Can anyone educate me about straplocks?

[bassnyc1]

Okay, so as the title suggests, I don't know anything about straplocks. I've never used them in over 25 years of playing yet I know that quite a lot of players do use them. Basically, they lock your strap onto your instrument so the strap doesn't fall off, right? Pretty simple I guess but are there any disadvantages to them? I guess one would be that you can only use one strap with Your bass? Also, there are a few brands available so which are the most popular?

Just something I've never checked out so I was hoping that some of you could shed some light?

Thanks.

 

[newbold]

there are straplocks that have regular looking ends.

 

[El Beardo]

I have tried Schaller straplocks, Dunlops and the Dimarzio straps with the locking system. Out of the three I prefer the Schallers. I can't really say I see a huge difference between the Dunlop and Schaller but the Dimarzio straps are a little different. Whichever type you chose will work fine, they install easily and it's a cheap and worthwhile precaution IMO. If you want to be resourceful you can even use the orange gaskets from Grolsch bottles.

 

[TechJunky]

You can use other straps for your bass if you want by either buying several sets of straplocks and putting them on all the straps you want to use or get a set of straplocks like dunlop or ernie balls that look like regular strap buttons and put the strap on those like you would any normal button. Then just put the locking mechanism in place, and that will hold your strap on without being dedicated (though you will likely have some rattle if you don't tighten it all up).

I don't personally find any disadvantages. They make putting the strap on easier and ensures it's secure, and they don't detract from the look of basses in almost all cases. The most popular brands are schaller and dunlop. Ernie Ball has a relatively new straplock (only a couple years old I think) that I really like, though they do feel a little more bulky compared to dunlop and schaller, and Warwick has their own system. There are a few others, but I typically recommend schaller and dunlop (and now ernie ball).

 

[darkstorm]

I dont like the commercial strap locks Ive tried. Instead I simply punch two new small holes either side of the straps slot so I can sew the opening smaller. Result is the strao can only go on or come off the strap button from the rear. I.E. you have to unscrew the strap button. Load strap on from its rear then screw strap button back into bass or guitar. Every bass or guitar Ive had got its own strap so no reason to remove strap. Bass or guitar easilly goes onmyself overhead like tshirt. Strap rotates nice on button and cannot come off. And strap button doesnt have those annoying to me extra extensions and pesky dont allways stay on commercial strap lock problems. I also replace any narrow top strap buttons with nice wide top ones.

 

[yellofury]

I prefer the Schaller type locks with the easy to install Mighty Mite screwdown ones a close second

Advantages:
You dont have to worry about the obvious strap detachment fear on stage

Disadvantages:
Most of the time you will have to make the straphole bigger to accommodate the straplock especially if you have thick leather ones from Levys and such. This can be a simple snip of some sharp scissors or a few minutes with an EX-ACTO knife...

Although its been stated you dont have to have multiple straps..I do purely because its a pain in the ass to get out the mokney wrench and uninstall and reinstall every time I want to switch them around
The Mighty Mite ones are easy enough to switch from strap to strap but they held on by thumbscrews (like the ones that come on standard on Grretsches) you can tighten then with a wrench in like i do.

 

[DerHoggz]

I prefer the Schaller type locks with the easy to install Mighty Mite screwdown ones a close second

Advantages:
You dont have to worry about the obvious strap detachment fear on stage

Disadvantages:
Most of the time you will have to make the straphole bigger to accommodate the straplock especially if you have thick leather ones from Levys and such. This can be a simple snip of some sharp scissors or a few minutes with an EX-ACTO knife...

Although its been stated you dont have to have multiple straps..I do purely because its a pain in the ass to get out the mokney wrench and uninstall and reinstall every time I want to switch them around
The Mighty Mite ones are easy enough to switch from strap to strap but they held on by thumbscrews (like the ones that come on standard on Grretsches) you can tighten then with a wrench in like i do.

I usually tighten/loosen the nut with my teeth, quick and easy.

 

[sonic assassin]

i just use 2 washers to hold the back one on. the front never comes loose.

straplocks are cumbersome and ugly.

