Should I Drill my Classical Guitar for a Guitar Strap?
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Kathleen Asks:
“Do people drill into Classical guitars? I have a Classical guitar and would like to have strap buttons installed for a guitar strap.”
Hi Kathleen:
Well, before you even consider drilling… know that there are “Classical” guitar straps available. Don’t be fooled by the name though–they’re not just for Classical guitars, and work great with steel string acoustic as well. They’re physically different than the usual 2-button guitar straps. Willie Nelson uses one with the old, beat-up Classical guitar he plays. Here are 3 that I really like:
Levy’s Leathers 1 Nylon Classical Guitar Strap. Good, basic, low-cost nylon strap.
Levy’s Leathers 2 Leather Classical Strap. A great mid-priced leather strap.
Levy’s Leathers M20JN-002 Classical Guitar Strap. This is a high-end, deluxe strap.
Now, a word of caution: with a Classical strap you can’t let go of the guitar with both hands–at any time. One hand must be on the guitar at all times or the guitar will flip out of the strap whenever you’re standing. The upside is that it’s really quick/easy to attach and remove the guitar. Pick it up and hook it underneath. When your done, simply unhook it. You just have to be aware and NOT take both hands off at the same time.
Now, to answer your original question about drilling…
The drilling question really comes down to how nice the guitar is. If it’s cheaper and/or you aren’t concerned about devaluing it, you can definitely have a guitar tech drill a couple strap button holes. I’d never do this to a good Classical guitar, but I wouldn’t hesitate to do it to a cheapo one. You just have to make sure it’ll balance right first. In other words, you might drill holes and install strap buttons only to find that it “neck dives” because the center of gravity is off and the neck + headstock keep heading toward the floor. You definitely don’t want that.
Very late to this party, but I’ll roll in if you don’t mind.
There are lots of free instructions on how to make your own guitar straps online. For instance:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Paracord-Acoustic-Guitar-Strap-1/
Parachute cord is non-abrasive (at least in this instance) and I’ve had no ill-effects on my guitars. YMMV. Good luck, and happy tying!
Nice tutorial. Those straps look like they could be a fun DIY project!
I’d like to add: I’ve chosen to feature these 3 straps because none of them have hard plastic or metal pieces in the areas that will come into contact with the guitar.
On the other hand, many similar straps out there do indeed have such pieces that will come into contact with your guitar and scratch it. I’ve no idea why those other companies decided to construct their straps that way, but please be aware of this if you decide to stray from this list.
Is there a certain or proper way to tie the tie on straps to the guitar?
Have a look at this very useful how-to article by Levy’s Leathers: How to Attach a Guitar Strap
If you scroll down a bit, they describe the method for their tie-on straps.