# Instruments and Equipment > Equipment >  Excellent $2 DIY Mandolin Strap!

## Ed Goist

I just got a second mandolin, and wanted a second strap - preferably thin, light, and low profile. 

I went to the largest local music store in the area, as well as our local Guitar Center - Of course, no mandolin straps.

My wife suggested we go to the fabric store next to the Guitar Center...She is an excellent 'crafts person', so I was optimistic.

After looking at a wide selection of various lacing materials, we purchased a 2 yard section (much more than needed) of a 3/8" wide cotton brown lace trim. It was around $1 per yard.

We chose this material because it was fairly thin (it could be securely tied around a strap button), was very soft (will not mark the finish), and surprisingly sturdy (it has enough width to feel substantial).

Strap construction took all of about 5 minutes:
* Create a small (1" diameter) loop at one end of the lace using a loop knot.
* Thread the non-loop end of the material around the peghead, between tuners, under the strings, and through the loop (for cosmetic purposes, position the loop so the loop knot is on the bottom, facing the peghead).
* Pull the loose end of the strap material to tighten the loop end connection.
* Now simply position the strap at the desired length, and secure it to the strap button with a basic square knot (making sure that ALL of the strap fabric is inside the channel or groove of the button). 

Once you're sure you like the strap length, you can make a double knot at the end button for added security and/or you can cut-off the excess fabric (but it's a good idea to leave a few extra inches in case you'll want to make the strap longer at some point). Also, the strap 'tail' hanging down at the endpin will make you look like Marty Stuart! Always a plus!  :Wink:  

_That's it...You're done._

$2 DIY Strap Pros (MANY):
* It's $2!
* Anyone can make one (if I can do it, anyone can)
* very low-profile, light, and soft (will not mark the finish)
* Quite comfortable
* will work on any body style mandolin
* Can easily be attached to the top of the mandolin wherever one desires (peghead, under the fingerboard, or at the scroll)
* Can be adjusted to EXACT desired length
* Never needs to be removed from the mandolin (will not cause issues with any instrument case, even the most snug fitting)
* Since it does not have a tie-point at the peghead (or whatever other 2nd attachment point one uses), it can't come apart there.
* Knot attachment at endpin is likely more secure than traditional button-hole attachment
* Easy to store as a back-up (can be scrunched into a very small bunch)

$2 Strap Cons (FEW):
* One needs to be sure that the attaching knot is secure and tight (I'd recommend checking it periodically...I'll be for sure.)
* Strap adjustment or removal requires undoing a very secure knot
* It's best to have a second person assist in setting or adjusting the length (but a more dexterous person could probably do this on his or her own).

Additions or Options? The wife says she'll be making me a shoulder pad for the strap for Fathers' Day (out of matching color, 2" wide nylon material, say 6" long, with two slots cut in it so the strap can be threaded through). This certainly isn't necessary, but would probably add even more comfort and stability.

Finally, I had assumed that this little project would end-up as the strap on my back-up mandolin. However, after playing with it on for a few hours last night, I'm thinking it will be my main strap! It's remarkably light, comfortable and seems to stay in position nicely. Plus, it can stay on the mandolin, easily fitting in the case and not marking the instrument's finish.

Even if one has a strap or two he or she loves, it would be a nice idea to keep one or two of these around as back-up in one's case compartment.

-Ed

----------


## MikeEdgerton

You can save yourself some more money and simply buy a set of rawhide boot laces. Then you get two for about that same amount and they're pretty hard to break
.

----------

John Soper

----------


## journeybear

My favorite DIY strap was modified from a nylon dog leash that I picked up at a yard sale for two bits - that's right, a quarter. You know the kind - wrist loop at one end, metal clip at the other. All I did was cut the clip end off to length plus about two inches, folded the extra over itself and glued it with Krazy Glue, threaded a thick insulated wire (matching color) through the small loop that resulted, wrapped the wire around the endpin, slipped the wrist loop over the scroll - TA DA!!!  :Mandosmiley:  I know some people are leery of letting anything plastic touch their mandolins, for fear of chemical interactions with the finish (I think that pertains mostly to vinyl), but I never noticed any problem. I lucked out with a snazzy design and color combination, too. And talk about sturdy - if Rover can't break a leash, what's your Hoss gonna do?  :Wink:  And it's still on the F-12 today, as far as I know - it was stolen nearly three years ago ...  :Frown:

----------


## Brad Weiss

Here's mine:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...t=dollar+strap

----------


## mandroid

Found and washed, a cord ,I think out of a hoodie sweatshirt, I used that,  tied a knot on each end.

