Strap button (exact) location

Faulk · Dec 20, 2014

Hi all!
I have come full circle, pretty much.
My 1st Guild was a D4, then an A25...then I went electric. Over the years I have had a (Dearmond) Starfire, Starfire III, and two X150s. Other than a couple Gretsches, I've lived the Guilded life...and now I've given all that electric stuff up now and got me a wonderful JF4. Roots.

Anyway, it came with a strap button placed in (Martin) position on the heel. I promptly removed it and filled the hole.
I wish to place it on the upper bass bout, à la many Guilds on the mid 2000's. I have a nice bit of spruce ready for the interior reinforcement.

So: anyone with an F-50 etc that came stock with the bass bout mount strap button, could you please take measurements for its location?
I have photos but it's a little hard to gauge it. I'm thinking along the lines of "x from fretboard and x from the top edge".
Also, Guild seemed to use an oversize button, anyone knows who manufactured it? It looks like Gotoh.
Thanks in advance!

chazmo · Dec 21, 2014

Faulk,

First, welcome to LTG!

Gee, who manufactured the strap button..? I don't think anyone has ever asked that question in my memory. Gotoh seems reasonable, at least in the New Hartford years, since Guild was using mostly Gotoh tuners. But, it could be anyone.

As for the position, I think you're also the first person to talk about moving it from the neck heel to the bass side... As you mentioned, Guild was using that location for a few years and stopped a few years ago. Please note, (you probably already know this) you need a small block of wood in the soundhole to brace the button screw.

Good luck, Faulk. And, again, welcome.

killdeer43 · Dec 21, 2014

WELCOME TO LTG, Faulk.
Here's my stock strap-button-placement photo. Works best for me, from an ergonomic point of view. You'll stand less of a chance of losing your guitar with the button here, as opposed having it on the "bass bout" IMO. :apple:

Happy holidays,
Joe

walrus · Dec 21, 2014

That's where mine is as well on my D64 - works great!

walrus

davismanLV · Dec 21, 2014

I'm in agreement with Joe and walrus regarding the placement of a strap button. That's the best location. However, it's your guitar and if you want it screwed into the body of the guitar, I'm sure someone can give you the location or perhaps provide a photo. :encouragement:

Faulk · Dec 21, 2014

Thanks everyone so far!
Yep, I'm one of those weirdos that like the strap button on the Bass bout. I have to be honest, I have never liked it on the heel...any box I've played with it there just felt wrong and gets in the (my) way. Plus I'm just used to it: my old Starfire and the X150s and my old Synchro had it on the bass bout. But hey, I actually prefer big Grover tuners, so...
I do have a little strip of spruce to go on the inside.
If I had to guess it looks like about an inch from the fretboard and an inch or less in from the top. I'd like to know for sure, though.
See here:

chazmo · Dec 21, 2014

If memory serves, Faulk, more than an inch.

Good luck!

Sperry · Dec 22, 2014

I carry a folding chair in the back of my truck. :laughing:

davismanLV · Dec 22, 2014

Sperry said:
I carry a folding chair in the back of my truck. :laughing:

HAAAAAA HAAAAAAA!! No strap button needed. Great response!! :encouragement:

adorshki · Dec 22, 2014

Faulk said:
Thanks everyone so far!
Yep, I'm one of those weirdos that like the strap button on the Bass bout. I have to be honest, I have never liked it on the heel...

HI Faulk:
In fact I've never seen a pure acoustic Guild from Westerly that had a strap button so I'm pretty sure that button you're asking about wasn't "stock".
Note, even dreadnought cutaway electrics didn't get a button:

If they had had 'em I suspect placement would be about identical to what you posted in your pic.

I like 'em on the heel too, but during the late Westerly era, when they were on the bass bout, such as on the F65ce, they were pretty dang close to the neck, and centered in the side, like so:

I suspect that would also have been their positioning if they had put a button on JF4's.

killdeer43 · Dec 22, 2014

OK, look at it this way.....with the button on the treble side of the heel, that extra bend/loop in the strap makes for a tighter/more secure fit. Think about it, try it out, and you'll see the merit in mounting it there, as opposed to any other place.
The heel also has more depth/solid wood to handle the screw that holds the button that holds the strap. :apple:

I rest MHO,
Joe

adorshki · Dec 22, 2014

killdeer43 said:
OK, look at it this way.....with the button on the treble side of the heel, that extra bend/loop in the strap makes for a tighter/more secure fit. Think about it, try it out, and you'll see the merit in mounting it there, as opposed to any other place.
The heel also has more depth/solid wood to handle the screw that holds the button that holds the strap. :apple:

I agree with ya 100% buddy, but he mentioned he already took it out of that spot on the guitar in question, so I'm sure he's got a legitimate ergonomic reason for not liking that location. Most common objection to the heel placement is that it can interfere a bit if you play way up high on the neck, especially if you do it a lot.
I also think the reason Westerly mounted 'em so close to the neck was to help ensure the strap would be get a side-pulling load to help it stay hooked instead of the "pulling up and off" tension if it was more centered on the arc of the bout.
:wink:

killdeer43 · Dec 22, 2014

adorshki said:
Most common objection to the heel placement is that it can interfere a bit if you play way up high on the neck, especially if you do it a lot.

Just took a drive up to the 14th fret on the F112-6 (happened to have it handy)....no problem here, but to each his/her own, c'est la vie, yadda, yadda, yadda, etc.

Joe

justforfun · Dec 22, 2014

Good Evening Faulk,

My 2009 F-50-R has the strap button on the bass bout. 1 5/16 from the top, 1 1/16 from the neck, with the rule held parallel to the top. The distance from the neck could be 1/32 further (I can't see as well as I used to).

The button is large, .664 inches in diameter. There is a reinforcing block on the inside of the guitar for the button, it is the same wood as the neck block, which appears to me to be mahogany.

I hate drilling holes in guitars. Best of luck!

walrus · Dec 22, 2014

I agree the strap can get in the way on the heel, and I did end up getting a strap that was less "wide" on the end to improve getting to the higher frets. But even without a strap, the high end of the fretboard is a challenge on a "standard" body acoustic...

walrus

geoguy · Dec 24, 2014

Here's one more data point for the OP's consideration.

I measured the factory-installed strap-button position on my New Hartford F30R, and it's location is nearly identical to what justforfun stated above.

1 5/16 inch from the top, & 1 1/8 inch from the neck.

Faulk · Jan 8, 2015

Perfect! That's just the information I was looking for. Thanks everyone for your input!

Strap button (exact) location

Faulk

chazmo

Super Moderator

killdeer43

Reverential Member

walrus

Reverential Member

davismanLV

Venerated Member

Faulk

chazmo

Super Moderator

Sperry

Junior Member

davismanLV

Venerated Member

adorshki

Reverential Member

killdeer43

Reverential Member

adorshki

Reverential Member

killdeer43

Reverential Member

justforfun

Junior Member

walrus

Reverential Member

geoguy

Senior Member

Faulk