Strap clip

[Alan Caffrey]

So I have long fingers and Noel suggested I get taller hand rests, which I did and installed on my instruments. Now, my straps are held in place close to the concertina face by the usual system of a wire that attaches under the rests, problem: because my rests are tall there is a lot of play in the strap backwards and forwards - Noel pointed this out to me and suggested I put a countersunk screw through the strap into the rest higher up the hand rest. I'm not sure I like that idea (more holes in the straps/a screw right where my thumb usually rests) and I know I've seen instruments with metal strap guides - but which maker or makers use them? I was hoping to purchase four of them (I have two concertinas)to solve my difficulty.

 

Atb. Alan.

[Dana Johnson]

So I have long fingers and Noel suggested I get taller hand rests, which I did and installed on my instruments. Now, my straps are held in place close to the concertina face by the usual system of a wire that attaches under the rests, problem: because my rests are tall there is a lot of play in the strap backwards and forwards - Noel pointed this out to me and suggested I put a countersunk screw through the strap into the rest higher up the hand rest. I'm not sure I like that idea (more holes in the straps/a screw right where my thumb usually rests) and I know I've seen instruments with metal strap guides - but which maker or makers use them? I was hoping to purchase four of them (I have two concertinas)to solve my difficulty.

 

Atb. Alan.

Either a countersunk ( in the wood of the rest and or the strap guide of the sort on the other end of Wheatstone rests ) will leave you with a flush screw if it is a flat head type which is the only sort that would make sense in this instance. Your thumb should have no problems with a properly done job. Keep in mind that if you intend to be able to adjust your strap with that sort of arrangement, you will have not only the knurled screw on the end frame to undo but the flat head one as well. Wheatstones adjusted from the other end of the strap and only needed the one adjusting screw . It might have been a good idea when you had the new rests made to have changed the strap system from the original ( still something to consider since your current rests should be easily adaptable ) to the Wheatstone style which gives better fixing of the thumb side of the strap. There are a multitude of ways to tinker this, but do it right and you'd probably spend less in the long run. It isn't a difficult job to change the strap systems.

Dana