I have a generic question to the TB community, do you put strap locks on all your basses? Even your vintage basses that you still use live? I know strap locks may be looked at as a mod and a modern feature, but of course you could always just put the stock strap buttons back on to avoid any soft of degrading.
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Strap locks
- Thread starter klejst
- Start date
Yes.
Mr. Gravity is very mean when he pulls a bass to the floor because the strap came lose. You lose a lot more value on a vintage bass(i.e. 1963 Gibson Thunderbird) if the machine head has been snapped off from dropping. I've only "caught" one bass on it's way to the floor and after that no bass gets played live unless it has Straplocs and most of those are JB Welded in place(screws come loose too if you let them).
Mr. Gravity is very mean when he pulls a bass to the floor because the strap came lose. You lose a lot more value on a vintage bass(i.e. 1963 Gibson Thunderbird) if the machine head has been snapped off from dropping. I've only "caught" one bass on it's way to the floor and after that no bass gets played live unless it has Straplocs and most of those are JB Welded in place(screws come loose too if you let them).
all my basses do. theres no good reason not to. i wont argue about whats the best way, but you should have a straplock of some sort, be it a dunlop, schaller, homemade washer setup or the rubber ring from a beer bottle. or even bolt your strap on, but have something.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
I just started using the Dunlop recessed locks. I used Shallers for alot of years (since 1988). I had recently discovered, after 5 years of hard gigging with my spector, that the strap button on the horn, got eaten up, by the angle that the schaller had rested (not depicted, was the center hole, which became somewhat deformed as well):
.......And went with the countersink instead:
Now it's time to find some faults in Dunlops design.....
.......And went with the countersink instead:
Now it's time to find some faults in Dunlops design.....
Never used em....never had a problem playing live for 16 years.
I use a planet waves padded strap which has the tightest holes of any strap ever rendering strap locks useless---but this is just me YMMV blah blah
I use a planet waves padded strap which has the tightest holes of any strap ever rendering strap locks useless---but this is just me YMMV blah blah
Dunlops, never had a single problem with them. I buy the Peavey brand at a music store near me, $13, but you read the bottom of them and they say Original Dunlop Straplocs.
You shouldn't have to drill....
Dunlops are the first thing that I do to a bass when I get it. I highly recommend putting a little wood or Gorilla glue in that hole before screwing in the screw. I have also found that using a low, steady speed on an electric screwdriver/drill results in less potential for screw head stripping than hand tightening. Good luck!
Schallers all the way for me. Except for one guitar, it has a strap secured with washers though. Never had a failure, but tight bond is a good idea to lock the piece onto the strap.
The black painted ones will leave black residue on your fingers if you touch the part that goes on the bass. Not a problem, but can be awkward when you look at your arm and see a black streak that wasn't there when you picked up the bass
The black painted ones will leave black residue on your fingers if you touch the part that goes on the bass. Not a problem, but can be awkward when you look at your arm and see a black streak that wasn't there when you picked up the bass
