My uke and Guitalele both have matte finishes and this makes it easy for my left hand to slide up and down the neck. Unfortunately, it also make it harder to tuck the uke securely in the crook of my right elbow; the matte finish makes it easier for the uke to slip. The best way for me to handle them is with a strap.
A while back, I had added strap buttons to my uke in the Jim Hill style. It's a nice-looking configuration that resembles that of a traditional guitar, but it can also be a little impractical. The headstock and neck will dip down if the instrument isn't balanced.
A strap that supports the head and keeps it up is the best option, but many players are wont to install a strap button onto the neck of their beloved instrument. It's already bad enough that some may have to screw one to the bottom.
I had heard some good reviews about the Neotech Mandolin Strap being used with ukes so I tried one out. I discovered that it's rather well thought-out. Here's what I like about this strap:
- It's very lightweight and the broad Neoprene strap spreads the weight comfortably across the shoulders.
- It has just the right amount of stretchability which is great when you need to reposition the neck for certain chords.
- The top nylon loop easily fits ukes and Guitaleles.
- Key hard-contact points are padded to protect your instrument's finish.
I use this strap on both my uke and Guitalele now.
The nylon loop easily goes around the neck of my ukulele.
The Guitalele neck is too wide so the nylon loop goes around the center post. This doesn't interfere with the strings or the tuners in any way.
Here's the bottom of my uke. I used my Dremel tool to drill a hole through the base and tail block first. This keeps the wood from splitting. Since this is an inexpensive uke with a matte finish, I didn't bother installing a felt washer between the button and the uke.
Here's the bottom of the Guitalele. If you look carefully, you'll notice two things. First, there's a felt pad that caps the leather strap button's base to keep it from scratching the instrument. Second, the quick-release snap is curved slightly so only the nylon straps make contact with the instrument.I used a Planet Waves brass button for the Guitalele since it seems to complement its colors.
2 comments:
I appreciate all the info that you've got on this website and thank you for introducing me to the guitalele. I just went out and bought one!
I'm a intermediate guitar player with a very beginner knowledge, so please bear with me.
I'm basically looking for a mini guitar. Im not much of a finger picker, more of a chord player... Want to be able to play all my fav tunes on the road (specifically while backpacking) without the hassle of carrying a guitar or even a "travel" guitar, most of which I find to be too large for backpacking.
4 Questions for you, if it's OK:
A) Did you install the end nut for the strap of your guitalele, or did it come like that? Mine has nothing on the base to attach a strap.
B) Have you had any success with certain strings and tuning it to EADGBE ?
C) So .. in my case, will these carbon strings help give it a more traditional sound? Pardon my idiocy, but do carbon strings sound more like steel than nylon?
D) And just to confirm.. the guy at the guitar shop said I would rip out the bridge if I tried to install high tension steel strings. What do you think?
Thank you very much again for all your wonderful info.
Maybe someday I'll learn to rip on this little instrument like all these videos you've linked to... Wow, it's amazing !
Hello Lucas,
A) Yes. I purchased a Planet Waves strap button and installed it. Drill a short pilot hole (thinner and shorter than the screw) into the bottom. Then screw the button in. It will hold because the Guitalele has a tail-block inside.
B) No. I tried it with LaBella 1/4 Fractional Guitar strings but I was not satisfied with the tone or the light string tension. I think Hannabach has a better set but I can't get it here in the USA.
C) Carbon strings are brighter than nylon but they are still much too far from the brightness and shimmer of steel strings.
D) Don't do it! The total tension of steel strings (even extra light tension) is notably higher than any nylon/carbon string set. The tie-block, bridge and soundboard bracing of the Guitalele are NOT designed for that level of tension. The guy at the shop is correct.
You can easily play all of your tunes on the Guitalele using the same chord patterns ... it's just that the pitch will be higher. It's not an unusual thing. Flamenco guitarists use a capo to raise the pitch of their instruments to match the pitch of a singer.
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