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I've always practiced sitting down and now I want to stand. So I have a Les Paul and a really nice PRS Leather strap. But the neck keeps tilting down. This is driving me crazy. I thought maybe it was the shirt I was wearing was too slippery but that isn't it. I feel like I'm holding the guitar into position all the time which is hindering my playing. I'm not a gunslinger, I want it only about 30 degrees from vertical. But I'm pulling up on the neck constantly. What can I do ?

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2 Answers 2

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A lot of players found that where the guitar is when seated can be very different from where it hangs when standing. A simple solution is to change the strap length so that the guitar is pretty well in the same place for both - usually higher when standing.

This has lots of advantages, mainly that angles don't change between sitting and standing, so you won't need to relearn some of the ways you play.

If it's an old Les paul, it'll have a heavy body, so head droop usually won't be a problem. Newer models aren't so heavy, but still it's not usually a problem. The further up your body the guitar is, the less of a problem this should be. 30 degrees from 12 o'clock seems an odd angle to play at, more horizontal is more favourite.

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  • Someone I was playing with once said to me, "Oh, you wear your guitar at dork-height too!"
    – user39614
    Apr 24, 2019 at 6:39
  • @DavidBowling - I'm guessing that, like me, you wear it not too far under the chin?
    – Tim
    Apr 24, 2019 at 6:41
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    Saves me money on those expensive straps....
    – user39614
    Apr 24, 2019 at 6:42
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    @DavidBowling - you buy straps? Try running an exam centre - it's amazing what stuff gets left and never retrieved...Sadly, they always managed to take their guitars/basses with them after the exam.
    – Tim
    Apr 24, 2019 at 6:46
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Tighten the strap. (Assuming both ends of the strap on the guitar? ... vs. the guitar and headstock?)

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