Top heavy

[dwstout]

I'm new to archtop guitars. I tried playing my Eastman T185 standing (using a strap). The body is so much lighter than the head/neck that the head keeps falling down unless I'm actively holding the guitar. Never had that problem with my acoustics. Is this "normal"?

[RobertD0]

Originally Posted by dwstout

I'm new to archtop guitars. I tried playing my Eastman T185 standing (using a strap). The body is so much lighter than the head/neck that the head keeps falling down unless I'm actively holding the guitar. Never had that problem with my acoustics. Is this "normal"?

Not normal but a well known problem in light weight archtop guitar design. I remember reading about it in Bob Benedetto's excellent "Making an Archtop Guitar" - start reading at "neck".

https://books.google.com/books?id=u7...20neck&f=false

If it doesn't work for you, better to find a more well balanced archtop. I don't remember having that problem with my Eastman 804CE. It felt very well balanced.

[Daddyo]

Neck dive. A common problem with a lot of guitars.
One solution is to use a wide strap with a soft inner surface that will grip your shoulder.

Another is to take a piece of light surgical tubing and tile a loop on one end, put your foot through it, put on your shoe, and tie the other end to the end pin area of your strap.








[the second solution is a joke]

[kurth83]

Had the same problem with my T5, tried several things, but the strap change worked best, the wide soft leather straps with the unfinished side down are the ones I liked best, they don't slip. I think before that I had the slipperiest straps money could buy, never noticed until I got a neck-heavy guitar. :-)

[kkfan]

Originally Posted by kurth83

Had the same problem with my T5, tried several things, but the strap change worked best, the wide soft leather straps with the unfinished side down are the ones I liked best, they don't slip. I think before that I had the slipperiest straps money could buy, never noticed until I got a neck-heavy guitar. :-)

Can you please provide a link to a strap similar to the one that worked for you?

Thanks!

[Digits_Only]

I like my guitars to hang at a 45 degree angle, roughly the headstock is at the same level as my head. All my guitars want to hang horizontally (none have neck-dive).

I took a fabric pouch used for wireless amp connections and put a ziplock full of BBs in it, then attached it to the tail block end of my strap. A little fiddling with the number of BBs and now my guitars hang perfectly (for me). I also added Hideagrips to the underside of the strap.