 Its pretty long, so I put a spring cord-lock in the middle , for instant length adjustment.
.. a bit thicker than a boot-lace and has a softer 'hand'.

[hoodies are commonly worn by the commercial fishers  under their foul weather gear, hereabouts, 
 so don't have the connotations of other places, and 'Hoods.]


Already had the cord-lock so cost was Nada, Zip, zero.

It's on the Mix A5, now.
 Peter puts a button on the heel of their necks. 


 :Coffee:

----------


## Caleb

I just bought a 4 ft. x 2 inch piece of soft leather from a company online.  I'm going to make a new mandolin strap and a new guitar strap out of that one piece of leather.  The whole deal (with shipping) cost me $11, which will give me two nice straps for just over $5 each.  I've had a real time of it trying to find scrap leather for this project.

----------


## Ed Goist

Mike; rawhide boot laces were in the running, but the sewn cotton lace was softer, lighter, flat, and just as strong (we think), so it won out.
Journeybear; sorry to hear your F-12 was stolen. Maybe with that strap it will pull an _'Incredible Journey'_ and find its way back home. 
Brad; did you make that yourself? If so, that's way over my depth!
Mandroid; the spring cord-lock in the middle for instant length adjustment is genius!
Caleb; good luck with your project! FYI - we had numerous materials to choose from at the fabric store, but decent leather was not one of them.

----------


## Dfyngravity

A strap off of an old bookbag works well too, and it is padded! Fold one end over and sew so there is a small loop to run lace or such through for the scroll and the other end just needs a slit for the end button.

----------


## roscoestring

I've made straps our of old belts, shoe strings, and shoulder straps from guitar cases. I never use the shoulder straps anyways.

----------


## 300win

Best mando straps I ever had/ have now is two flat braided leather belts I got at yard sales for $.50 each. They are adjusted to the way I like them, they are stong, they do not come un-fastened until I want them to, they look good, and they do not slide around on your shoulders. Both of them match the brown coloration in both my mandolins. They look custom made. I've had a few people ask me who made my mandolin straps, thinking they were custom made. My answer always suprizes them.

----------


## jim_n_virginia

I was using a piano wire for a while but it was cutting into me too much!  :Grin:

----------


## sgarrity

I've made all of my mando straps.  I bought one for my 'dola and my pickin' buddies back in VA gave me one as a going away present that I use on my OM.  Not a thing wrong with rawhide boot laces.  The Big Mon hisself used something similar on that beat up old F5 of his.    :Wink:

----------


## allenhopkins

I've used everything including sneaker laces, recycled belts, scrap leather from a local craft store, braided cords, woven sashes, and various thicknesses of leather thong, to make straps for guitars, banjos and mandolins.  Every now and then I'll indulge myself and get a fancy strap with my name tooled into it, just to impress, but as long as it holds up the instrument, I'm not too vain about what I use for a strap.  And I'm pretty fond of the <$10 nylon straps that come in various colors.

----------


## evanreilly

I've made some of my own from leather strips, old belts, bootlaces and other recycled stuff.  Even learned how to braid some of my own straps.
But, I gots to admit: La Dudette straps are pretty good!

----------


## Fishel

Been using string (pretty much like that hoodie tie string mentioned above) for about 30 years. Tried actual straps...always came back to the string.

Basic, simple, beyond cheap, sized exactly for me, by me.

When putting the instrument back on a stand, I always hook the string up over the tuners to keep the slack from catching on something and creating badness.

----------


## Steve Ostrander

I've made straps from braided belts from Goodwill. Cost me 99 cents, even cheaper than boot laces!

----------


## JeffD

For years I used a strap made from some old 1920s one inch suspenders.

----------


## Ivan Kelsall

If you don't mind spending a bit more for an already braided length of cord,have a look at this site. There's some nice stuff available. Unfortunately the $25 postage that they want me to pay for an $7.99 US length of cord. is out of the question for me.
   I particularly like this stuff,
                                       Ivan :Wink: 
leathercordusa.com/

----------


## Charlieshafer

> I was using a piano wire for a while but it was cutting into me too much!


Ah, the "Sopranos" strap, a favorite with criminals of the organized type.

----------


## mandroid

Interesting , Ivan , read the site, they use an  Italian Made  machine to do the work,
 so One presumes You could get the same braided 'Bolo' cord from Italy ...

