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[Richard J Delong]

Hello!

I've been searching through past discussions about shoulder straps and, although I'm a beginner and have no experience playing with them yet, I've concluded that I'd like to begin with two shoulder straps (then try the one just over the right shoulder, as I see used so effectively by many of you!) - so it's not my intention to open a debate about strap preference necessarily, but rather to ask advice on what type of double straps may fit a Pokerwork well?  I recently found these nice looking double straps made by Neotech (sold through the Button Box) for a reasonable price -

https://www.buttonbox.com/accessories.html#DoubleStraps

Has anyone used these for a similar sixed box to a Pokerwork?

Also (if you can open the link above), has anyone used the Neotech Harness Straps that appear to have the additional back belt design as well?  This seems like it could have its advantages and feel really supportive, but perhaps a bit more restrictive than the first pair mentioned above?

In general I anticipate playing while seated and don't foresee standing much.

Any advice on specific types of straps and where to purchase them (ideally in the US, but I'm open to any suggestions) would be very much appreciated!  Lastly, I'll be placing an order for pallet felt from Mr. Charlie Marshall soon, so if someone is familiar with his strap selection and has a recommendation it could be good timing.

I should mention that my budget is very much on the 'economy' end of the spectrum (less than $40 US would be ideal...)!

Thank you all so much for your advice!

Rich

[Winston Smith]

I'd offer a word of warning here; after trying a good number of strap lengths and arrangements, I now just play with a thumb strap and the box over my knee as I couldn't find a pair of straps which allowed a comfortable playing position. It's probably due to me having a typical beer belly (although I don't drink it!) and I cannot get away with the one strap and crossed legs style either.
My experimental strap collection didn't cost me any money to speak of, but I'd hate to see a fellow, financially restricted, aficionado waste what little cash he may have available. Just saying!

[Theo]

You should be able to improvise a temporary strap from a belt or luggage strap possibly with some bits of cord to join things together.  If you plan to play mainly sitting down a sing strap may be all you need.

With a light box like a pokerwork you may not need padded straps.  A single plain strap will be much cheaper than double padded straps.  Something like this from Charlie Marshall may be all you need.

[Richard J Delong]

Okay, thank you both - I'll put some more thought into this... I'm getting excited about the prospect of finding good support for the box to free up my hands more, particularly on the treble side as the thumb strap is just barely manageable (for me anyway, at this point) and gets a little uncomfortable and awkward... yep, looking forward to some strap set-up, even a simple arrangement, and the thought of moving more freely along the right side.

[Theo]

Don't expect any strap arrangement to give you instant results.  It takes time and practice to find a method that works for you so try the simplest methods first and give yourself at least a few weeks before you reject any one method. 

[Steve C.]

The Italcinte 323 work very nice on the Pokerwork. Button Box have them. I think this is what CGM sells as well.
If you buy the long set, you can use it as a "one strap".  Depending on how tall you are, how long your arms, how high you like the the box, the medium might be enough.  I am 5'8 and find the medium to be fine with a few added holes. 
But I suppose you could do the same with the longer set and add extra holes to shorten, if needed.  Very nice straps.
(IMO) don't let the videos of a lot of the more experienced Melnetters fool you.  It is damn hard to hold the box steady when you are learning!  Plus with a nice light PW it is nice to play standing and walking around.

[Steve C.]

Richard, also, Theo's thoughts are right on.  Here are my "loaner" straps, they are ¾" web from the outdoor store, 52" each, plus added delrin "D" adjusters.  Cheap, don't scratch and fine for a PW since they are light. 

[playandteach]

I think those web straps with quick adjusters are also good for finding your length. It can be a bit of a pain to adjust stiff leather straps for playing around with different positions, particularly when you are covering up the buckles each time to stop the risk of scratching.
Personally I found it easier to find a strap position when standing up, as the box tends to find a place to sit making it obvious if it's too high or too low, whereas when sitting (it seems to me) there can be more options for trying to make the box sit right (distance from body, how to hold it against which leg etc.).
It's obviously a trial and error thing, but most two strappers have the right hand strap slightly longer than the left, so as not to cramp the right arm.
I bought some plain leather accordion straps on ebay from Poland (seller is called musicstickers1) for £14 plus postage and they look very good, but haven't used them yet.

