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Author Topic: Strap advice required  (Read 2431 times)

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Jennie lloyd

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Strap advice required
« on: February 11, 2019, 03:47:54 PM »

Hi everyone
Very new to the world of melodeons (although I’ve owned one for five years I’ve barely put air in the bellows!). Attended the playgroup on Saturday and had a great time, fully inspired now. Next job is to get some straps to make playing more comfortable for my bad back, I have a Hohner Pokerwork and if anyone has any advice on some decent straps i’d be very glad to hear it  (:)
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John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2019, 04:23:49 PM »

If you're going to play standing up, and you have a bad back, then you need two straps. Some Melnetters say two straps is the only way to go, standing up or sitting down. I can't play standing because I use only one strap, I find it awkward. It is of course your choice, but you could always buy a pair of straps, try it with one, and add the second if you can't make it work.


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Lester

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2019, 04:51:43 PM »

Charlie Marshall is your man, he does pairs of nice black leather padded straps for £32 + p&p like THESE.

Best to phone him with your requirements to make sure the straps are the right size.

Jennie lloyd

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2019, 05:44:20 PM »

Thanks both for the advice and the pointer, padded straps definitely sound like the way forward. Thanks for the link
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2019, 06:36:20 PM »

Charlie Marshall is your man, he does pairs of nice black leather padded straps for £32 + p&p like THESE.

Best to phone him with your requirements to make sure the straps are the right size.

These look good, I actually have several pairs that are quite similar (although mine are equal in length) but I've just checked them and they appear to have shot up in price - from about £25-30 to £46 now whereas Charlie, as ever, offers good value.  He'll also be able to tell you if they are suitable for you box and send them to you ridiculously quickly.

Glad you enjoyed Playgroup on Saturday.  We had a good time too.
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Jennie lloyd

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2019, 07:32:40 PM »

Thanks Helena.

Had a great time Saturday, I’m absolutely hooked. I’ve not stopped playing since I got home and I’ve had the box five years and only picked it up once before. I am humming the sweet melody that is Winster Gallop in my sleep though! ;D
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Henry Piper

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2019, 07:54:52 PM »

If your looking for something a little more modestly priced there are quite a few people offering padded Vinyl accordion straps on Ebay, for around £12 per pair !!, Some come from China and can take around a month to arrive but some are from U.K suppliers. Obviously there probably not as hardwearing as Leather ones, but they are comfortable in use and a fraction of the cost.
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Steve C.

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2019, 08:52:28 PM »

I just ordered a couple Mally straps and they are still a great deal, even with shipping to States. (single strap setup for the cool people, the strong and the sitter downers....)
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Pat McInnis

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2019, 03:22:52 PM »

Charlie Marshall is your man, he does pairs of nice black leather padded straps for £32 + p&p like THESE.

Best to phone him with your requirements to make sure the straps are the right size.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I ordered this set and use them separately as single straps on two different boxes when sitting down. Comfortable and affordable. Looking forward to the leather breaking in a bit though.
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Scotty Gring

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2019, 01:07:44 AM »

I'm seeking advice as to where to mount my bracket.  I bought a couple of straps from Charlie (If my wife ever finds out how much I've spent for postage and parts she'll kill me in my sleep) for my four stop Weltmeister and there's not a lot of room to choose.  I'm thinking I'll be a one-strapper - play sitting down and anxious to give up that limiting, annoying thumb strap.  Where do any of you guys mount a single strap with good results, so I don't end up with a melodeon that looks like Swiss cheese after mounting and unmounting a bracket several times?  Thanks!
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2019, 01:40:18 AM »

Whether it's for a single strap or a double strap, the proper place to mount the bracket is on the top and bottom surfaces of the right-hand end.

The brackets can be various shapes and designs, but if they are semi-circular or 'V' shaped, the important orientation is with the outer rim of the semicircle or the point of the 'V' facing your body.

Here are a couple of photos showing the position of a semi-circle bracket on top of a Castagnari Laura, and single bracket 'D'-ring mount on a one-row Wesson Clipper. In both cases there is a matching type of bracket on the underneath surface too.

