Most straps that are designed for instruments without strap buttons will accommodate either a classical guitar or a ukulele, so this measurement is important to have an accurate understanding of the size of your instrument.
The two measurements together give you the minimum length of guitar strap you need for your guitar. You’ll likely want a guitar strap that has a maximum length of about 6 inches (15 cm) longer than that, so you have room to adjust it as necessary.
If you’re buying a strap in person in the store, try it on first and see how it feels around your neck. If it’s not comfortable, try a strap of a different material or thickness. If you order your strap online, make sure you can return it if it doesn’t fit or you don’t like the way it feels.
You can also adjust the strap so that it’s over one shoulder and under the opposite arm (typically your right arm, if you’re a right-handed player) for additional comfort and support. [5] X Research source
If you have a hard time doing this with the strap around your neck, you might want to take the strap off to attach it to your guitar initially. If you do this, make sure you keep the strap taut behind your guitar or the hook will fall out.
You might want to give it a short tug downward to make sure it’s secured in place on the soundhole. Then you can adjust the strap as needed to achieve your desired playing position.
Holding your guitar in position can take some getting used to, especially if you’re used to playing while sitting down. You might want to practice for a few weeks before you use the strap during a performance.
You can also use standard classical guitar measurements. Typically, a classical guitar will be 11 and 1/16 inches (282 mm) wide at the top and 14 and 1/2 inches (367 mm) wide at the bottom. [9] X Research source
A cloth strap might be better than a leather strap since leather straps tend to have metal buckles and grommets that can scratch your guitar’s finish as you’re playing.
Suction cups like this may come in pairs. However, keep in mind that you’ll need a slightly smaller one for the top of your guitar than for the bottom.
Use a guitar-specific oil or cleaner to dust your guitar before you put the suction cups on and after you take them off. Keeping both surfaces clean and dry is the key to maintaining a strong grip with the suction cups. A bit of dust can break the seal and cause the suction cup to fail.
Press down on the suction cups evenly to secure them in place. You might want to pull on the hook a little to test their seal before you test the seal with the weight of your guitar.
This type of strap will keep your guitar more stable than a classical guitar strap that hooks along the bottom of the soundhole. However, you still need to keep a hand on your guitar while wearing it with the strap to make sure it doesn’t get damaged.
You don’t want to drill in the exact middle because it could cause the joint of your guitar to split. Marking the middle will help you avoid doing this.
You might want to make an “X” on your tape with a marker. Tap the center of the “X” to make sure that’s still a spot with wood behind it. Don’t use the marker directly on the guitar — you could damage the guitar’s finish.
Pause frequently to check the depth of your hole with the screw to make sure you don’t drill too deeply.
Continue screwing the button in until it’s tight and the bottom of the button sits flush with your guitar. Be careful not to over-screw it or you could damage your guitar’s finish or cause the wood to split.
If you hold the strap with your finger where the button would be, you can figure out if that’s the best location for your strap button without having to take to many measurements. Simply attach the strap to the bottom strap button, then use your thumb or forefinger to hold the strap in place along the neck heel. If the guitar tips away from you, adjust the location of the strap. Once you’ve found the best location for your strap button, use the strap button screw to make a tiny indention in the neck heel.
If you marked your drill bit before drilling the hole in the bottom of your guitar, the depth will be the same for this hole. Stop before you reach the mark. When you’re done drilling your hole, screw in the strap button the same as you did for the bottom hole. Now your guitar will be ready for you to attach a strap.