[Thrupenny Bit]

It was a revelation to me to be able to support my instrument by straps and free up my hands after coming from an English Concertina where its supported on thumb straps and little finger.
I use two straps and it took me a while to get them right. Every so often I'd mess around to try new positions. It takes a while to find your personal sweet spot.
I have the bass end slightly lower than the treble end, or to be more specific, the treble keyboard doesn't hang straight down my body, it leans out from the vertical slightly at the bottom.
I have tried to keep my arms, wrists and hands in a relaxed position with fairly straight lines. I have friends who have developed tendon problems from playing with a single loooong strap and wrist bent at a bad angle, so have tried to keep angles as gentle as possible.
...but that's me, others will be different!
Cheers
Q

[TomBom]

I started using a pair of padded straps, after that unpadded ones. Now my favourite straps: a thin old camera strap and a shoelace for my left shoulder ...

[Winston Smith]

TomBom, you sound like a man after my own heart!

[Steve_freereeder]

Just a warning about the plastic 'dog-clip' fasters often found on the end of nylon webbing straps. The plastic clips are hard and rigid, and if you use them to attach the strap to the melodeon, sooner or later the plastic clip will dig in to the woodwork of the melodeon and leave an unsightly dent. The damage often occurs when the instrument is stored or carried in its case or gig bag and there is little clearance or flexibility around the clips.

A leather strap attached with traditional buckles is more flexible, and if the buckles are further protected with a leather or fabric sleeve, the risk of cosmetic damage is minimal.

[Peadar]

Does your wife not own a handbag or two with detachable shoulder straps? It is only convention to have both straps the same colour.

If the answer is no then visit a charity shop (you may call them thrift shops) and find a nice looking handbag which you think your good lady might like....just remember to remove the shoulder strap before you give her the bag.

Steve is right about these not being a good permanent solution but as an initial trial rig they will do no harm.

[Richard J Delong]

Excellent advice, thank you all. 

It's funny, even though my budget is a little tight at the moment (I'm becoming a full-time again at age 37 this fall...), I'm really feeling inclined to set myself up to learn as well as possible, and in my beginner's mind that has meant buying some plush gear!  But I really see the logic that strap preferences are not only unique to the player, but also take time to settle-into and require patience and adjustment...

I must admit that I'm still curious about the double Neotech straps with the back closure, as the (probably naive) thought of being "locked-in" and having both hands much more free to move sounds wonderful!  We'll see if I can resist spending money unnecessarily as an enthusiastic beginner, but that's not my strong suit...

As a note, I did just purchase an adjustable padded bass strap, and shiny bass feet from Mr. Marshall, along with enough felt to resurface the pallets on both sides.  I can't wait to dive into that, and I send my heartiest is THANK YOU to Lester for the empowering videos!  I feel like I already know the innards of a Pokerwork without ever having turned a screw yet.  Thank you so much Lester for taking the time to make those videos - the joy of playing has already quieted the clacking pallets to a degree, but the thought of a softer slap is motivating!

Thank you all again for you advice.  I will report back on what works best over the months to come if it can help other raw beginners like myself.

Rich

PS - I played a couple simple French waltzes the other night around a fire for the first time for a group of friends - was good timing as the mead had been flowing and I think everyone was surprised enough to hear a melodeon (for many for the first time...) that no one really seemed to notice how nervous I was and all the false starts!  Great fun though, and we all sang an improvised song afterwards while I just omm-pah-pah'd a waltz beat and held some buttons together!  What other instrument can you play for a month and do that with you friends?!

Thank you MelNet!

[Peadar]

I must admit that I'm still curious about the double Neotech straps with the back closure, as the (probably naive) thought of being "locked-in" and having both hands much more free to move sounds wonderful!  We'll see if I can resist spending money unnecessarily as an enthusiastic beginner, but that's not my strong suit...

