What to Do when an Acoustic Guitar Doesn't Have Strap Buttons

Some acoustic guitars aren't built with strap buttons. Their manufacturers either figure that they don't enhance the aesthetic qualities of the instrument, they're lazy, or they have no idea what a strap is. Honestly, there's no good reason; modern acoustics should have strap buttons for safety and convenience.

Whatever the case, you might come across an acoustic guitar that you really, really like which doesn't have any strap buttons. This can be momentarily perplexing, but you've got a few options.

Here are a few things to do with an acoustic guitar that doesn't have strap buttons.

Work around it. Many acoustic guitars will have a strap button at the tail of the guitar but nothing around the top of the body, so you can attach a strap to one side but not the other. You an run a shoe string right past the nut of the guitar and tie this into the other hole of your strap to hold the guitar up.

There are a few things to remember if you go this route. First of all, make sure to buy a strap that's easily adjustable. Otherwise, you'll have to untie the strap every time someone else wants to play your guitar or if you ever decide to change how it's hanging on you.

Second, make sure that you tie a good knot. This should go without saying, but you really don't want your guitar slamming into a floor because you weren't a good enough Boy Scout to get the "knot tying" merit badge. If necessary, tie a few knots.

I should note that they also sell small strap release systems that run past the nut, and these can be very convenient. Just don't get a false sense of confidence. Never trust a strap to hold your guitar. Always be ready to catch it if and when the strap fails.

Install strap buttons. If your guitar doesn't have strap buttons on either side or if you don't like the look of the option above, you can always have strap buttons installed. Choose a guitar repair shop that has worked with a ton of acoustics, as you don't want them making a bigger hole than what's necessary.

You should also bring in your own strap buttons for them to install rather than leaving the color, quality, and design of the buttons up to the guitar tech. Make sure that he or she knows exactly where you want the strap buttons on the guitar. Think about how the guitar will lay in its case and make sure that you're not going to end up buying new cases and accessories just because you've installed strap buttons.

Installing strap buttons on an acoustic guitar should have no impact on the instrument's sound if it's handled correctly. It's also a fairly cheap job, but thinking about the details will save you some hassle in the long run.

Any tips for using an acoustic guitar without strap buttons? Post below.