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You can put the strap button directly in the heel cap (watch for
bolts) and it will be durable and strong there. It's usually the easiest area to
touch up if you remove the button later. This is my least favorite position, though,
because the guitar has a tendency to "dump" forward when you stand to play.
Let me stress the need for a PROPER pilot hole. It's very easy to break these narrow
pieces of hardwood, and regardless of the location you must have the right fit for
the screw.
Otherwise your guitar could look like this:
It's possible, though not always easy, to split the neck pretty much anywhere you
jam in a screw. On maple necks, the likely outcome of a too tight screw is that the
screw will break off inside. Yuck!
By the way, you can screw the strap button directly into the neck block right through
the back:
In case you're wondering, this is the location to choose if you'd like maximum reduction
of resale value! (No, I didn't fake the photo. Some guys really do this.)
Some instruments just shouldn't have a strap button:
This one has no heel at all, and it would be a shame to drill into the neck or the
fancy koa body.
This one has no heel either:
And no place for the other end of the strap:
So, sit down when you play, dang it!
A quick final word on straps. Use any old strap you like:
But if you have a fine lacquered guitar, stay away from vinyl. Lacquer
reacts very strongly with vinyl and the results can be disastrous. The backs of some
straps are vinyl, and as are the fronts of these. Laying on the strap in your case
or sitting in a vinyl or rubber covered guitar stand, the finish can be eaten away.
Best to stay away from vinyl, or at least keep the exposure to only the times you're
actually playing.