A stupid question about straps.

Aloha1985

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One of my ukuleles came with buttons, so I purchased a strap for it. Do I leave it on or do I take it off after I finish playing? I purchased the strap hoping it would help with this particular uke. My fretting hand hurts after I play, this doesn’t happen with my other ukuleles. It ‘cuts’ into my hand in one area. It is similar to the marks left on my finger tips when I first started playing. It doesn’t happen with my other three ukuleles. I assume it has something to do with the shape of the neck. The strap helped when I played yesterday. Thank you.
 
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It’s your choice. I like to leave them on because constantly taking them off and putting them on wears out the leather and I’ve had too many guitars’ straps fall off mid-song in the past to feel comfortable even with a uke.
 
Fortunately, I only have a few Ukes that need a strap, either due to weight or shape. I have a strap for each, and leave them on the instrument. Too much on and off would weaken the buttonhole in the leather and lead to accidental detachment.

I just thought of something! :p What if you could buy inexpensive pigtails with the buttonholes to attach to the Uke, and a snap for attaching a strap? That way you could leave the pigtails on the instruments, and have one or two really nice straps that snapped on when needed.
 
Fortunately, I only have a few Ukes that need a strap, either due to weight or shape. I have a strap for each, and leave them on the instrument. Too much on and off would weaken the buttonhole in the leather and lead to accidental detachment.

I just thought of something! :p What if you could buy inexpensive pigtails with the buttonholes to attach to the Uke, and a snap for attaching a strap? That way you could leave the pigtails on the instruments, and have one or two really nice straps that snapped on when needed.

The commercial solution for your idea is straplocks:

https://www.jimdunlop.com/products/accessories/strap-retainer/
 
..... My fretting hand hurts after I play, this doesn’t happen with my other ukuleles. It ‘cuts’ into my hand in one area. It is similar to the marks left on my finger tips when I first started playing. It doesn’t happen with my other three ukuleles. I assume it has something to do with the shape of the neck. The strap helped when I played yesterday. Thank you.

It could be that you need to lower the action on that uke. :music:
 
I don't use straps on ukes as they are small enough to hold and play comfortably without support. I use straps on two of my guitars. One of the guitars has a cutaway so I leave the strap on as I can tuck it in that space in the case. For the other guitar I use straplocks for easy removal. So it depends on how you store your uke. Also if it is a uke with nitro finish keep in mind that this may react with most strap materials so don't keep it on if you don't play it, though those kinds of ukes usually don't have buttons installed and are played without strap.
 
I find that if I play sitting, I can get by without a strap, but if I want to stand, I need a strap. It's quite possible toplay 1st position chords without a strap, but if you're playing up the neck and more complicated passages a strap makes things a lot easier. The other musicians I play with often play standing and I feel more comfortable standing in this case.
As for taking the strap off, if your strap is vinyl backed, you shouldalways remove it when you're not playing as it may react with the finish on the uke. If your strap is leather or cloth, and it will fit in the case, you can leave it on the uke. Some of mine have not been off the instruments for years.
 
I use a strap on every uke I own. I keep the straps on at all times. If putting the uke in a hard case I remove the strap from the neck and lay it flat with the leather end into the headstock well. See pictures below. Sorry about the upside down picture, crazy iPad :confused:

image.jpgimage.jpg
 
One of my ukuleles came with buttons, so I purchased a strap for it. Do I leave it on or do I take it off after I finish playing? I purchased the strap hoping it would help with this particular uke. My fretting hand hurts after I play, this doesn’t happen with my other ukuleles. It ‘cuts’ into my hand in one area. It is similar to the marks left on my finger tips when I first started playing. It doesn’t happen with my other three ukuleles. I assume it has something to do with the shape of the neck. The strap helped when I played yesterday. Thank you.

Will you please show us an up close photo of your left hand in position with the strap? Do you have one end attached to two strap buttons, or one at the butt and another end around the headstock?
 
I put my ukulele strap over my right shoulder, the same way I wear my mandolin strap. I put my head through the guitar strap so it rests on my left shoulder. I'venoticed that ukulele players seem to be split pretty evenly between right and left shoulders.

strap- right shoulder.jpg
 
I use straps on all of my tenors. I have two buttons (AKA: Pins) on all of them unless it has a pickup, then I use a Tapastring Strap Keeper around the jack.

I prefer 2" wide guitar straps, but that's a quirk of mine. Most people use a 1-1/2" wide strap or thinner on their ukes.

I keep the strap on if I have the uke on a stand or wall hanger. But if it's in a case, particularly a close fitting hardcase, I remove the strap so that the pressure of the padding doesn't accidentally imprint the weave into the finish, or the materials chemically interacting with the finish. Especially leather ends. I've had both happen with nitrocellulose finishes. But not with poly finishes.
 
One of my ukuleles came with buttons, so I purchased a strap for it. Do I leave it on or do I take it off after I finish playing? I purchased the strap hoping it would help with this particular uke. My fretting hand hurts after I play, this doesn
 
I do not use straps on my two sopranos or my sopranino;I do however use them for my home made resonator concert scale,and my concert scale B/U.This is purely because the latter two are quite heavy beasts and I find it easier to hold and play them whilst supported that way.
 
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