Moving the strap button on an SG

jdbwales

I've been considering moving the strap button on my Epi SG gigging backup guitar, but have seen mixed reports.

I'm not massively keen on the way the SG balances with the button on the neck heel; I've tried the suede strap trick and while I don't get the dreaded neck dive, I still find it a little weird when going from a LP or Tele balance wise.

Has anyone moved the strap button to the end of the upper horn, Iommi style? That seems to me to be the most 'familiar' place to move it to. American forums suggest that if you move it to the upper horn there's a possibility of the 'horn snapping off' but I've seen no evidence of this; I have seen however ESPs and the like that have this mod done that people seem happy with. 

Any real-world experience with this? Cheers!

Voxman

Interesting thought as it's never ever occurred to me to move the strap button on my SG Standard.  Its in a similar position on my Epiphone Sheraton II too.  

But to be honest as both 'fit' very comfortably on me with the strap, and I get no neck dive on the SG, and I have no problem when switching guitars, I'm happy to leave well alone. 

stonevibe

I've never seen a broken horn in real life, only on the web. I reckon if you drill a pilot hole correctly and get it central,, it should be okay.

impmann

stonevibe said:

I've never seen a broken horn in real life, only on the web. I reckon if you drill a pilot hole correctly and get it central,, it should be okay.

This.

And the top horn on Tony's guitar hasn't "fallen off", despite the years of touring...

usedtobe

I've never experienced the neck dive thing with an sg, but I've heard of it. I'd probably move the strap button to the upper horn, if I was in your shoes, though.. If you do the job right, it ought to be fine..

Skipped

I think the strap button position on an SG is what makes the guitar such a comfortable stage guitar. (Because the strap "swivels" on the front pin with your movement).

It sounds like the problem is more to do with balance on a strap. (AKA neck heavy). It it was me.....before moving the button I would want to know how a correctly balanced guitar feels. Find something heavy enough (coins in a bag) and tape it to the butt end of your guitar strap.
If the guitar works for you when balanced....you may conclude that a permanent weight (sown into a dedicated strap) is less drastic than moving the front button.

Bridgehouse

I think a strap with more friction would be a better option... wider, more padding and less slippy.

The mono straps are excellent

cbilly22

Skipped said:

I think the strap button position on an SG is what makes the guitar such a comfortable stage guitar. (Because the strap "swivels" on the front pin with your movement).

It sounds like the problem is more to do with balance on a strap. (AKA neck heavy). It it was me.....before moving the button I would want to know how a correctly balanced guitar feels. Find something heavy enough (coins in a bag) and tape it to the butt end of your guitar strap.
If the guitar works for you when balanced....you may conclude that a permanent weight (sown into a dedicated strap) is less drastic than moving the front button.

Another trick is a small bag of lead shot in the control cavity, providing you only need a little extra weight.

ICBM

A chap I knew who had an old very lightweight 60s SG (Special, I think) used to keep a big brass cowboy belt buckle on the strap at the tail end.

sawyer

Try a wide strap that's suade on the inside. Sticks to your t-shirt. I used to use a bass strap for extra width/surface area.

impmann

If it neck dives... what machine heads are fitted? In my experience Grovers etc are too heavy and cause problems.

p90fool

I put a heavy brass Bigsby copy on mine and it made no difference, so I moved the strap button to the top horn which helped a lot, though still not enough. 

If you have a neck heavy Epiphone SG grippy straps are not the answer IMO, they make it even more irritating when they pull your shirt up. 

I eventually found the cure which works 100% every time - I gave the piece of shit away. 

jdbwales

I'll most likely try it - like I said, it's not neck diving but rather a balance issue. I'll have a go at the weighing down of the back end first though!

Cheers gents, it did feel a little bit like US forum scaremongering and I can't say I've ever actually seen any photos of the terrible damage that this foolish mod inflicts...FAKE NEWS. SAD. Etc.

Ta!

WezV

I have done a couple of variations on the  top horn position on SG style guitars..  Both a bit more invasive than just adding a new screw hole but they  worked well.

First way way is to bevel the rear of the horn and attach the button pointing back at an angle.  Its invisible from the front and feels more solid than going into the thinnest point.  Aesthetically, the strap interferes with the shape a lot less as it sits behind the point.   You obviously need to consider the angle and screw length to make sure it doesn't appear out the front, but its not really an issue if you are sensible.

The other one is a recessed strap button - which go much further into the body so are more secure.  when I have done this I have used a shallower version of the bevel above to hide it behind the horn

Rocker

I'm with @p90fool on this one, get rid of the damn thing. The SG I had was fairly neck heavy, not the worst example in the world, but the neck was inclined to seek out the floor. Gibson got that bit so very wrong. My 335 copy, and presumably the same on a Gibson 335, is similarly neck heavy. It is a nice guitar but seriously flawed..

Nunogilberto

I used to have an SG Junior copy that neck dived like crazy. I had the button moved to the back of the top horn but even though it stopped nose diving, it felt like the guitar was falling away from me/face downwards - even with a leather strap - to this day I'm not keep on guitars with the strap button on the back.

EricTheWeary

Someone used to make a guitar strap with a little pouch for the tail end to stick lead weights in to. Either that or a Bigsby!

I owned a 335 copy for a while and I desperately wanted to move the button to the top horn, not because it was neck heavy but it sat in the wrong place somehow. Anyway, sold that, but it put me off the neck heel button.

Nunogilberto

EricTheWeary said:

Someone used to make a guitar strap with a little pouch for the tail end to stick lead weights in to. Either that or a Bigsby!

I owned a 335 copy for a while and I desperately wanted to move the button to the top horn, not because it was neck heavy but it sat in the wrong place somehow. Anyway, sold that, but it put me off the neck heel button.

Did you find that the guitar tried to fall away from you at an angle? I used to have that with my SG as above, as well as an Epi Dot I sold the other day. As you said, it puts me off neck heel buttons.

EricTheWeary

Nunogilberto said:

EricTheWeary said:

Someone used to make a guitar strap with a little pouch for the tail end to stick lead weights in to. Either that or a Bigsby!

I owned a 335 copy for a while and I desperately wanted to move the button to the top horn, not because it was neck heavy but it sat in the wrong place somehow. Anyway, sold that, but it put me off the neck heel button.

Did you find that the guitar tried to fall away from you at an angle? I used to have that with my SG as above, as well as an Epi Dot I sold the other day. As you said, it puts me off neck heel buttons.

It was a while ago but, yes, something like that - just felt all wrong, I guess had I persevered longer I would have got used to it. 

TTBZ

Mine isn't neck heavy but I got annoyed with the strap button position to start with as it felt like it shifted things too far left. Now I have it as my main guitar I've completely got used to it and like how it feels as though it hangs really close - other guitars feel odd now! I kind of have mine slung a bit to my right side and pointed up a bit, which puts the neck and bridge in a bit more of a normal position and feels really comfy. Kind of like how Tim Sult seems to hold his but more to the side.