Strap button placement question...best place to reduce neck dive?

[backporchmusic]

Recently got a 1998 SG Deluxe (made a thread about the tuners) and it came from the factory with an unusual placement of the front strap button.

Why did they do this on this model? Is this better than the normal behind the neck joint spot, in terms of neck dive? I would like to move it to where it usually is, but don't want to change the geometry/physics or whathaveyou.

And no, I don't use suede straps, nor do I want to. I move around too much and too vigorously for that. I'm a nylon strap guy!

 

[Neezduts89]

This is a rather strange place to put the strap button. I would imagine that in that position, neck dive would be increased. On my standard, the strap button is centered right down from the neck joint, I’d imagine what you’re referring to as the normal position, and mine definitely has pretty bad neck dive. I don’t usually play standing up though so it is not a bother for me.

 

[donepearce]

Back of the neck, about the 12th fret. Sorry - had to do it. You could always try a folk guitar strap that slips around the headstock. Otherwise don't leave it hanging without a hand on the neck. I'd never do that and have no neck dive as a result.

 

[backporchmusic]

Back of the neck, about the 12th fret. Sorry - had to do it. You could always try a folk guitar strap that slips around the headstock. Otherwise don't leave it hanging without a hand on the neck. I'd never do that and have no neck dive as a result.

I should probably go ahead and point out that my first 'real' SG was a 1969 Standard I bought 30 years ago and played the hell out of for many years, writing, gigging, and recording. I've since owned at least 30, and have...I don't know, five right now?

I'm not a noob to it, nor do I believe that SGs 'just neck dive' because that is not my experience, nylon strap and all.

I'm just curious about this strap button placement since it was done at the factory and unique to this model (or maybe a couple of others, not sure) and I don't want to move it if it will change the geometry of neck dive--but I would prefer it in the normal spot.

 

[donepearce]

I should probably go ahead and point out that my first 'real' SG was a 1969 Standard I bought 30 years ago and played the hell out of for many years, writing, gigging, and recording. I've since owned at least 30, and have...I don't know, five right now?

I'm not a noob to it, nor do I believe that SGs 'just neck dive' because that is not my experience, nylon strap and all.

I'm just curious about this strap button placement since it was done at the factory and unique to this model (or maybe a couple of others, not sure) and I don't want to move it if it will change the geometry of neck dive--but I would prefer it in the normal spot.

The problem is built into the design. The entire neck up to the 22nd fret is clear of the body so there is nowhere to put a strap button that will be any better than the original position. One could try a Dereck Trucks tailpiece and fill it with lead.

 

[DrBGood]

I'm just curious about this strap button placement since it was done at the factory and unique to this model (or maybe a couple of others, not sure) and I don't want to move it if it will change the geometry of neck dive--but I would prefer it in the normal spot.

My first SG was Melody Maker bass. I then felt the body wanted to slightly get away forward. Call it face dive ? Only reason I see why they would put the button there.

 

[pancake81]

What’s “neck dive”?

 

[cerebral gasket]

 

[BillW]

I like the strap button on the upper horn. If it's on the back of the neck at the vertical center of the body, then the guitar has a tendency to roll forward depending on the position it rests on my gut. Maybe less of a problem for the slimmer people out there :-)

 

[Biddlin]

Every so often the Gibson folks take notice of the milksop cohort who can't hold up their guitars and try to fool them with a different button placement'.
Never seems to work. The rest of us handle 'em just fine.

 

[pancake81]

I mean I guess we all have different playing habits. But personally I have never had the issue. A good strap helps, but some prefer their nylon etc.

But honestly how does the neck dive if you are holding the neck? No guitar is perfect, I guess this is the price we pay to have a light guitar and the fastest neck in the world...

 

[papagayo]

A Gibson SG with light weight tuners never neck dive.

The SG Deluxe has a Bigsby, no matter where the strap is.

 

[Arthwys]

My front strap button is in the common position, below the neck joint, but I don't have any dive issues (2" leather strap with rough underside) The Iommi method of mounting the button right on the top of horn seems to make the most sense to me if you're fighting neck dive and aren't caring about what it looks like.
In the end, you have to do what works best for you. I hope you find a solution that makes you happy.

 

[Barry Charlton]

Recently got a 1998 SG Deluxe (made a thread about the tuners) and it came from the factory with an unusual placement of the front strap button.

Why did they do this on this model? Is this better than the normal behind the neck joint spot, in terms of neck dive? I would like to move it to where it usually is, but don't want to change the geometry/physics or whathaveyou.

And no, I don't use suede straps, nor do I want to. I move around too much and too vigorously for that. I'm a nylon strap guy!

Hi, I have a cheap S.G. copy that I bought years ago. There's all sorts of things wrong with it. It was made by a U.K. company that is notorious for q.c. issues. I should have known better but it was very cheap and I wanted something different from my other guitars. I have the same problem you have with neck drop. I moved the strap button to inside the tip of horn and it marginally improved the drop. I saw a YouTube video that advised putting ball bearings in the control cavity so I tried it. It works, probably not as completely as I'd wanted but it definitely improved. You need small ball bearings. You can get them on Amazon for a few £'s/€'s or $'s. Put the ball bearings in a plastic bag then put the bag inside the legs of a stocking or tights/pantyhose and tie a knot in them for insulation. Obviously you need to avoid damage to the the pots/wire and switch. It adds weight overall and if you don't mind that, you're good to go. Hope this helps.

 

[Nortally]

I have one of those "no scratch" cloths on the back of the guitar and velcro on my gigging shirt. Just kidding!

Actually, I've been working on some leads that really challenge me and I found that it goes much better with the guitar body at my abdomen in stead of my crotch, and the neck tilted up to a 30-45 degree angle. No neck dive detected.

 

[Goldtone]

But honestly how does the neck dive if you are holding the neck? No guitar is perfect, I guess this is the price we pay to have a light guitar and the fastest neck in the world...

This is true, but it’s very difficult for me. I’m not sure why I struggle with neck heavy guitars, I’ve never kept any. The difficulty for me is I can’t fret, chord, play lead lines while trying to hold the neck up at the same time. It’s only SG’s and Firebirds that I’ve found can be neck heavy. This is solved by choosing carefully, get a vibrola, no heavy tuners. My Teles, Strats, Les Pauls, whatever, balance well...take your hand off the neck and it doesn’t move. For those guitars I can play without fatigue. I probably wouldn’t get fatigued playing a few songs, but never would get through weekend gigs, 2 nights playing for 3 hours, with a neck heavy guitar.

Though, in reality, even just playing a few songs holding up the neck and at the same time trying to move around the fret board is just unpleasant to me.

 

[Spuds]

Attach a string to the headstock, then attach the other end of the string to the ceiling. Or go back to your strat.

 

[backporchmusic]

Attach a string to the headstock, then attach the other end of the string to the ceiling. Or go back to your strat.

Thanks for nothing!

 

[Von Trapp]

But is it balanced now with the button there or what?

 

[backporchmusic]

Thanks for the question. I'm not a fan of the current location. Neck drops a little. Want to move it but don't want any more dive than I have.

It's been quite an education to see the type of responses I got to a question in how geometry affects the neck dive on an SG. No concrete answer at all. Some helpful or trying to be, many others just snarky and a-holey, despite the fact that I have very likely been playing SGs for longer than them.

If you actually read my posts, I also clearly didn't come here and say 'SGs suck and always neck dive' so I'm not sure why so many people were such turds.

Oh well.