I’ve been looking at many different google images of shamisen with guitar straps but the locations of the screws that hold the strap on are very inconsistent. can anyone here show me the exact locations theyd recommend for me to screw mine in? thanks!
Hi Chris! Yeah, there is no exact placement for the strap buttons, it seems to just be a matter of preference. That said, check out page 93 of Shamisen of Japan for the general placement of where I screw 'em in. 
ah thats what confused me in the first place, since it was different from the other pictures i had seen. glad to hear it doesnt matter, makes life easy
Heheh, indeed! The more I learned about the making/playing of shamisen, the more I realized how there is actually a lot based on personal preference, not set in stone rules. 