Balance

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Balance has become my #1 issue with guitars. If a guitar plays well, sound great, looks the business, but is neck heavy, I put it back in the case and move on. When I'm standing and let go of the guitar, I like the neck to point at around 2-o-clock and stay there. If the strap slides and the headstock slides past 3, it's toast.

I always try to remedy the situation before giving up on a great guitar. Sometimes changing the metal tuner buttons (which are quite heavy) to ebony or faux ivory is enough. I've even changed strap buttons on a guitar to try and make it work. But there are times, like with my 2007 Mira, the neck weight was just too much to mitigate. So... off to eBay it went.

Is balance an issue for you? What strategies have you employed to keep a great guitar with balance issues in your line-up? Textured straps? Weighted straps (with lead or wireless transmitters)?

 

[xjbebop]

Good post. We've played with most of the things you mentioned, as Mrs. Bebop used to love bringing home wacky guitars.
I remember reading a post once some time ago that basically said what you're talking about, that there are so many guitars to choose from, why waste time & energy fighting something that doesn't balance...
So I don't any more...

 

[jfb]

I've never had issues with a PRS, but I did play a V and Mockingbird in my youth and they were nightmares. The V wanted to lean forward and the Mockingbird wanted to neck dice. I have up on them and went back the usual shapes.

 

[László]

I like a well-balanced guitar, too. I strum and pick with a light touch, and I use a lighter touch on the fretboard than a lot of players. So it's good when I don't have to apply pressure on the neck simply to hold the neck up.

However, I don't have a bright line as to "acceptable" or "not acceptable" regarding the issue. If a guitar sounds great and plays really well, I'm probably going to be more forgiving of a moderate imbalance. This is probably reflected in the fact that I've never sold a guitar because it was neck-heavy.

My easy fix is using a strap that has a suede back. The suede provides sufficient friction on the shirt that it'll keep a guitar where I want it. I haven't used it in a while because none of my PRSes are neck-heavy and I prefer a smooth leather back.

 

[justmund]

I've never noticed it so maybe it's a non issue for me. I have had the same strap since I started playing though so maybe it's got enough friction on the back to hold the guitar in place.

Next time I err put my strap on, I'll see how the guitars I have sit.

 

[gball]

I don't think much about it. My SG will dive pretty dramatically, but I rest my right wrist on the waist of the guitar when my fretting hand is off and no problem (It helps that the guitar is very light). My Mira has the slightest neck heaviness but I don't really notice it - the playability and light weight make up for any balance issues for me. My other electrics are heavy single-cut style so they sit there like anchors, which also doesn't bother me.

 

[JustRob]

My SCHBII dives like the Trieste, but I switched to a leather strap that doesn't slide and now it's no problem.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Neck dive makes you look cool though...

 

[IKnowALittle]

Wow. No disrespect, but you guys sure do overanalyze really simple things.
Pick it up and go.

 

[veinbuster]

I sit down and rest it on my thigh.

 

[CoreyT]

Leather straps are the key to prevent them from sliding on your shirts.
When I first got my 2012 SG it would dive to between 5 and 6 0'clock when I let go of it.
This was with a nylon based strap.

I now use a different nylon based strap with a pad in the middle that prevents any neck dive, as I got tired of the leather straps that you have to adjust by pulling the end through the slots.
I use Schaller Strap Locks on all of my guitars, and with the adjustable leather ones, you have to remove the Schaller end from them to adjust a strap, very time consuming.

 

[László]

Wow. No disrespect, but you guys sure do overanalyze really simple things.

Hmmm...you're new to the internet, right?

 

[WEDGE]

I had a Jackson Randy Rhoads that sounded huge but hung very oddly and I felt like I had to fight to keep hold of the neck. As much as I love my PRSi I find that a Strat body fits me the best due to the tummy cut and contours. Just hangs so perfectly on me.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

 

[watelessness]

Good thread, Hans. I too am disturbed balance and have found that lashing a Bendix brake pad to the underside of my strap mitigates the problem. It's messy though...

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Pix or it never happened. :biggrin:

I wouldn't mind having one of these straps around.

 

[JustRob]

Pix or it never happened. :biggrin:

I wouldn't mind having one of these straps around.

View attachment 1941

Haha. Another idea I see I was too slow to invent. Before I bought the strap I also considered small sandbags or fishing weights in the f-hole. It's probably best that I don't just do whatever pops in my head.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

This little jewel is the one I'm trying to help. I removed the neck pickup which made the body lighter. I want to make this part of my full-time Rocksmith rig (which I play with my kid a lot) so using a weighted strap would be no problem. Hell, I could just glue some lead to the inside of the control cavity plate.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Just hang a set of these from the strap

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Hey! That's not the picture I dared you to post. LOL