How to Make an Accordion Strap

Accordionists use a strap to support the instrument,

An accordion is a musical instrument that's played in front of a musician's body and supported by strap. An accordion strap wraps around a musician's shoulder and under their arm, transferring the instrument's weight from the accordionist's arms and into their neck and back, which is important because an accordionist uses their arms to play the instrument. You can make a high-quality accordion strap using a few basic hand tools and a piece of thick leather.

Things You'll Need

• Leather strap
• Hole punch
• Leather cutting tool
• Tape measure
• Pen

Instructions

1. Measure a leather strap 5 feet in length and mark it with a pen. Using a leather cutting tool such as a pair of industrial scissors, a razor blade or a honed blade, cut the 5-foot strap.

2. Measure 3 inches on both ends of leather strap and punch holes directly in the center of the strap. Use the tape measure to find the center of the strap before cutting it. Punch holes every 2 inches on both ends of the leather strap if you want to make an adjustable accordion strap.

3. Insert the round pegs sticking out of both sides of the accordion into the recently punched holes of the leather strap. Place the strap around your neck and under one arm.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a thick piece of leather. The thicker the leather strap the less likely it is to fray and more durable it will be over time.

• Do not punch more than four holes on either side of the leather strap. The more holes you punch into the strap the weaker it'll become.