Strapless Fingerpickers, Help

I get it - I have a beautiful Brueko that has a seam where the strap button would go, and I don't want to mar it.

You can tie a ribbon around the uke and on to the headstock. That gives me enough control to hold the ukulele in place to fret when standing. I don't use it to hold up the uke, just to help me keep it in position to fret and pick.

Or, try putting something grippy between you and the uke. I like jar grippers, but have also used shelf liners cut down so they are hidden behind the instrument. Just pluck it out when you are finished playing. I have never had it mar the finish.

https://www.amazon.com/Multi-Purpose-Gripper-Rounds-Bottle-Openers/dp/B01N1USFQP

That being said, a bottom strap button already on a ukulele is generally a buying advantage to me. It clinched my purchase of my used Mainland.
 

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You could consider something very unusual in the ukulele world: A guitarlift.

I use it for sitting with a classical guitar but just tried it on a buttonless soprano and it works!

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My Kanilea and Kamaka Tenors have pickups. I strap on the headstock and on the jack at the bottom. Saw a video with Bruce Shimabukuro doing that. Good enough for him, it's good enough for me. I also have a Kanilea Tenor with no pickups. I use a strap similar to the one Jake uses.
 
All great tips. Thanks!

With a little practice, I'm getting more comfortable at playing it and some fingerpicking without a strap. I also picked up a neck strap with a low-profile soundhole hook--that works best when I want to fingerpick through several songs in a row. For me the D'Addario one worked the best of what I found locally that I could actually try out.

I will say that I'm finding great joy in the flexibility to just grab a uke and play without messing about with a strap. I have two 'always out' ukes that hang on my music stand and it's nice to comfortably play them without having to throw the strap over my head. It makes pauses while I'm cooking in the kitchen more enjoyable.

I appreciate the hard-core strap button players out there, I'm with you. All my others either had them, or I put them on myself. Who knows, in another couple months, I may go pick out a nice ivoroid or white strap button from Waverly to put into the bottom. I already have a headstock strap that I planned to use, but it went in the drawer when I couldn't bring myself to add a button right away.

Cheers to all. Happy fingerpicking (and strumming)!!
 
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As for strap vs. no strap and buttons vs. no buttons I'm sticking with no buttons, but I've ordered a neck strap with a sound hole hook that has the lowest profile I can find (except for Jake's, but he apparently has his sound hole plate custom made). That's my back-up as I get better a being strapless, and when I absolutely don't want to mess it up by dropping it.

A quick update ---- As if on cue, I was surfing through Instagram the other day, and Jake is now selling his ukulele strap (and I found a coupon code on his IG post). I jumped on that as soon as I saw it. I figure if it's good enough for Jake's Kamaka, it'll be good enough for mine.

Even with the strap solution, I still practice fingerpicking with no strap because the challenge makes me more precise in my technique.

Stay safe and healthy!
 
I don't know how well it works with women; but,for men, playing without a shirt, the body sweat bonds the ukulele pretty securely to your chest... no need for a strap.

It has better not be lacquered with shellac or nitrocellulose, as sweat and/or sunoil will destroy those finishes.
 
I don't know how well it works with women; but,for men, playing without a shirt, the body sweat bonds the ukulele pretty securely to your chest... no need for a strap.

Just the though of that makes me squirm. I think it would make it tend to slide around, but I'm not going to try it. : )
 
This video is on the YouTube channel. Works great for me.
Craig Chee and James Hill also have "how to hold your ukulele" videos which are similar, but not as detailed.
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That was very helpful. I just picked up my ukulele (actually just bought a pineapple) after several years of not playing. I was holding onto the side of the uke as I was finger picking. I knew that wouldn't work.

I will continue to practice holding it this way.

I might also get a leash.
 
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