JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 903
New York City area
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Posted on May 26 2013 07:53 AM
The low slung strap does look cool but technique suffers. Forget any serious lead guitar work. Take another look at Johnny Ramone from back in the day. I always wondered why his arms and wrists never fatigued from that slim neck Mosrite slung so low strumming eighth note rhythm.
Then I noticed.. that guy had longer than average arms for his height.
So strap length is kind of a function of your arm length and comfort level for what you have to play (melody vs. power chords for example)
I always like the way Nokie Edwards looked with his guitar so that's what I aimed for. I don't know (or care) where that falls in the chart.
Roy Buchanan slung his Telecaster very high. That gave him maximum control. He needed it. I guess that's why most straps are adjustable.
J Mo'
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4053
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on May 26 2013 09:26 AM
Probably middle-ish for me, although I tend to set the strap length for where each guitar feels best to me.
Try wearing a 17" wide White Falcon high......feels like you're wearing a billboard.
I tend to wear my non surf/instro guitars just a bit higher as I play a lot of slide.
My hands are still in pretty good shape, thankfully, so for me, strap length can vary according to the attitude of the music. The physicality of a lower hung guitar can feel pretty bad ass and bring out the Link Wray in me.
So I guess strap length says nothing about me, LOL
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on May 26 2013 10:15 AM
For the record, all my electric guitar straps are adjusted to 42.5 inches from strap button to strap button. As Shawn pointed out, the new Fender Vintage straps are very long. I cut mine down and add extra adjusting holes so I can place the buckle where I want it. Leon Daniel of The Monterreys made me a beautiful custom strap (narrow  ) for my Jazzmaster exactly my length.
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
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surfgtrnut
Joined: Dec 26, 2008
Posts: 122
Binghamton, NY
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Posted on May 26 2013 01:45 PM
It's hard for me to find a strap that is longer than the obey length, I'm 6'4"
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4053
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on May 26 2013 01:51 PM
surfgtrnut,
Check out a Corn Husker strap. You can find him on ebay, might have a website as well. He'll custom make your length and it's a lifetime, USA made strap.
I think some of the LM (brand) straps are longer as well.
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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surfaholic
Joined: Aug 18, 2011
Posts: 158
The sun kissed beeches of Nottingham, UK.
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Posted on May 26 2013 06:54 PM
I'm somewhere around middle man / obeyer. Friends think I wear mine really high, but it's not really any higher than guys like Hendrix would wear them.
Even in the grunge era, I couldn't play comfortably with it around my knees.
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ImaDirtyTroll
Joined: May 25, 2012
Posts: 39
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Posted on Jun 13 2013 10:41 PM
I had been a "middle man" since I started playing in 1980.
Then about 6 months ago, we added Miserlou to our set. (I've only been playing surf for about a year.) After a lot of experimentation (and hard work) I realized that I can play it more accurately as an "obeyer". More recently we added The Wedge and then I graduated to "folkie". Tremolo picking is a fairly new sport for me, and for some reason it just works better for me with a shorter strap.
Today at rehearsal I was fooling around with those two tunes sitting down and that was working pretty well. So now I'm thinking about performing the tremolo picked stuff sitting down and going back to middle man for everything else.
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ImaDirtyTroll
Joined: May 25, 2012
Posts: 39
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Posted on Jun 13 2013 10:50 PM
Oh I should add, that's as a "right leg sitter downer".
I started out playing classical, so I used to be a left leg sitter downer. Left leg isn't really working for tremolo either.
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SlacktoneDave
Joined: Jul 01, 2006
Posts: 657
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Posted on Jun 14 2013 12:16 PM
Every Slacktone studio record the guitar was track whe sitting down, guitar on left leg, and left foot on a classical style foot rest. Hold the guitar like this, stand up, that's where the guitar naturally hangs. This helps me to be able to play Agro an and keep a good clamp on the guitar for control.
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WhorehayRFB
Joined: Jun 12, 2008
Posts: 3331
Huntington Beach, CA
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Posted on Jun 14 2013 12:55 PM
kick_the_reverb wrote:
I think I moved from Knuckle Dragger to Low Rider.
Ran
The only reason I even looked at this post was to say something about Ran's strap hanging below his knees. Never seen ANYONE play so low.
— Radio Free Bakersfield--60 Minutes of TWANG, CRUNCH, OOMPH.
http://radiofreebakersfield.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Radio-Free-Bakersfield/172410279636
http://www.sandiegojoe.com/rfb.htm
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WhorehayRFB
Joined: Jun 12, 2008
Posts: 3331
Huntington Beach, CA
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Posted on Jun 14 2013 12:59 PM
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FlatRacer
Joined: Apr 07, 2008
Posts: 182
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Posted on Jun 18 2013 11:21 AM
My shit is hanging lower as I get older! LOL!
Seriously, I dragged an Explorer out of mothballs that had a strap I had fixed at what was back then the optimum length by sewing it together. It was too short.
I like changing it up when I play different styles of music. It helps set the mood and get me in the proper mindset. I'm an obeyer with the Jag when I play surf, but when I strap on the Les Paul for a gig with the Zeppelin tribute, it's low rider time. It just feels right with that music.
I remember being surprised at how high EVH wore his guitar. I used set strap length so my picking hand was at belt buckle height, but now it varies from navel height down to crotch level. Just adding variety to the fun of playing guitar.
Eric
Last edited: Jun 18, 2013 11:36:00
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Guitar_Guy
Joined: Jun 25, 2013
Posts: 20
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Posted on Jun 30 2013 09:48 AM
I was a knuckle dragger. then I learned about this awesome thing called "posture" that at least make you look like you have some kind of dignity and self worth. Now I'm a middle man, and yes I will play anything with a big ole' smile!
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Twangdude
Joined: Oct 05, 2011
Posts: 58
Wisconsin
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Posted on Jun 30 2013 08:19 PM
Much as I respect and appreciate Nokie Edwards, I can't stand watching him very long- his guitar posture looks so unappealing to me.
My identity to my guitar is more attitudinal; much like putting on say, a Marvel Comics Superhero suit (your mileage may vary).
I think our electric guitars are the coolest, most bitchin' power tools in the world- that allow for, and dare I say even demand, a certain swagger or flair when executing on one.
At least that's how I approach it. So yeah, middle man- or more.
— Dusty Twangdude
Last edited: Jun 30, 2013 20:20:15
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