Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Ok. Not many of you may care about this, but I am going crazy trying to find this out. For you older guys who were playing acoustic guitar in the 50's ans 60's - can you please explain the way the strap was connected to the headstock? I have a poster of John Lennon holding his J-160E on stage, and it appears there is a loop of material around the headstock (at the nut of course) and that there is a clip or something attached to it and then a small piece of strap clipped to the cilp, and the strap end tied to the end of the long guitar strap. Anyway, could someone give me a better description please. Also, any ideas where I could purchase such a vintage set up? I really would like to replicate that look with my own J-160E. I know Rickenbacker, and Fender and some others make vintage straps, but I can't find the part for the headsrock, clips, etc (or any explanation on how to do it) anywhere. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

Does this help?

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/p ... 423930.jpg

I don't think Planet Waves was around in the '60s!

I use one of those Planet Waves ones, before that I just used a shoelace!

Hi - thanks for the post. You obviously knew what I was trying to say, but no, sadly, this is the modern version of what I was talking about. I think the system the Beatles and others were using then was something like this: A regular guitar strap (vintage, thin style with adjustment made using a buckle) Then, the mechanism at the headstock was a small strap around the headstock at the nut, and attached to that was a dog collar/leash style clip. Then clippped to that, was a short piece of leather with holes in it that was used with the buckle in the strap for adjustment. Then any leather that was "extra" or "hanging" would have been knotted up or somehow secured onto the strap so as not to interfere with playing. Of course, the photo you have pointed me to is a much cleaner way to do the same thing, but they hadn't thought of that yet in 1964. But I appreciate your response. If anyone knows who is making these please let me kow. Thanks everyone.

I remember using a shoestring, or a leather boot string. I thought it was clumsy. The strap end often got in the way of certain chord shapes, B7 in particular as I recall, and perhaps C. And the knot in the shoestring was always in danger of loosening. What a relief it was to discover that a button could be put somewhere on the heel of the guitar's neck!

JimK

Hey Richard,

I think you want something like this: http://www.voxshowroom.com/northcoast/h ... strap.html

This is the same strap that Paul used on his Hofner bass. It has a clip at the end, which you can attach to a string tied around the headstock behind the nut.

You mean like this? The closest I could find was this - (but you would need to add the white cord to go around the neck at the nut).
http://www.pattyscustomleather.com/order.htm Scroll down.

I want that microphone! AKG C12.

godber wrote:You mean like this?

Johnstudio652.jpg

RubberSoul3.jpg

The closest I could find was this - (but you would need to add the white cord to go around the neck at the nut).

LeatherGuitarStrap_SM.jpg

http://www.pattyscustomleather.com/order.htm Scroll down.

Thanks Mark. I think you nailed it! I am going to get one of those and see what happens. I will let you know. And to Dan, thanks for the reference to the Vox Dr., but i actually already emailed Gary about his (Bass) strap, and he said it would definitely not work on the J-160E. Thanks to all wo have replied. Peace!

Sorry to revive this thread, but I just happened to have a Hofner strap around and I decided to try it out on my J-160E...it works! It looks the part totally and seems to be very stable and comfortable. I'll post pics as soon as I get a chance.

lennon211 wrote:Sorry to revive this thread, but I just happened to have a Hofner strap around and I decided to try it out on my J-160E...it works! It looks the part totally and seems to be very stable and comfortable. I'll post pics as soon as I get a chance.

Thanks Matthew. As a matter of fact, I did the same thing you did. I found a guy in New York who makes vintage straps for the Hofner bass, and I bought one. It's too long, and you don't need all the parts supplied with it, but it does look the part like you said. Also, the same guy is working on making one specifically for the J-160E and he says he hopes to have it ready "around the holidays", so I am anxiously awaiting. I will email him next week to check on his progress. Let me know if you are interested, and I will let you know more info.

HenryThe Horse wrote:

lennon211 wrote:Sorry to revive this thread, but I just happened to have a Hofner strap around and I decided to try it out on my J-160E...it works! It looks the part totally and seems to be very stable and comfortable. I'll post pics as soon as I get a chance.

Thanks Matthew. As a matter of fact, I did the same thing you did. I found a guy in New York who makes vintage straps for the Hofner bass, and I bought one. It's too long, and you don't need all the parts supplied with it, but it does look the part like you said. Also, the same guy is working on making one specifically for the J-160E and he says he hopes to have it ready "around the holidays", so I am anxiously awaiting. I will email him next week to check on his progress. Let me know if you are interested, and I will let you know more info.

I'm interested. Let me know how it comes out.

Hello.
I'm glad I found this discussion because I've been trying to duplicate Lennon's guitar strap as well.
Found some pictures that show how his strap worked.

Seems if you use a Fender Deluxe Black Vintage Guitar Strap and find a way to add a button or snap at one end with some kind of clip or hook then at the headstock attach white shoelace with a ring for the strap to hook onto, that might work.

http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/597134.jpg
http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/ ... 8eaf_o.jpg
http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/ ... 0e-001.jpg
http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/ ... 0e-002.jpg
http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/ ... 0e-003.jpg
http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/ ... dio652.jpg
http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/ ... s_5cf4.jpg
http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/74281220.jpg


Hope this helps!

I've always thought that the VOX strap attachment was so funky and amateurish looking. Thanks, Johnny--- great to see this classic pix at such a large and clear size.
http://www.pixelpopgraphics.com/photos/ ... 8eaf_o.jpg
.............. {sigh}