Hope this helps...
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tirpous

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2019, 02:03:11 AM »

On 1-rows, it's not uncommon to see the low D-ring mounted on the lower rear bellows frame rather than underneath.  Presumably makes it easier to stand the box.
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2019, 02:06:08 AM »

On 1-rows, it's not uncommon to see the low D-ring mounted on the lower rear bellows frame rather than underneath.  Presumably makes it easier to stand the box.
Yes, that works too, but the trade-off is that the instrument doesn't sit so well inside a hard case; the lower strap buckle/end and bracket stop it sitting flat.
Yer pays yer money and takes yer choice... 
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Steve
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Scotty Gring

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2019, 03:15:35 AM »

Very helpful - I need to go back and look but it seemed like I'm limited for open mounting area on this.  I'm thinking just inboard of the nearest stop?  (sorry this is a stock image - box is still at the office.  Wife doesn't know I bought it yet so I'm keeping it at work  :-\  (much to the "delight" of my co-workers  :||:
« Last Edit: February 13, 2019, 03:36:03 AM by Scotty Gring »
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Proving each day that, just like golf, merely possessing the equipment
in no way guarantees you have any idea what the hell you're doing.      ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hohner 1040C, 2815G/C (pre-Pokerwork), Hohner A/D 21/12 Italienne. Titano Titan Piano Accordion (with apologies).

Winston Smith

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2019, 07:40:41 AM »

"Wife doesn't know I bought it yet"

Be very careful, Scotty. That's surely a recipe for disaster!
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Lester

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #15 on: February 13, 2019, 07:55:40 AM »

On all my 1 rows I use these picture hanging rings as strap brackets


https://www.diy.com/departments/b-q-brass-effect-large-picture-hook-pack-of-4/241772_BQ.prd
« Last Edit: February 13, 2019, 11:20:55 AM by Lester »
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #16 on: February 13, 2019, 09:00:33 AM »

... I'm thinking just inboard of the nearest stop?

Your image link didn't work, but I'm assuming it is a bit like this?
https://www.buttonbox.com/images/weltcajunbeech-03b.jpg

If so, a D-link style bracket just on the bellows side of the nearest stop would be fine. You may need to mount the bracket on top of one of the fancy metal corner pieces. Just make sure that the strap will not foul the stop or stop shaft when playing. Fix the bracket to the bellows frame part of the instrument, not the frame with the stops.

See also the photo of my Wesson Clipper in my earlier reply on this thread.

Charlie Marshall sells a variety of brackets...
http://www.cgmmusical.co.uk/CGM_Musical_Services/Strap_Brackets.html
... or you can use something like Lester's picture hanging brackets.
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Steve
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Theo

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #17 on: February 13, 2019, 09:36:42 AM »

On 1-rows, it's not uncommon to see the low D-ring mounted on the lower rear bellows frame rather than underneath.  Presumably makes it easier to stand the box.

I would recommend the D ring type like this for a one row.  If you get the type with a flat folded fitting as shown you can attach it with a screw in to the hole in the metal corner piece, either on the back or on the top or bottom surface.  So no new screw holes needed.
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Scotty Gring

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2019, 09:12:17 PM »

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!  I like Lester's suggestion - much easier to find and I know I can hold it in my hand and imagine it on the box rather than looking at the ones on Charlie's site.  I got some chrome corners for my old pre-pokerwork that I sure were correct but are a little bigger and are going to require a bit of re-work and I don't want to have to do that too often. 

The placement ideas have also given me some much-needed guidance!
Thanks again!! 
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Proving each day that, just like golf, merely possessing the equipment
in no way guarantees you have any idea what the hell you're doing.      ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hohner 1040C, 2815G/C (pre-Pokerwork), Hohner A/D 21/12 Italienne. Titano Titan Piano Accordion (with apologies).

Martin P

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Re: Strap advice required
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2019, 11:34:05 PM »

Replying to OP Jennie (normal topic drift on this thread), I would advise getting a back strap that holds together shoulder straps, otherwise shoulder straps tend to slip off left shoulder. I have several designs, but the one that clips together in the middle (Bit like a rucksack strap clip) works best. I know some players with limited shoulder mobility find them difficult to fasten, but I have advantage of long arms and reasonable mobility for 60+ years. I have noticed of late that if I play sat down just using one strap, I get strain in my wrists, whereas playing with double straps feels a lot more comfortable both seated or stood up and definately better control.
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