward. Now, if you expect the strap to hold the weight of not only the ukulele, but your arms as well, or if you hold the uke at an improper angle, yeah, there is some potential for damage.

I tried a couple of uke hole straps but gave them up for one reason - my simple mind equates feeling a strap around my neck with "yeah, I can let go of the instrument to do something else..." I never quite dropped one but came really close a couple of times.

John
 
@Lori - just wanted to say I think your new signature is brilliant. I've never ordered a uke leash mostly because as I've heard it described I always imagined it as being like a short camera strap that attached the headstock to the fretting hand and I couldn't imagine how that would be useful in stabilizing the uke if it was loose enough to allow for moving up the fretboard. Now that I see the front and back "diagrams" in your sig it makes more sense. After Christmas I'll be ordering one to use with the Pineapple Sunday I just bought from Glenn!

John
 
OldePhart said:
@Lori - just wanted to say I think your new signature is brilliant. I've never ordered a uke leash mostly because as I've heard it described I always imagined it as being like a short camera strap that attached the headstock to the fretting hand and I couldn't imagine how that would be useful in stabilizing the uke if it was loose enough to allow for moving up the fretboard. Now that I see the front and back "diagrams" in your sig it makes more sense. After Christmas I'll be ordering one to use with the Pineapple Sunday I just bought from Glenn!

John
Click to expand...

Thanks John! Congrats on your Pineapple Sunday Uke, you will love it I'm sure.

–Lori
 
Long before I ever played uke I used a sound hole strap on classical guitar. Classical players use them routinely. I seriously doubt that it affects the sound and I don't think it hurts the instrument. I've never noticed any impact from using one. I don't care for the uke leash, never got comfortable with it. I do like the buttons on the end of the uke but haven't bothered to put one on all my ukes.
 
I find the sound hole hook strap helps me keep the uke away from my body, makes switching between ukes a breeze, and makes playing while standing very comfortable. And, yes, I did drop it once, but luckily only onto a table, and not all the way to the floor. I blame it on pre-performance jitters. But lesson learned!

Long term, I plan on installing end-pin strap buttons, to give me the option of using a guitar-style strap.
 
JollySam said:
...whether sound hole straps tend to decrease the resonance produced by the uke.
Click to expand...

Yes, it does. It dampens a part of the top, which is the major resonator for sound. Second, if you play the uke with these straps, you often hold it close to your body. That will also dampen the sound somewhat (albeit less).

Get a shoulder strap - the Ukeleash from Lori is excellent.
 
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