Straps

I find that it is harder to play ‘ukulele standing up than sitting down. With practice it gets easier, but some still like to use a strap. There are three main types of ‘ukulele straps.

Guitar-style strap:

A guitar strap can be used, but it requires installation of two strap buttons. A metal button is placed on the bottom half of the neck heel and on the end of the ‘ukulele where the two sides come together (there is a block of wood there that will hold the button from breaking off.) A pickup jack can also act as one of the strap buttons. A guitar strap can then be slipped over each button. Brittni Paiva is the first name that comes to mind when I think of this kind of strap.

Semi-guitar-style strap:

This type of strap only uses one button on the end of the ’ukulele, so this is a good option for those who already have a pickup installed. One end of the strap is like a guitar strap with the slit in leather that slides over the button. The other has two strings that tie around the headstock/neck right behind the nut under and in between the strings and tuning pegs. Daniel Ho uses one of these occasionally. The only problem I foresee with one of these straps is that it puts strain on the neck which could be a problem in the long run. I have seen thrifty artists make straps like these out of twine.

Classical-guitar-Willie-Nelson-style strap:

This one really fascinates me. Maybe it’s because Willie uses this type of strap. Maybe not. This type of strap goes around your neck in a loop and wraps under the instrument to hook into the sound hole. I tried one of these made by Flea Market music and liked the idea, but it kept twisting. The cool thing about this style is that it doesn’t require a button or cause stress on the neck.