Favorite F straps?

[mcgroup53]

Over the years, I can't track how many straps I've tried. Single braid of leather rawhide. Braided flat, braided round, elk leather, flat strip of stiff tooled leather. Can't say I ever found one I was completely happy with. A buddy of mine swears by the Roo straps sold by Dexter at Carmel Music. Just wondered how others here have addressed that age-old problem successfully.

[AlanN]

Yes, David. SAS continues to bite, after all these years. The roo has been a fave, as have others types - narrow flat leather, more belt-like deals. One configuration which is appealing is narrow at both ends and widening to a greater coverage area in the middle. Butch B. had a hand-made one like that, he never did say where he got it (and I asked...). A minor niggle for me is the fact that the strap tends to ride up toward my neck as I play, so that I have to re-position it back away periodically.

[Ron McMillan]

I've been making my own and sharing them with friends, for both F and A style mandolins. A four-strand round braid technique learned from a very good YouTube clip, with the braid made of synthetic strapping or leather, and sewn-on leather ends for the strap button/F scroll is an easy thing to do, and the results can be very satisfying. I've recently started making straps completely from leather, using 4mm and 6mm leather lace.

[mandroid]

Oh Wow Another strap thread ..

[Mark Seale]

My favorite is my Sully Strap. Once I got the length right, just positioned the wide attachment over the shoulder and it just doesn't move.

[John Adrihan]

I've only really tried two types, a single leather boot lace and 3 strands braided. I went back to the single. I also just wear it over the right shoulder because I wear hats when I play. I just can't justify anything more elaborate because of that I guess.

[mcgroup53]

Oh Wow Another strap thread ..

Yeah, I know ...

[nordian]

I've tried expensive hand made straps, homemade straps, Lakota leather nonbraided straps....but my favorite strap right now is also the cheapest one I have ever bought...Long Hollow softie mandolin strap. Just works for me.

[DHopkins]

Oh Wow Another strap thread ..

And the same response from me: Long Hollow or Lakota. Both are excellent, IMHO

[Hockey Puck]

+1 for Sully's

[Cheryl Watson]

I really like my roo strap bought from Carmel Music. They are great looking straps IMO. The only downside that I know of is that they have a small circumference and can cut a bit into your shoulder if you have a mandolin on the heavy side.

PS: The little end piece stays on the mandolin's end pin really well--better than any strap I've ever owned.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Decent mandolin straps are hard to come by in the UK.There are the Levy leather straps,but if i remember correctly,i bought one of those back when i began playing & they were only long enough to go over one shoulder,The straps i'm currently using are a 'Latigo' leather strap & a Gibson mandolin strap, both bought from Janet Davis in the US. I made a strap for my Elis "A" from a 'saddle string' bought from Tandy Leather UK. I still have the beautiful strap made for me by my late friend from Miami,Fla.,John Brown,but the endpin hole has become a bit ragged & needs to be re-punched. It's also a bit too thick to sit comfortably on the end pin,so i need to remove the end pin,& put it back in so that it protrudes from the mandolin a bit more - 1/4" should do it.
Ron - Those are seriously well made straps,well done,
Ivan

PS - For those of you in the US,have a look the website of ''Leather Cord US''.They sell braided Bolo cord in various sizes.All that's needed is a bit of ingenuity to make a scroll loop & end pin fastening,& you'll have a top quality strap. Unfortunately for us in the UK,the postage costs more than the cord

[journeybear]

When I had an F model, I did like I always had done - found some suitable length of fabric, tied a loop in one end to fit over the scroll, tied a knot around a bit of insulated wire to twist around the endpin. Easy enough, and aunlimited designs to choose from. Then one day I found a dog leash at a yard sale for 25¢. The wrist loop went over the scroll. I cut off the end with the metal clip, folded the cut end over a piece of wire and glued it to itself with Krazy Glue. That was that. That strap would outlive the instrument.

[Frank Donnoli]

I too make plaited straps from kangaroo leather for anyone who asks (top) but at the moment I am using a Sully (bottom).

[Kieran]

Cinghialetto straps from Italy are very nice http://http://mandolin.it/CINGHIALETTO_STRAPS.html
I believe Carters in Nashville sell them,looking forward to receiving some here this week.
They made one for Tim O Brien like this-

[Ron McMillan]

Cinghialetto straps from Italy are very nice http://http://mandolin.it/CINGHIALETTO_STRAPS.html
I believe Carters in Nashville sell them,looking forward to receiving some here this week.
They made one for Tim O Brien like this-

Very nice. Looks like lovely Italian leather, too. What will they retail for, Kieran?

[MysTiK PiKn]

I've been making my own and sharing them with friends, for both F and A style mandolins. A four-strand round braid technique learned from a very good YouTube clip, with the braid made of synthetic strapping or leather, and sewn-on leather ends for the strap button/F scroll is an easy thing to do, and the results can be very satisfying. I've recently started making straps completely from leather, using 4mm and 6mm leather lace.

I would like one of these: maybe the one on the outside loop, in braided dark brown leather.

[Kieran]

Very nice. Looks like lovely Italian leather, too. What will they retail for, Kieran?

€39 excluding VAT (€48 incl.) The leather comes from Florence.
Your ones look good too!

[mandroid]

My favorite was hand made , Cotton, woven on a Belt Loom in the colors of my choice.

[JeffD]

I use guitar straps. When I use a strap that is.

[AlanN]

Spoke with Carter's. ~ $70 shipped.

[bingoccc]

These are comfy. Mine is black. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...0strap&index=6

[MysTiK PiKn]

I use guitar straps. When I use a strap that is.

For one thing, there's a LOT more guitar straps available everywhere, and generally cheap.

There's also a lot of (leather) material on guitar straps that could be carved into a pretty nice simple strap for a mandolin. Or, it could be custom shaped to fit various body shapes, parts, etc. etc.

And it could be as easy as making a plan, cut with scissors, or a sharp blade.

I did a mild version of this idea shaping my guitar strap, to fit the strap peg that I installed on the underside (lower) side of the neck heel. When I fret the guitar around the 12th fret, there's no interference because the only thing that sticks up is the strap peg, and it is pointing exactly at the center of my palm of my left hand; Lots of clearance. At the heel end, this strap has several precut holes where a smaller strap inserts in your choice, to determine strap overall length. That part could transfer directly to a mando, and just cut of the excess, cut a hole for peg, done. Nothing fancy.
It's also possible that more than one strap could be carved from one guitar strap
=Pix= of neck heel. Curve-carved strap to fit heel in playing position.

[Willie Poole]

Go to a pet shop and buy a leash for a dog and take the clip off and punch a hole in that end for the end pin of the mandolin and you have a inexpensive strap, some are woven, some are flat, just pick what you like...And there leather also....

[JeffD]

Most of the time I play without a strap. Except for my resonator, which is just to heavy to play without a strap.

But sometimes I just change things up and use a strap. Every now and then I have to stand up for longer than one or two tunes.

I usually tie to the peghead just above the nut under the strings. A or F. For a while on the F I would tie the lace in a loop and just loop it over the scroll, but I like the feeling better at the neck.