Lock it strap broke

sangsaratrip · #1 03-13-2010, 09:39 PM

It seemed like a real cool strap. Made by this company http://www.lockitstraps.com/. I think it's been maybe a year or two and it already broke. I'm not a wild player or anything like that, but somehow the other day, I grab my bass for practice and the plastic part that grabs the bass strap button on the lock-it strap was broken. Now it's worthless. Anyone know of a strap that is similar but better in quality? I like the idea of not having to modify my instrument for a strap.

TMBTC · #2 03-13-2010, 09:51 PM

try an E-mail to CS maybe they'll be helpful

6Steve6Harris6 · #3 03-13-2010, 09:53 PM

DiMarzio Clip Locks.

You name it, I've had it fail on me; Schallers, Dunlops, etc.

All except for the DiMarzio's.

elgranluis · #4 03-14-2010, 12:17 AM

dunlops dont always catch the groove where the little ball thing goes, that's why i dont like them. Schallers, they're a bit better but they should use a circlip (like the dunlops) because the nut is always coming loose.

All of them fail, really.

bassmonkeee · #5 03-14-2010, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgranluis

dunlops dont always catch the groove where the little ball thing goes, that's why i dont like them. Schallers, they're a bit better but they should use a circlip (like the dunlops) because the nut is always coming loose.

All of them fail, really.

In over 20 years, I've never had a failure with a Dunlop where the "little ball thing" fails to "catch the groove." And, that's with more 4 hour nights than I'd care to think about.

And, the Schallers won't fail if you install them with the right tools, and use a little Lock-Tite.

I'm a really big fan of the Ernie Ball straplocks, too.

It's worth the 5 minute "mod" of changing strap buttons, really.

donut · #6 03-14-2010, 08:25 AM

Whatever happened to a big screw with a wide washer on the end and plenty of gaffa tape?

Tommygunn · #7 03-14-2010, 08:30 AM

IDk but when these things are installed properly they are really magic. I love them, never failed and I've never had any problems with em. IIRC they're schallers.

I'll try to find a link... thats the best pic I have at the moment.

Tommygunn · #8 03-14-2010, 08:33 AM

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbas...5/6/464856.jpg
Cept mine are black.

I have these too
http://www.americanmusical.com/Produ...rge/p26691.jpg

But not on the best of basses (can't screw the peg in all the way into the bass, the bass is bad not the strap locks) but I'm switching it to a better bass today and see how well they work.

chrisisnotevil · #9 03-14-2010, 11:42 AM

Had issues with these straps myself. These days it's either Schallers or rubber washers from bottles of Grolsch, depending on the bass.

Jefenator · #10 03-14-2010, 11:58 AM

You mean the plastic part broke????

That's a cliche my buddy and I always bring up when we're wrenching on bikes & cars. In any kind of regular load/stress/tension bearing application, plastic is pretty much guaranteed to let you down. That's why I generally hate the stuff.

For strap-loks, I'm all about the Grolsch beer bottle rubber washer:

rkingly · #11 03-14-2010, 12:08 PM

For strap-loks, I'm all about the Grolsch beer bottle rubber washer:

[/quote]

+ 1 for Grolsch washers, I also use standard rubber washers from hardware store. Cheap & very effective.

sangsaratrip · #12 03-14-2010, 12:27 PM

Good idea and good beer, except why is the paint all chipped up right there,

Does anyone have that Levy's 4-1/2" Padded Leather Bass Guitar Strap. Seems to have good reviews, except it's freakin expensive. I have a perri strap right now I'm using, except it's not wide at all like the lockit strap which is like 3 in. I don't think perri straps make a 3 inch wide strap. It's either a cool looking leather strap with the annoying adjustments loops, or the uncomfortable nylon strap but has the better adjusting mechanism.

meh, I dunno.

Jefenator · #13 03-14-2010, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sangsaratrip

Good idea and good beer, except why is the paint all chipped up right there,

Oh!! Busted... That would make a good FAIL pic, LOL. (Think I'll re-take that photo on a more pristine instrument.)

FWIW that chip didn't happen in my custody. I've never dropped an axe yet w/ rubber washers over the strap buttons. (If you must know, the axe pictured got "relic'd", so that blemish probably came right from the factory.

)

I really like the Levy's thick padded leather straps. Comfortable and durable - that's the way to go! Does take longer to adjust, but once you're set, you're set.

ggunn · #14 03-14-2010, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sangsaratrip

It seemed like a real cool strap. Made by this company http://www.lockitstraps.com/. I think it's been maybe a year or two and it already broke. I'm not a wild player or anything like that, but somehow the other day, I grab my bass for practice and the plastic part that grabs the bass strap button on the lock-it strap was broken. Now it's worthless. Anyone know of a strap that is similar but better in quality? I like the idea of not having to modify my instrument for a strap.

Actually, I "invented" the straplock back in the mid 70's from a screw eye and a clip I made out of coathanger wire right after I dropped my Les Paul when my strap pulled off the front button for the umpteenth time. I have Schaller straplocks on every instrument I own, which makes all my straps interchangeable. Changing a strap button is not a modification, and I won't depend on breakable plastic parts to protect my instruments. YMMV, of course.

bongomania · #15 03-14-2010, 05:40 PM

Planet Waves makes a plastic clip-end strap similar to the one in the OP's post, but it's still a plastic gadget. I like the rubber washers, or also a C-clip made out of a large nylon washer with a 1/4" segment cut out of one side.

Jeff K · #16 03-14-2010, 10:28 PM

+1 on the Grolsch or rubber washers. The rubber washers from the hardware store are all I use now. I sold all my Schallers and just use these. About .59 cents each at the hardware store; and that strap is not coming off with these babies on there. And yet they're very easy to put on and take off if you want to.

HMZ · #17 03-20-2010, 12:58 PM

How does the rubber washer work? can you take on and off or do you have to unscrew the strap button put it on and screw it down?

Jeff K · #18 03-20-2010, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HMZ

How does the rubber washer work? can you take on and off or do you have to unscrew the strap button put it on and screw it down?

No, you don't have to unscrew. They're simple as pie. Because they're rubber (I think they're actually called "neoprene"), the hole in the rubber washer will stretch to go on and off the strap button, and immediately "un-stretch" back to their original shape without tearing. So if you have to use the same strap on a couple different basses, it's very easy to do with these.

Just make sure that the hole in the rubber washer is not too large (or even too small for that matter). They make different sizes. The ones I use are about 1 1/4" across; and the hole is about 3/8". Of course you want the hole in the washer to be smaller than the diameter of the top of the strap button so it can't slide off. You have to make a conscious effort to remove it, but it's very easy.

HMZ · #19 03-21-2010, 02:31 AM

Thanks for the reply! So I guess I can pick these up at Home Depot? If not it gives me an excuse to buy some Grolsch.

abcdefranklin · #20 03-21-2010, 02:34 AM

Just go to guitar center and get a dimarzio clip lock strap they're amazing.
And the guitarist of saosin uses them and does the sickest guitar flips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNVnOhAtP-I
skip ahead to 37 seconds.
$20's for this strap and as you can tell it's amazing.