Straps

Down Up Dick

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Does anyone wear his strap over his right (right handed blokes) shoulder like guitar/mandolin players? I’ve tried it before, but I just couldn’t get usta it. It kept slippin’ off.

However, with wearing the Uke the regular way, the small bodied Uke swings to the right makin’ it difficult to strum or pick in the center of the pot unless one holds it to the left.

I’ve tried to solve the problem several different ways with no success. I’ve even considered nailing the darn Uke to my chest!
 
I have always considered this to be the art of playing with a strap. For me the uke hangs naturally so that the 7th fret is aligned with my sternum. If I want to play higher frets I either rotate the strap/uke circle around my torso so that the upper bout is closer to my mid-line. Or if I just want to briefly get access to the upper frets, I just scootch the uke to the left with my right elbow.
 
Are you fastening the top of the strap to the headstock? If so, that will always tend to move the body of the uke to the right. Try fastening the top of the strap to a strap pin at the base of the neck instead.
 
All my ukes have a button at the heal of the neck, the strap sits on my left shoulder very comfortably. I did try having the strap tied to the head, but it would slip off my left shoulder.

Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 4 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 36)
•Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
•Member The CC Strummers: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
I hang the ukulele and mandolin from my right shoulder, but on the banjo and guitar, my head goes through the strap and it hangs from my left shoulder. My guitars all have heel pins, but most of my ukes and mandolins are fastened at the headstock.

Earl Scruggs was asked why he hung the banjo from the right shoulder when he played with Bill Monroe and with Lester Flatt, but from the left when he played with his sons. His answer was, "I wore a hat when I played with Bill and Lester."
 
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Earl Scruggs was asked why he hung the banjo from the right shoulder when he played with Bill Monroe and with Lester Flatt, but from the left when he played with his sons. His answer was, "I wore a hat when I played with Bill and Lester."
Something I didn't mention, I have nerve damage around the back of my neck, so when I wear a strap over my left shoulder with heavier bass ukes, I get pain down the left side of my neck and back. Seems like putting the strap over just my right shoulder might help that. Going to give it a try.
 
I have the strap attached to the neck under the strings and to the tail end, but it’s long enough to allow the pot to rest on my thigh so it won’t swing right. I have a foot riser too that I could use if I need it.
 
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Does anyone wear his strap over his right (right handed blokes) shoulder like guitar/mandolin players? I’ve tried it before, but I just couldn’t get usta it. It kept slippin’ off.

However, with wearing the Uke the regular way, the small bodied Uke swings to the right makin’ it difficult to strum or pick in the center of the pot unless one holds it to the left.

I’ve tried to solve the problem several different ways with no success. I’ve even considered nailing the darn Uke to my chest!
Although I like having strap buttons, I tend not to use straps. I am usually sitting, and I like to switch ukes, so the strap would just be a nuisance. For Fleas and Flukes, I use those little friction strips that stick to the back.
 
It never occurred to me to hang the strap over the right shoulder! I tried it and it works except when I sit down the strap does slide off.
 
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