FAIL!! Schaller Strap Locks

[Jools4001]

^ Schaller aren't the equivalent of something useful, or even necessary, such as a door on a car. They are the equivalent of bolting a home-made huge spoiler onto a 20-year-old 4-cylinder sedan; absolutely useless and counterproductive.

And yes, wasting time to continually check and maintain something that is totally useless and highly prone to various failures is indeed far beneath me. I like my cars, basses, and women the same so I can derive maximum use and enjoyment with minimum hassle or worry - properly engineered, well built, elegant and very low maintenance. Schaller strap "locks" are none of these things.

Your experience is very different to mine. Minimal effort to install, zero maintenance, zero failures in decades.

Oh...and good luck to any of the women from whom you derive maximum use and enjoyment.

 

[254 stringer]

If Schaller strap locks are too much maintenance for you don't ever buy a house.

 

[73jbass]

I used Ernie Ball straplocks on all my basses. Far superior to anything else.

 

[cayman_shen]

Sorry to hear this. I'm a firm believer that strap locks simply add a complex potential failure point to what should be a simple system (sliding the strap on the button). I'm a firm proponent of the rubber washer method, myself.

 

[GregT]

I don't like the screws that come with them, so I go to the hardware store and get a "next size up" that fits perfectly into the recessed hole. The screws never come loose again. Got Schaller's on four different instruments.

 

[bryan gibson]

Sorry, but I've NEVER had a Schaller failure in 15 years use. Of course I check the nut tension everytime I change strings, but that's about it. My Dunlops, OTOH, have been a pain. The plunger pin thingee on the one end sticks in the "open" position. Not good.

 

[RRDieselbass]

I always used Dunlops, never had a problem with the exception of they rust if you sweat a lot, which I did. Tried Schallers with my 4003's but they creak like an old barn door which is ok when amplified but otherwise becomes annoying fast. Now I use washers to permantly keep strap on which is the best method for me.

 

[Sav'nBass]

I never had this happen (bass dropping to ground when using Schallers) but I always found that the nuts on Schallers would come loose (the U part of the lock would also tend to twist around on its own). I did once have the mounting screw come almost all the way out on a gig. After trying them out on a couple of basses I decided a while back that Schallers aren't for me and that I much prefer Dunlop strap locks.

That is exactly my take as well. I initially bought Schallers and got tired of having to caonstantly realign and tighten the nuts. Not only that I found just the implementation of the Schallers very counter intuitive. You have to pull the pin and then slide the lock off the pin. Dunlops are far more intuitive in design and implementation. Two fingers behind the strap.. thumb on the button pull it out.. reverse going in... Easy Peasy.. and because the lock is held on with a C clamp as opposed to a nut it never comes loose.. When I installed them I put a dab of wood glue on the screw and have had no isses at all.. I have them on all my basses and have had them on there for a while now and have had zero issues..

Both Schaller and Dunlop make effective strap locks if they are properly installed and maintained. I don't get the hate some people like to lump on them.

Because between the two designs the Dunlop design is a far more sound, practical, intuitive and functional design. That is noit just opinion it is fact. Schallers work... but Dunlops work better.

Before I relax with my bass I always give it the pull test to make sure that the pin has set right.. and one time I had an incident where I accidentally bumped something and hit the button just right.. so that the lock came loose.. but I caught the bass.

 

[Gougedeye]

With all due respect to Mr. Staylow, I've been using Schallers for, um...10 or 20 years and never had a failure! But I've never had a failure with any straplock. I check my connections often and tighten as needed. YMMV

 

[Slevage]

My guess---- cockpit error----- like most plane crashes.

 

[FronTowardEnemy]

Always use common sense when installing any strap lock system.

I Install the U lock on the strap so when you pull the bass,while wearing it, out away from your body, the pins snug up to the closed part of the U lock.

A pair of pliers and a combo wrench is all you need to tighten the locks to the strap. Snug that baby up!

Put some wood glue on the pin screws and tighten them up in your bass.

Never failed me. I gig regularly and use the same strap on every bass. Going on about 17 years now using this same strap. I did however buy a new black set and changed them out on the strap about 4 years ago.

I do check the pins every now and again to see if they are loose, but never had the strap part fail.

 

[SirMjac28]

What in the world did people do before strap locks? in my opinion they give you a false sense of security.

 

[bass12]

What in the world did people do before strap locks? in my opinion they give you a false sense of security.

I've yet to have a Dunlop fail but I have had two basses crash to the stage during performances when not using strap locks.

 

[GregT]

What in the world did people do before strap locks? in my opinion they give you a false sense of security.

No sarcasm meant at all: Before strap locks, a lot of us used big washers. Sounds like a lot of people still do. They gave you the best "real" sense of security, because nothing would get the strap off other than a screwdriver. Probably still is the best permanent attaching method.

 

[Humbled]

I use these:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

They won't fit over some strap buttons though (G&L), in which case I use these:

Fender Strap Blocks (4-Pack) | Musician's Friend

I've used all the others, and excluded them over time for various reasons.

 

[PWRL]

I found that when using Schallers, I had to periodically tighten the nut, because it would always gradually work itself loose. When it got loose enough, the spring would pop the whole thing apart and down would go the bass. I always caught it in time, but it didn't take me too long to discover Dunlops. The Dunlops have never failed me. On my Jazz bass, the strap is made out of seat belt material and the whole thing is thin enough for me to even just use fender washers. But even there I do have to re-tighten the screws themselves.
My Rick 4004L still uses Schallers, as they come equipped that way from the factory, but I learned to keep those little suckers tight.

Sorry to hear about the dented bass.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I use a more aggressive threaded screw and a little dab of carpenters glue to install the strap pins. I also use some Loc-tite (or some similar) on the nut/threads of the strap end and really crank them on with a ratchet. Granted I don't play a lot of shows, but I have never had any problems since doing this.

My guess is that the U on the strap was upside down. I have seen a few players install them like that.

I agree, I think both the Schallers and Dunlops are good systems, provided they are properly installed and maintained. I have never tried the Dunlops (or ErnieBall's or any others) as I have too many straps and basses with the Schallers.

 

[mmbongo]

What in the world did people do before strap locks? in my opinion they give you a false sense of security.

 

[decentbassbreh]

I have used dunlops in all my basses and I can remember having to tighten them once in a span of 3 years, I like em!

 

[Zooberwerx]

Always use common sense when installing any strap lock system.

I Install the U lock on the strap so when you pull the bass,while wearing it, out away from your body, the pins snug up to the closed part of the U lock.

A pair of pliers and a combo wrench is all you need to tighten the locks to the strap. Snug that baby up!

Put some wood glue on the pin screws and tighten them up in your bass.

Never failed me. I gig regularly and use the same strap on every bass. Going on about 17 years now using this same strap. I did however buy a new black set and changed them out on the strap about 4 years ago.

I do check the pins every now and again to see if they are loose, but never had the strap part fail.

Yes, a couple of adjustable wrenches and some thread lock are essential. There is a basic design flaw, however, that is frequently overlooked. Strap ends are, to some extent, pliable and subject to deformation with time & use. Tightening the pin / plunger assembly is akin to taking a set of vise grips to a marshmallow. Once you add the weight of a bass, the strap end itself will stretch and thin reducing the opposing torque between the retaining nut and U channel on the opposite side. The nut works itself loose if not addressed. If the nut comes off completely, there's nothing to keep the entire assembly from pulling straight through the strapend "buttonhole". Here's the diagram:

Security Locks | Schaller-Electronic

Riis