How many TBers don't use straplocks?

[john_g]

Ive been playing for 25 years and I never used straplocks until I bought a Ric that came with Schallers. I figured why not use them, I payed for them, and since then I really like them alot. I have "caught" my bass a few times at gigs, and I dont jump around alot either. I went out and bought another set of Schallers for my 5 string and since I swap my basses (4 to 5 string and back) at gigs, I feel much more secure with them on.

 

[jackajesusfreak]

The lead guitar player in one of our praise bands has a custom Les Paul and had it fall off the stap and cracked the head almost off the neck. Fortunately, a luthier was able to repair. Needless to say, he now uses strap locks.

 

[billiam5billion]

I've never, EVER had a screw come out of my straplocks in 15 years of gigging, but I've had a few straps slip off the button when I wasn't using locks. They're so easy to install and cheap, why not use em?

 

[ExaltBass]

Dunlop user. Two of my basses have the Dunlop recessed buttons (Warrior, and JBD Marston) and the rest have the dual design. Not a lifesaver, but a bass saver.

 

[joeyl]

Dunlop Straploks here also, never had a failure and the fact that the strap metal part rotates freely in the button means it does not unscrew the screws with time. It's a must for me, I had a few basses slip out when not using the loks and I don't even more around

 

[warwick.hoy]

My Warwick Thumb BO has the recessed Dunlop strap locks (when they were still doing that), so I don't have much choice in the matter. My Jazz Bass has the stock strap buttons still. It's been that way for 28 years and I'm not in any hurry to replace them.

 

[kmqu601]

Haven't had an incident with my bass on stage yet w/o locks *knocks on wood*. Guess thats no reason why I shouldn't get them though

 

[Peepaleep]

I have them on all my basses and I use good Couch straps. No problems..

 

[laklandplayer]

I don't use them, they stick out too far.
Here is a tip, the little red rubber gasket on a resealable Grolsh beer bottle works great as a strap lock. Put on the strap and then the gasket over the strap pin, works great and the required research to gather them is fun too.

 

[Engine207]

Trust me, you guys...I've worked in the accident industry for almost 20 years, and never seen a situation where someone anticipated an accident, had an opportunity to change it, and went through with it, anyway. They only happen when you least expect it. Bend over to grab a pick that you dropped or whatever, and all the "I've never needed them in all my years of gigging" won't matter a bit.

 

[Ortus]

I move around a lot on stage and had basses drop many times before addressing the situation. I now install straps permanently with metal washers on each bass. After removing the strap pin, I find a washer with a hole big enough to fit over the bass end of the pin but smaller than the strap end, put it all together, and re-install the original pin.

 

[eddievanbassman]

Never used em

 

[upandb]

My buddy had a hollow body Gretsch. I played it once, adjusted my hat and the guitar fell off the strap. The instrument cable hit first, and the input jack when through the body.

I will NEVER play someone else's instrument without straplocks now. And every instrument I have has straplocks. That's the first thing I buy.

 

[Alex E]

I just use good quality wide leather straps. I make sure when buying them that both of there strap hole leather is stiff, very snug and not too big.

If I then make sure to put the strap on correctly, I have never had a bass fall. ... Thankfully.

 

[lareamond]

I always thought they were bull until my Strat came off the strap when I caught the cable at a friend's house and turned around too quickly to get the snag out. Since then, I've been rocking the Schaller straplocks. They stick out too much on my Warlock, so I'm gonna get the Dunlop flat ones.

Some of these suggestions like using washers and such are making me wanna put the original strap buttons back on. I may try that when I fix the neck dive. I also wanna invest in a wireless system.

 

[KsToaDangr]

never used them, and only had one time where my strap came loose. my headstock's got a ding in it, but it still plays fine.

 

[aborgman]

In 25 years I've never used anything other than what came on the bass stock... I've also never once dropped a bass because the strap fell off. Straplocks seem like a solution to a non-existent problem for me.

 

[dreasher54]

Never. But i put my strap on once in 2 years and it doesnt come off with out a lot of struggling.

 

[bh2]

I bought some schallers for my SB1000 then lost my strap, that was early nineties, haven't bothered since.

 

[Selta]

The main reason I use straplocks is because it makes changing basses a TON easier. Push button, release strap, put on stand, pick up 2nd bass, push strap buttons in, and go.
Now, some people in the past have asked me why I don't just have two straps, one on each bass and grab and go? Well, because my wireless for the bass, as well as the wireless pack for in-ears is hooked onto my strap. I need a quick way to change. Pulling those two off and having a 2nd person clip them back on to a 2nd bass strap is lost precious time.
And, for me, it's a sense of security. I move around a lot on stage. My bass gets put into awkward positions and what not. I can't afford the time for it to choose to fall off the button. Even though it never happened to me, I have pretty much always used straplocks.

TL;DR:
Mostly use them for convenience of quick instrument swapping.