Hi @Tom3
Fashion item, I think it had something to do with wearing cowboy hats on TV. Earl did it and everyone else followed suit. It’s no easy task supporting a heavy banjo on your right shoulder. Try it!
Discuss the Banjo lesson: Banjo Boot Camp–Overview, Holding, And Strap
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Yep, @Archie is correct here. It’s definitely more comfortable for me and most banjo players to wear it over the left shoulder.
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I could use some help here. Despite an hour of adjusting, I cannot seem to get my banjo strap to hold the banjo without the neck swinging down aggressively. Trying to get off on the right foot and can’t get anywhere close to the strap attachment points shown in the video. I feel like I would have to have both ends of the strap very close to each other to avoid the swinging. Can anyone point me in the right direction and let me know what I’m missing?
Well, lookie here. I just found this quote from Earl himself about why he uses the right or left shoulder. It’s in the Earl Scruggs chapter of “Masters of the 5 String Banjo”.
When I wore it on my right shoulder it was mainly
because I was wearing a hat, and I could just drop the
banjo off my shoulder without taking off my hat! With
the Earl Scruggs Revue, I didn’t wear a hat. I really
like it on the left shoulder, because it gives me more
stability. The banjo sits better against my chest, and I
don’t have to hold it in position as much as when I
had it on my right shoulder.
Be sure to check out the young Alan Munde with Earl in this video I referenced earlier. I just realized he was in there! He’s at the 4 minute mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9wHDrkjfk
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