 Or, since It's 'Bolo' .. from Argentina  ??  :Popcorn:

----------


## Ivan Kelsall

*Mandroid* - With the way the Euro currency is right now,it might be cheaper just to buy the machine & make your own. We Brits.are truly thankful that our government kept us out of that monetary fiasco.
  Re.the Bolo cord, i'd unravel one end about an inch or so & glue it in place to form the loop,then overbind it with thread of a matching (or contrasting) colour. I'd do the same thing for the end pin loop as well. The Bolo cord i'd use is only 3mm in dia.,just about the same as a leather bootlace,but a bit more attractive (at least to me),
                                                                                                           Ivan

----------


## mandroid

similar flat leather strips are used to Whip around the loop , then pulled into the braid to  make a clean finish , something i got 2nd hand.
 probably what they did.

some classic Maritime  Bosun's rope-craft  techniques can make a very nice finished object, days of Sail.

----------


## Ivan Kelsall

*" Whipping"* ( no, NOT the S & M type stuff !!!) :Grin:   is what's required. I did that on an "A" style strap that i modified into an "F" style strap & used 1 mm leather cord. The thread / cord is layed along the area to be 'whipped' in the form of a loop. The loop is then overbound with the thread & the loose end of the thread pushed through the exposed end of the loop.The other end of the thread is then pulled tight,in order to pull the loop underneath the binding - clear as mud eh !!,
                                                                                                                              Ivan :Wink: 
PS - I just overbound the endpin tab to match.

----------


## Malcolm G.

We pay thousands for the instruments, picks, amplification etc. and compete to see how little we've paid for a strap.

I love it!

 :Smile:

----------


## mandroid

Making a DIY strap is within the means of anyone willing to bother , 

making the mandolin, itself,  is Not.  :Popcorn:

----------


## Mandoviol

Any thoughts on Para 550?

----------


## Rick Crenshaw

I always make my own straps.  Advantage is that they are supple and stay on the mando at all times as they fit in the case easily.  The wider strip leather straps look cool and may be more comfortable for some, but I see people having to take them off to fit the mandolin in the case.   You can find leather lacing in many colors at Tandy Leather.  Make sure to get the lacing that is strong enough to take some weight.  They have suede lacing that is NOT STRONG ENOUGH.  I think what you want is the latigo lacing.  Whatever it is, I paid $9 for enough lacing to make three or four four braid straps.  Of course, I actually bought two colors to get the nice looking diamond pattern braid (straight or spiral diamond patterns).  So I spent about $20 to get enough lacing to make 7 to 9 straps (I've made four so far).

You can find instructions on how to make a four strand braid on the internet and even YouTube if you are a visual learner.  What I do is take two equally long sections of lacing, pair them, then find the midpoint.  Be sure to use plenty of lacing.  You want enough to cover more than double the length of the finished strap.  The braiding will take up a lot of lacing and you have to leave about a foot or more at the end of the braiding.  Then I form a loop large enough to fit over the scroll.  I then tie a neat overhand knot.  You'll end up with two separate loops that will fit over the scroll, a knot, and four strands of lacing to begin your braid.  Then I braid the lacing to end up with a round cord.  When it is just short of the right length for me, I finish it off with another neatly tied overhand knot.  Leave the four strands long.  Take one of the strands (usually the thickest) and tie a slip knot that fits over the endpin.  Place the knot so that it ends up at a place that makes the length just where you like it.  I usually leave the extra strands at a length where I have some spare laces should the knotted one ever break.

I could do pictures later if anyone is interested.  BTW, these braided straps are smaller in diameter than the Dudette straps and most of the semi-pro straps you see advertised here.  Also, these do not look as nice, but they are a lot nicer looking than just a single lace or cord.  Though, in reality, a single length of parachute cord or the like is probably stronger, cheaper, and simpler.

----------


## Sitka

I made my own out of 550 cord I bought from the PX. Feels good, looks cool. And, if I'm ever in a survival situation, I can use it to tie up the banjo player for bait.

----------


## Brian Harris

> I can use it to tie up the banjo player for bait.


I find this comment extremely inappropriate.  Why would you think it's okay to force an alligator to eat a banjo player?

Alligators deserve better...  :Wink:

----------


## Elliot Luber

I just cut 52 inches off a pack of paracord, tied a fixed loop at one end and a slipknot at the other and it holds my A-style mandolin without a problem.

----------

