straplocks that dont require enlargement of strap holes

jinithith2 · #1 08-14-2008, 05:11 AM

In my past experience with Schaller strap locks, I was forced to enlarge the holes on my strap, or the fit was weird. I could get the nut closed over the strap with a lot of effort with a wrench but then, the strap hole was all mangled. Are there straplocks available that dont require enlargement of holes?
Thank you!

grooVWy · #2 08-14-2008, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinithith2

In my past experience with Schaller strap locks, I was forced to enlarge the holes on my strap, or the fit was weird. I could get the nut closed over the strap with a lot of effort with a wrench but then, the strap hole was all mangled. Are there straplocks available that dont require enlargement of holes?
Thank you!

I´ve used Schallers at least with 8 different straps and never had to enlarge the holes. What kind of strap are U using ?

jinithith2 · #3 08-14-2008, 05:20 AM

I had a levy 2 inch strap (the suede kind with designs pressed into it), a 2.5 inch no name brand leather strap, and a 2 inch nylon Cort strap.

Maybe I just had really bad luck :/

Dr. Feelgood · #4 08-14-2008, 05:45 AM

Not bad luck I think... Straplocks are always like that, in my experience. Dunlop, Schaller, whatever I've tried always requires super-human force to get through the strap hole!

As far as the strap being mangled afterwards... Ask yourself if it really matters

I own two basses - two straps, the straplock for each one hasn't come off since I installed them...

Both my straps are Levy's if that helps.

grooVWy · #5 08-14-2008, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinithith2

I had a levy 2 inch strap (the suede kind with designs pressed into it), a 2.5 inch no name brand leather strap, and a 2 inch nylon Cort strap.

Maybe I just had really bad luck :/

Sounds like that. Maybe U just need to use a little bit of violence to get it done.

jinithith2 · #6 08-14-2008, 06:03 AM

bah thats not great news... I was hoping I could put one strap over my shoulders and one strap around my waist to secure the bass on the same set of strap locks. I was thinking even a double shoulder strap and a really short piece of leather around the thigh (since I wear my bass to the side)
more like a harness lock than a strap lock xD

Dr. Feelgood · #7 08-14-2008, 06:08 AM

That's quite a neat idea!

But I'm going to have to tell you....

TWO STRAPS IN ONE STRAPLOCK? YOU ARE MAD!

Never ever ever going to happen. One is bad enough, two is impossible! Sorry!

jinithith2 · #8 08-14-2008, 06:16 AM

well if I can get my hands on some nylon, I could sew all the different straps to one slab of nylon or something and then have a hole in that which will fit the strap lock!!!
do I smell a potentially marketable idea?!?!? OMG!!!!!!!!

62bass · #9 08-14-2008, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinithith2

bah thats not great news... I was hoping I could put one strap over my shoulders and one strap around my waist to secure the bass on the same set of strap locks. I was thinking even a double shoulder strap and a really short piece of leather around the thigh (since I wear my bass to the side)
more like a harness lock than a strap lock xD

You don't need straps and strap locks. Duct tape will do it. Get your drummer to tape the bass to you before each gig. Of course you'll have to wear the bass all night, even during breaks between sets and people will think you're a little weird, but that's okay. Make it a regular part of your act. Wear the duct taped bass for all your band promo pictures. Write a song about it. You've got to think outside the box.

Dr. Feelgood · #10 08-14-2008, 06:18 AM

Or just make bigger straplocks?

jinithith2 · #11 08-14-2008, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62bass

You don't need straps and strap locks. Duct tape will do it. Get your drummer to tape the bass to you before each gig. Of course you'll have to wear the bass all night, even during breaks between sets and people will think you're a little weird, but that's okay. Make it a regular part of your act. Wear the duct taped bass for all your band promo pictures. Write a song about it. You've got to think outside the box.

or I could cast myself in a block of concrete with just enough room for my arms and hands to move to play!

jinithith2 · #12 08-14-2008, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Feelgood

Or just make bigger straplocks?

I've been thinking about this, but if I salvage one of my old straps for pieces of leather and have all the straps going to that, and I can secure all the straps with a bolt and nut while the other hole on the piece of leather will have a perfect hole for the strap lock. No mutilation involved and the fit would be perfect!

You know, this is actually a very acceptable idea for a shoulder strap and a waist strap

Dr. Feelgood · #13 08-14-2008, 07:34 AM

Make it, love it, photograph it!

Who knows, you might have people begging you to create one for them!

ga_edwards · #14 08-14-2008, 08:01 AM

Hell, some brand new straps are hard enough to get over the stock strap button, let alone insert a straplock. But for what it's worth, yes, I had to ream the hole open in one strap, a very thick Levy's one with patent leather and reflective stripes. I have no qualms about using a spanner or two to attach the straplock though, as it's less likely to come off!

I do believe the Dunlop straplock system has a smaller barrel that is easier to get through the straphole. Although these have a tiny spring clip to keep it together that is very hard to clip in place. I've also had a set of these fail on me, and one of my friends too, so I avoid these like the plague.

JTE · #15 08-14-2008, 08:25 AM

Dunlops. I've used both. I started with the Dunlps when they first came out (what, 1978 or so?) then went to the Schallers becasue they looked better. After equipping all my stuff with Schallers, I had three of them fail for stupid reasons:

1. The screws Schaller uses are small diameter compared to most factory strap buttons. The threads don't have enough bite on them to dig into the wood and hold.
2. The nuts come loose too easily from vibrations
3. The pull-mechanism gets dirt in it and won't release.

Sure, you can fix #1 (at least for a while, but those screws aren't made to hold well), and #2 (with a judicioius use of thread-locking compound), but it's a bad design in my opinion. And the button that goes on the instrument is too small to really hold a regualr strap which one may need to do in emergencies.

So, I went back to Dunlops, usi the "dual design" buttons. The screws have bigger threads on them to bite into the wood and hold firmly, they don't require me to carve the leather at the ends of the straps, they don't come apart (those little spring clips ain't goin' anywhere), and the mechanism is much more stable ane reliable. Plus using the dual-design buttons allows a strap without locks on it to be used safely.

That's been about 15 years ago, and I've never had any problems with any of them. All my electric instruments have them, including the weedly guitar thingies with those whiny skinny strings. I have three Comfort Strapps that have the locks on them, and I can use any of the straps with any of my basses.

jte

Dr. Feelgood · #16 08-14-2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTE

3. The pull-mechanism gets dirt in it and won't release.

So true! The biggest problem with Schallers, IMO, is how dirty and grimey they get from regular use. Constant cleaning does nothing to fix this! The swivelling of the locked strap against the button in the bass creates some kind of black crap-stain that gets all over your fingers and is damn near impossible to clean out out the lock!

But having said that, my Schallers have served me well, and they are screwed in nicely. Touch wood, they're going nowhere! Perhaps it's the type of bass (and original strap buttons) that determine the effectiveness of a strap lock!

My Schaller strap locks were included and already installed on my bass in the first place, perhaps this has to do with why they've been good to me!