Richard You are a bloke. You have got shoulders. A small rucsack doesn't fall off your back for want of a chest strap does it? Sure if you are carrying a fully laden 70 litre rucsack on a two day expedition a chest strap helps but this is a 3.6kg (8lb) Pokerwork you're talking about.

There is a well known photograph of Rose Murphy (PJ Conlon's sister) standing in her kitchen with what I think was a Hohner Double Ray hanging off a single shoulder strap. You may also wish to consider whether the US coastguard still has the drowning category  MOFO  (Man Overboard Flies Open)... .  Accidents still happen on small boats and you don't want to be the first man recorded drowned by being dragged down by his melodeon.

[Steve_freereeder]

Steve is right about these not being a good permanent solution but as an initial trial rig they will do no harm.

You'd be surprised how easy it is to inadvertently cause denting/bruising with the plastic dog clips fittings. You only just got to get a clip at the wrong angle when getting the box hoisted up on to your shoulders and bam! the damage is done.
I speak from experience...

[Richard J Delong]

I must admit that I'm still curious about the double Neotech straps with the back closure, as the (probably naive) thought of being "locked-in" and having both hands much more free to move sounds wonderful!  We'll see if I can resist spending money unnecessarily as an enthusiastic beginner, but that's not my strong suit...

Richard You are a bloke. You have got shoulders. A small rucsack doesn't fall off your back for want of a chest strap does it? Sure if you are carrying a fully laden 70 litre rucsack on a two day expedition a chest strap helps but this is a 3.6kg (8lb) Pokerwork you're talking about.

There is a well known photograph of Rose Murphy (PJ Conlon's sister) standing in her kitchen with what I think was a Hohner Double Ray hanging off a single shoulder strap. You may also wish to consider whether the US coastguard still has the drowning category  MOFO  (Man Overboard Flies Open)... .  Accidents still happen on small boats and you don't want to be the first man recorded drowned by being dragged down by his melodeon.

Thank you Peadar, points well taken! 

Yep when I was younger I worked in a big outdoor gear store and I can remember all the folks starting a new hobby (hiking or paddling or fly-fishing) and the mountains of gear they'd walk away with - most of which they had no idea how to use or even why it was such a critical purchase in the first place... just happy to be starting a new pursuit!  It's a good thing everyone here gives such solid (minimalist) advice, otherwise I'd be spending even more time searching for the best triple-strapped harness and forget that I can't play a jig yet...  yep, practice is what I need most now (and those quiet, newly-felted pallets)!

Thanks all!

[Peadar]

Steve is right about these not being a good permanent solution but as an initial trial rig they will do no harm.

You'd be surprised how easy it is to inadvertently cause denting/bruising with the plastic dog clips fittings. You only just got to get a clip at the wrong angle when getting the box hoisted up on to your shoulders and bam! the damage is done.
I speak from experience...

Richard- I would take Steve's advice on this one.

[Emily Peabody]

I use Neotech shoulder straps (without the back strap) for my piano accordion, and they're great because the accordion is a big heavy monster. My Pokerwork by comparison is light as a feather and came with much lighter padded straps, which are all I need.

If you've got a really heavy instrument or are trying to ease back or shoulder pain, the big Neotech straps can be very useful.

[Richard J Delong]

Thanks Emily - I think I'm going to start simple as was suggested above (very simple, in fact, with some small diameter rope to at least get a feel for the single strap and a sense of the needed length), then probably look to a basic leather melodeon strap (maybe two!) once I have a better sense of the length. 

Looking forward to it, as I'm recognizing that I'm already developing a different technique of resting the bass end against my left leg with the treble side angled upwards and freely moving (so that I'm pushing and pulling using the thumb strap) which definitely feels limiting as my right hand is not very mobile while hooked into the thumb strap and trying to control the bellows... I see that many of you fine players here are 'reversed' in a sense, with the treble end set stationary on the leg and a single strap hooked on the opposite shoulder, moving only the bass end and leaving your right hand totally free... Anyway, all new revelations to me and looking forward to experimenting!

Rich