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View Poll Results: Front strap button/position poll: What would you do?
Don't drill a hole in that beautiful, new guitar! Tie to the headstock! 27 22.31%
Don't be such a baby! Drill the back of the heel and use your existing strap locks!! 19 15.70%
Suck it up, drill the 'Taylor position' hole and buy a new set of strap locks. 71 58.68%
Return the guitar. You don't deserve anything this nice and new anyway! 4 3.31%
Voters: 121. You may not vote on this poll

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  #46  
Old 12-24-2019, 07:33 AM
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BrunoBlack BrunoBlack is offline
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I drilled every Martin I’ve ever owned, so I have no problem drilling good guitars. However, I’ve converted my style and only play sitting down. So I no longer have the need to drill & no longer set my guitars up that way. On the occasion that I play standing, I tie the strap on.
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  #47  
Old 12-24-2019, 08:12 AM
ChrisE ChrisE is offline
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Default Front strap conundrum - to drill or not to drill

You bought it to play it, right? And you play standing with a strap, right?

Just do it.

Even I’ve done it, and I ruin everything I touch.

If you’re nervous about it, practice on a beater or a scrap piece of wood first. I tried it on my old Sigma before I took a drill to my new D-18. Wrap several layers of tape around the drill bit at the depth you want the hole so you don’t go too deep, and put tape on the guitar so you don’t accidentally scratch it. So easy even I could do it.



Next step—drill the end pin and install a pickup!

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Last edited by ChrisE; 12-29-2019 at 06:33 AM.
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  #48  
Old 12-24-2019, 08:22 AM
stormin1155 stormin1155 is offline
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Whether you drill for a strap button depends on why you bought the guitar. If you bought it for a show piece or as a collectable, no. If you bought it to play it, drill it.
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  #49  
Old 12-24-2019, 08:28 AM
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It’s not the Crown Jewels, The Stone of Scone, or the Elgin Marbles, it’s a guitar - drill it!

Hope that makes sense!

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.
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  #50  
Old 12-24-2019, 12:39 PM
RockerDuck RockerDuck is offline
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I've drilled holes on all my guitars, installed pickups, bridges etc.. Guitars to me are tools of the trade, made to be played. My guitars are not idols, they are just wood made to play. Pro's do it all the time. I like the battle scars from playing. I play a Taylor 814ce right now.
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  #51  
Old 12-24-2019, 02:01 PM
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I always put that blue painters tape on the area where I'm going to drill to prevent slippage.
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  #52  
Old 12-24-2019, 03:35 PM
PHJim PHJim is offline
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I am still wondering why the strap button on the treble side of the heel is being called "The Taylor Position." I have a '58 Goya and a '62 Martin that have both had buttons in this position since before the Taylor company was formed.


My Gibson does not have a pointed heel, so I put its button in the centre of the heel.

I don't like the base of the heel as the guitar tends to tip forward.
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  #53  
Old 12-24-2019, 05:36 PM
fongie fongie is offline
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For now, if it's stressing you out that much, mount/tie it from the headstock to the rear. When the "New Guitar" novelty wears off, then add the strap button to the guitar.
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  #54  
Old 12-25-2019, 08:49 AM
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I have been playing with the strap tied to the head stock and it's okay. I've acclimated to it well enough to make it work although it still feels funny. As it turns out I'm going to take it to my authorized Martin repair take for evaluation of a few things so while there I'm going to have him install the a button in the 'Taylor' position and then buy a new set of strap locks for one of my old, well-worn and comfortable Levy straps.
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  #55  
Old 12-25-2019, 09:12 AM
rstaight rstaight is offline
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I wouldn't have an issue with adding a pin. I added one to my Indiana Madison myself. I put it on the heel because that is where the Indiana Scout pin is.

The Scout came with a front strap pin. That was good enough for me so that is what was done on the Madison.

Both of the Takamine's have the strap pin in your "Taylor" position. I like that much better.

Johnny Cash tied the strap to the head stock. I have done this also. I prefer a strap pin.

I have a mandolin with the strap tied to the head stock. I tied it off between the tuners because it got in the way at the nut. It will get a pin in the near future. May take it in to have done. I want it in the "Taylor" position and that runs the risk of hitting the truse rod with the drill and screw on mandolin.
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  #56  
Old 12-25-2019, 10:09 AM
brianmay brianmay is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KenL View Post
It's really no big deal. No different than drilling those 6 or 12 holes for the tuners. You need the strap button? Drill the hole!

And NOT at the back of the heel! I hate that.
I drilled both my D-28 and 000-28 when they were brand new.

If you want a strap, get on with and get over it.
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  #57  
Old 12-25-2019, 12:19 PM
menhir menhir is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PHJim View Post
I am still wondering why the strap button on the treble side of the heel is being called "The Taylor Position."
Me, too.
I held off on my vote for a while to make sure "The Taylor Position" was what I though it was.

At any rate, it's easier to call it that instead of the undertheheelonthesidefacingthefloor position.
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  #58  
Old 12-25-2019, 12:24 PM
alnico5 alnico5 is offline
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I put a front strap button on my 1996 Taylor 412 after a long deliberation. I don't play it standing up so my indecision and not using a strap anyway is weird.
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  #59  
Old 12-25-2019, 01:13 PM
frankmcr frankmcr is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by menhir View Post
Me, too.
I held off on my vote for a while to make sure "The Taylor Position" was what I though it was.

At any rate, it's easier to call it that instead of the undertheheelonthesidefacingthefloor position.
In my experience most people call it "the usual position".
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  #60  
Old 12-25-2019, 01:18 PM
DesertTwang DesertTwang is offline
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Of all the occasions I could possibly save 10 bucks on, taking a drill to an expensive guitar is hands-down the worst I can come up with. If someone came too me and asked which option I would choose -- a very real risk of dinging up a 2k guitar BUT save $10, or spend $10 and eliminate the risk -- why would I even think about this?
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