Best straplocks?

[Damani311]

For some reason I've been using the default Warwick straplocks for over ten years now.

They work as straplocks just fine, but the washer spins around and makes little jingly noises, which I've grown tired of and want to upgrade.

Any suggestions on the most solid pair of straplocks on the market right now?

 

[Crusher47]

I prefer Schaller

 

[phangtonpower]

I Prefer Dunlops

 

[Watchootognbout]

Schaller.
Always.

 

[mmbongo]

Dunlops without question.

 

[bigtone23]

Schaller. It is nearly impossible to have them fail/pop out due to the pull action to release them. A drop of super glue or loctite on the strap nut insures that the mechanism doesn't loosen.
Dunlop uses a push button to release, it's not hard to press the button if you have a jumpy stage presence.

 

[Stevorebob]

Loxx have served me well. Same mechanism as used for automobile tonneau covers.

 

[Lownote38]

Here we go again!

 

[Ty_Boogie]

I have no favorite, i do have Dunlops on my Yamaha BB405, the stock ones on my Warwick, I don't move around alot, no worries here

 

[jhb138]

I'm in the Schaller camp.

 

[Hopkins]

The best is a dedicated strap screwed to the body using the strap button and a washer.

 

[the explode man]

I'm a big fan of the Music Man straplocks!

 

[Bodeanly]

They work as straplocks just fine, but the washer spins around and makes little jingly noises, which I've grown tired of and want to upgrade.

Turn up your volume. No more jingly noises. Otherwise, Dunlop fan here.

 

[jcerio]

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[EastCoastThump]

I've used Dunlops and Schallers on lots of guitars and basses over the years. Rubber washers FTW.

 

[Badwater]

I don't think there is a best strap lock. I've used several styles in the past, and they all have their pros and cons.
It's personal preference on which pros and cons you can live with. Here's my experience with them.

Dunlop StrapLok, dual design
Pros: works great, larger and longer screw for stability and strength, easy to install.
Cons: needs a little drop of lube a couple time a year to keep it operating smooth.

Shaller,
Pros: works great, easy to take on and off, easy to install.
Cons: the nut gets loose from time to time, and must be checked regularly.

Those rubber beer gaskets, and fender strap blocks
Pros: cheap, easy to use, and works well, Fender strap blocks work better than the beer gasket.
Cons: On some strap buttons with flat area the tight fit can loosen up the strap button screw.

Dunlop Ergo Lok Strap System
Pros: cheap, works well, no alteration to the guitar.
Cons: plastic, will wear out over time. And they only fit small strap buttons, not the aftermarket large buttons.

Planet Waves locking strap. A strap with locks on each end.
Pros: cheap, works well, they range in price and design, and no mods to the guitar, easy to use and stable.
Cons: They only fit small strap buttons, and the rubber back can mar the finish on the instrument.

So that's my take on them. Pros and cons.

 

[BurnOut]

This again, I used Schaller on my guitars. They don't really sit correctly on crazy basses upper horns. Just put on a set of rubber washers, as suggested here on TB. Disco!

 

[Doner Designs]

Instead, I prefer the oversize strap hooks available from Allparts. So big they are almost as secure as a lock and less bulky.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Badwater summed up my experiences as well.

Any straplock is better than no straplock IMO, but none should be put on and completely forgotten about. Human error or lack of attention can cause your bass to fall no matter what method you use.

For myself, I prefer the more permanent nature of the big two, and the loosening nut of the Schallers used to drive me crazy. I've used Dunlop dual designs exclusively for about 13 years now.

 

[Axstar]

The best, ultimately, would be a metal washer like this:

...in as much as that your strap would never fall off your instrument. The metal washer might speed up the wear of the strap end, or transfer torque and simply unscrew the mounting screw over time, but until then the black strap is staying on the SG!

I've used Grolsch washers before today but...

When they sit concave, like in the photo above, they tend not to actually be all that secure and the strap can lever them off the button. They are better than nothing!


I use Schallers on my basses, but they are a compromise. I've heard horror stories of them failing and dumping their inner workings all over the place. Once the unit has failed you are looking at a strap you cannot simply re-mount on the instrument, and two small strap buttons that a non-Schaller'd strap will have a hard time staying put on. As I mentioned in another thread I've had to clip leather around the strap button holes on new leather straps simply to get the Schallers to poke through enough to expose the thread that the outer washer and nut mount onto. In general the Schallers are quite heavily engineered, quite rattly and quite clunky.