 

[Rich Treat]

I love my dunlop straplocks. Each of my basses has their own dedicated strap with dunlops on them. I've never had any problems with them.

 

[Staccato]

Red rubber locks, a byproduct of Grolsch. Place strap over button, attach Grolsch lock.

 

[Yakob]

Dunlops have never failed me (even today, when practicing strap spins).

 

[TheSuzie]

I always used Schallers or permanently mounted the strap using big washers.

These big ass strap buttons from Stew-Mac have caught my eye but I have never seen them IRL.

 

[KeithAlanK]

I switched to the Schallers, as the strap is closer to the body.
On the Dunlops the strap is a little farther away, which puts more stress on the screw.

I have had Dunlops cause the screw to wallow-out it's hole and eventually pull free, and seen it on other basses brought to me for repair.
Never had this happen with my Schallers.

 

[MarkMcBass]

Planetwaves makes straps with locks built into them. You just put the strap onto your bass where the strap would normally go and theres a little wheel you turn to crank it around the strap peg and it locks! to take it off, you push a little button and turn the wheel the other way to open it! thats all! then you can lock the strap to a different bass

 

[Munjibunga]

I prefer Schallers over Dunlops for the reasons others have cited above. I've heard too many horror stories about someone accidentally bumping the button on the Dunlop, only to have their bass go crashing to the floor. Schallers have little cups that cradle the pin, making it nearly impossible for the bass to fall off.

Also, the comment about the Schallers being closer to the body is correct. It makes me nervous to have the lock hanging out there away from the bass. The problem with switching to Schallers on a bass that's already equipped with Dunlops is that the screw that holds the pin on the bass is smaller on the Schallers, so you have to do the old Elmer's 'n' toothpicks in the hole. No problem, though.

 

[Ian Perge]

Dunlops have never failed me (even today, when practicing strap spins).

I can say the same thing: in 20 years of playing and 18 basses I've never had either a "disengagement" or screw problems using Dunlop Strap-Loks. Then again, I believe it's a "1/2 dozen or the other" situation - I believe Schaller locks are just as safe, there are simply a few things that I personally don't like with their design. They have much more mass hanging off the end of the strap which can put a decent-sized "ding" in a bass' finish, and in my usage I find that they take a touch more "work" to disengage and can't be done with one hand like Dunlops.

Pretty much every method listed here so far is a workable solution. The Ernie Balls are nice, but as someone pointed out fairly big (and as much as Sterling Ball hyped them pre-release, I don't find them super-innovative as he had let on). The only system I've not liked is Dunlop's "ClipLock" system where you replace the buttons with their small amount of strap with the female end of a "industrial" clip which clips onto the male end on the strap when you're ready to use - the biggest problem is you're stuck using *their* strap and have no choice which tends to be very slippery and is hell if you've got any type of neck-dive issues, which for us bassists and our liking of wide straps and materials such a Leather or Neoprene is a no-go as far as I'm concerned.

...It's also good to know that I'm only a Grolsch away from a workable lock!

 

[bstarbass]

i dig my dimarzio click lock strap, nice and tight and not going anywhere.

 

[Bassist Jay]

I have used Schaller Straplocks for about 20 years now and love them. I have never had an issue at all. Since all of my guitars and basses have them, my straps will all work with any of my guitars or basses.

Now on my Music Man basses, I did switch to Ernie Ball Straplocks and will continue to use the Ernie Ball ones on all of my Music Man basses. I just purchased my first set so I don't know how long they will last for but my guess, knowing Ernie Ball and Music Man quality is that they will last a very long time.

 

[Jim Carr]

In 47 years of playing bass and a half-dozen other instruments, I have never dropped an instrument. However, the worry engendered by the annual straplok vs Grolsh beer washer thread usually induces me to buy a 4-pack of Grolsh to escape the anxiety, LOL.

 

[electracoyote]

I have never dropped a guitar from an unlocked strap end, but I have caught one about halfway down thanks to my cat-like reflexes. That was it for me, strap locks from that day forward. I use Schallers, and you can use as many straps as you want to match your wardrobe of glam rock outfits, just install a locking device on each strap.