How to Wear a Guitar Strap: 5 Tips for Musicians

A guitar strap is a musical instrument accessory that allows guitarists and bassists to hold and support a guitar or bass guitar while playing. A guitar strap connects to the body of a guitar by ties or strap pins and holds the guitar in place, leaving your hands free to play the guitar. Strap pins, also called strap buttons, are steel pins located at the bottom of the guitar body and, in many cases, at the base of the guitar neck.

Common materials for guitar straps include leather, cotton, suede, or nylon. Personal preference determines which type of strap is best for you, though the type of guitar you’re playing is also a factor. A leather strap works best for a heavy guitar, while cotton and nylon work well for acoustic guitars and other light, stringed instruments, like mandolins or banjos. Ultimately, a suitable guitar strap can bear the weight of the instrument, has an adjustable strap length to accommodate different sizes and types of guitars, and feels comfortable over long periods.

Most electric guitars have two strap pins to attach the strap to the guitar. Follow these steps to secure a guitar strap to an electric guitar:

1. 1. Locate the bottom strap pin. To find the bottom strap pin, hold your guitar vertically, with the headstock—the piece above the fretboard containing the pegs and knobs that hold the guitar strings—turned up toward the ceiling. Hold the guitar’s body and locate the guitar strap button at the bottom of the body.
2. 2. Locate the top strap pin. You can find the second strap pin at the upper curve or horn of the guitar body, near where the neck of the guitar meets the body. The second strap pin may also be at the neck joint, or heel, located at the base of the neck of the guitar.
3. 3. Determine which end of the strap to attach to each pin. Strap ends with designs or embroidered logos should fasten to the top strap pin. If your strap has an adjustable buckle, connect the end where the strap layers overlap to the pin at the bottom of the guitar.
4. 4. Attach the strap. Find the strap holes at each end of your guitar strap and push one hole over the bottom pin, threading the pin through the hole. Push the strap hole over the top strap pin. While still holding the guitar body, pull on the strap near each pin to ensure you have securely connected to each pin.
5. 5. Adjust the strap. If your strap has an adjustable buckle, slide the buckle to adjust the strap to your desired length. You should be able to move your hands along the neck easily and strum the strings comfortably.

Here is a breakdown of how to attach a guitar strap to your acoustic guitar:

1. 1. Locate the strap pin. Most acoustic guitars only have one strap pin, located at the bottom of the guitar body. Hold the guitar body and locate this bottom strap pin.
2. 2. Choose how you’ll attach the other strap end. The lack of a second strap pin on an acoustic guitar means that you have to connect the opposite strap end to the headstock. You can use a strip of material, like leather or thick lace, to tie the other strap end to the headstock. Many guitar straps come with this extra material to tie the other end, or you can use a strap adapter, which loops around the headstock and has an additional pin.
3. 3. Attach the strap to the bottom pin. Attach the strap at the bottom pin by pushing the strap hole over the strap pin.
4. 4. Attach the strap to the headstock. To attach a strip of material or lace to the other end of the strap, thread it through the strap hole and feed the opposite end of the strip under the strings on the headstock, above the neck and fretboard, but below the first tuning peg. Fasten the strip or lace with a strong double knot.
5. 5. If using a strap adapter, attach it to the headstock. If you’re using a strap adapter instead of a strip of material or lace, thread the adapter under the strings on the headstock, between the fretboard and the first tuning peg. Then push the attached strap pin through the strap hole and secure the piece around the headstock to the adapter’s strap pin.

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