# SG strap pin confusion



## Franko (May 31, 2016)

Hey guys.
I have a new Gibson SG.
Its a really awesome guitar but the neck dive is really unbearable.
If I am not holding it, it literally shoots right down till its pointing straight at the floor.
All the research I've done online advised to move the strap pin to the tip of the first horn to help correct the neck dive.
Well, i brought it to 2 diffrent luthiers in my area who both told me they didn't think it was a great idea. The said it would probaly be ok, but was a bit of a risk since the tip of the horn's wood is extreemly thin and pointy.

My first luthier ended up putting it just to the side of the tip. And I'll be honest, it feels much much more comforatble, and no more neck dive....its just that it pulls the strap a bit and I also have never seen anyone else put it at this place.
But if its fixed my problem and is comfortable...that should be enough right?

Also, in general, whats the deal with this?
Every single Strat, Les Paul I have ever seen has always had the strap pin in the exact same place.
I went to my local store and the first 3 SG's I pulled of the wall ALL had them in diffrent places.....sometimes at the heel, sometimes BEHIND the horn....whats up with that?

Sorry for the long msg but I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this for me

thanks in advance guys


----------



## raytsh (Jun 1, 2016)

I moved the pin to the top of the horn on my SG. Never had a single problem with it that way. Heel and backside of the horn are common from what I understand. It's more stable that way I guess. I've first see the pin at the tip of the horn at Iommi's guitars. Some, if not all, of his signature SGs have it that way.


----------



## CaptainD00M (Jun 2, 2016)

If I understood your description having a strap pin here:






It isn't weird. BC Rich warlocks, Bitches (  ) and Beasts came with that standard at one point. ESP Vipers also.

But yeah you can move it to the end of the horn like Iommi and the Raytsh mention, if you are DIY'ing it, just be sure to start with a small pilot hole and be carful as you can split the wood when drilling a bigger one and then inserting the screw.

Slow is your friend and you won't screw it up


----------



## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Jun 2, 2016)

CaptainD00M said:


> If I understood your description having a strap pin here:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Just to add to that, when pilot drilling, follow up with countersinking the hole ever so slightly, this will aid in preventing any potential "chip out".

A countersink kit is all of $6.00 at Harbor Freight, well worth having in your toolbox.


----------



## CaptainD00M (Jun 2, 2016)

Thanks tony, I forgot the correct terms for chip out and how to avoid it (insomnia kills my memory recall) and omitted it XD


----------



## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Jun 2, 2016)

CaptainD00M said:


> Thanks tony, I forgot the correct terms for chip out and how to avoid it (insomnia kills my memory recall) and omitted it XD



My pleasure. If you were doing this to an unfinished body, it'd be no big deal, but lil things like this can go the extra mile to preserve the finish on your guitar.


----------



## vilk (Jun 2, 2016)

I don't get this.

I play an Edwards SG, it's just a lawsuit Gibson sold by ESP in Japan. 
It has the perfect balance, a perfect 45 degree angle from my hips.
I love the way this guitar balances so much, that now I have been slowly replacing the guitars in my collection with those that balance the same way (like my Washburn Culprit does as well, and also perfect balance like my SG, also has the button on the neck joint).

I also had an ESP Viper, which has the button on the horn
This guitar had miserable neck dive. I had intended to have the button moved to the same location as my SG, but ended up just trading it away instead.

Is there something wrong with my body? How is this possible? My Eddy balances perfect even with a plain nylon strap that slides around freely.


----------



## feraledge (Jun 2, 2016)

I've owned a Gibson SG, an ESP Viper and an LTD Viper, put the strap button on the tip of the horn on all of them with no neck dive.


----------



## Franko (Jun 3, 2016)

the thing I dont understand is, on most guitars its OBVIOUS where the strap pin should go.
But with SG's i've seen them in a bunch of diffrent places.

Here's some pics I took from my local guitar shop the other day.
Some of the guitars here are Gibson/Epiphone, some are ESP/LTD, I think a couple are Dearmond. But they are all your basic SG shape...and almost everyone has it in a completley diffrent spot!
Someone explain!


----------



## CaptainD00M (Jun 3, 2016)

Franko said:


> the thing I dont understand is, on most guitars its OBVIOUS where the strap pin should go.
> But with SG's i've seen them in a bunch of diffrent places.
> 
> Someone explain!



Your Mileage May Vary  like having Vol and Tone knobs in different places - or a guitar with a floyd.

Gibson has always put the strap pin on the tenon/back of the neck pocket and for some people, like Vilk for example, its fine. Others like Iommi and Feraledge move it to the horn like a strat to counteract the neck dive.


----------



## Franko (Jun 3, 2016)

ok fair enough.
I guess some positions are more popular than others....
Are there any positions that are flat out wrong?


----------



## CaptainD00M (Jun 3, 2016)

69ing






































But again man YMMV, if you're positioning a pin to correct neck dive then anything that doesn't do that or any positioning of the pin thats impractical. But the reality is that aside from SG's and Thunderbirds most guitars have the pin in more or less the only logical/practical place. Thing is aside from basic ergonomics and basic playability/functionality a lot of stuff on guitars is down to personal taste - I take it that you are reasonably new to playing guitar?

Because if you are you will see wildly divergent opinions on this forum alone, I for one love 24.75" necks and tune to B. Some will swear by Baritone necks for B standard, best advice is to figure out what you like and go with that - that may change over time or take some trial and error but its the best thing.


----------



## Nag (Jun 3, 2016)

now here's a question : why does nobody ever try to move the OTHER strap pin ? the one on the instrument's butt. my physics/engineering classes and intuition tell me it should work.


----------



## Humbuck (Jun 3, 2016)




----------



## rockskate4x (Jun 4, 2016)

Nagash said:


> now here's a question : why does nobody ever try to move the OTHER strap pin ? the one on the instrument's butt. my physics/engineering classes and intuition tell me it should work.



I have my epiphone SG's strap pins close to the tip of the horn (i was worried about the tip being too narrow as well, but I'm close enough), and the butt side strap pin has been shifted maybe 2 inches from it's original location in the direction of the forearm. This makes the butt sag lower  so that the headstock is more likely to go higher.


----------



## Franko (Jun 4, 2016)

rockskate4x said:


> I have my epiphone SG's strap pins close to the tip of the horn (i was worried about the tip being too narrow as well, but I'm close enough), and the butt side strap pin has been shifted maybe 2 inches from it's original location in the direction of the forearm. This makes the butt sag lower  so that the headstock is more likely to go higher.



sounds like what my luthier did to mine.
The second to last photo in my pictures (the black guitar with white pickups) 
is exactly where mine it.

It seems from the resreach i've done, putting it at the tip of the horn is the most popular place, but i've got to be honest, I find it looks really weird.
Like the guitar has a pimple or something


----------



## Nag (Jun 5, 2016)

rockskate4x said:


> I have my epiphone SG's strap pins close to the tip of the horn (i was worried about the tip being too narrow as well, but I'm close enough), and the butt side strap pin has been shifted maybe 2 inches from it's original location in the direction of the forearm. This makes the butt sag lower  so that the headstock is more likely to go higher.




yeah it shifts the butt down and the headstock up


----------

