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The great strap shootout thread! Post your strap reviews here.

#21
I want to profess my love for the Levy's M7GG3
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XPPRBE

It's nice and soft, 3" wide leather. Two thick pieces, sewn together. I've got 3 of them and they are by far the most comfortable straps I've used. I'm decently tall at 6'5" and carry my bass lowish so being able to adjust to ridiculously long is great. Also if you're a bigger dude being able to accommodate some extra personal padding helps too!

as far as any flaws, they are difficult to adjust but i have to adjust them so rarely it doesn't matter to me.
I've always used strap locks so I can't attest to the stability of the ends in relation to staying on the bass, but I imagine it would be as good as any other decent leather strap.

The last point to make would be that these are one piece and the same width all the way. A lot of big leather straps taper or have that extra tail with the holes on it. I hate that. This is nice and smooth and consistent all the way across.
 
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#26
I'm partial to the DiMarzio clip lok straps, more for the clip lock part, never had an issue with them failing, and I have had problems with Straplocks. The strap itself nothing special, black nylon, old school "fender" width...
MJ
 
#28
I'll go basic but I've been using Ernie Ball 2" Polypro straps for as long as I can remember. I originally bought them because the first straps I used didn't go low enough for me (punk band) and I got 2, one for each bass I owned. I did it to go with a color scheme. My main bass was the all-black P-Bass in my avatar that had white accents, so I got a white strap and added some black accents. I got a black strap for my back-up (the one in my avatar that has a white pickguard). I was concerned about the thinness of the leather where it hooks onto the bass so I got strap locks and they've been solid for years. I just bought a Jaguar not too long ago and I got a gray strap for that one (straplocks as well). They are pretty standard straps but I love how simple they are and that they come in so many different colors. And don't worry, my bass has lifted quite a bit since my punk rock days lol. My friend is trying to get me to try out DiMarzio ClipLock straps but my EB's are good enough for me now. One day I'll get them but for now I'm all set.

For my Kingman I use an old Levi cloth strap that I had when I first started playing. It works for now but I'm looking for a nice brown leather one to compliment the acoustic finish
 
#34
JakobT said:
Solostrap Neo - Gruvgear, $40-50

The Solostrap Neo looked like the answer to my prayers. The strap comes in 2.5" and 4" widths, with a padded neoprene midsection, and an elegant set-it-and-forget-it length adjustment feature. I had the 4" version. This strap is also animal-free, with the end pieces and strap adjustment made of faux leather. The strap is super comfortable to wear, and makes light of the heaviest bass. The length adjustment is a little fiddly as you have to undo several small screws and reposition the end piece, but once you've set it to your taste you never have to do it again. The strap folds reasonably well, but not as well as the Betty. However, the faux leather started to fray around the strap pin holes almost immediately, giving me some concerns for the security and longevity of the strap. Again, strap locks might solve this problem, but it really shouldn't be necessary to use them.

My verdict:
Comfort: 10/10
Design: 8/10
Materials:5/10
Value for money: 7/10
Click to expand...

Hope it's cool for us to add our two cents. And thanks for starting the thread, and posting some reviews to get us going!

I used the Solostrap Neo for a while, but wound up putting it away, just as a spare. I stash my strap in the large pocket of a gig bag, and this strap didn't much like to fold up, as the padded part is thick and the length adjustment part pretty long and quite stiff. The outer surface of the faux leather tabs started to peel from being folded; in the time I used it I didn't notice any cracking or fraying of the core layer, though. I also found that while 4" feels good on the shoulder (spreads the weight out nicely), I didn't need the full width to run down my back. In the summer at an outdoor gig, it just made the sweat stripe bigger...
 
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#35
Ewo said:
Hope it's cool for us to add our two cents. And thanks for starting the thread, and posting some reviews to get us going!

I used the Solostrap Neo for a while, but wound up putting it away, just as a spare. I stash my strap in the large pocket of a gig bag, and this strap didn't much like to fold up, as the padded part is thick and the length adjustment part pretty long and quite stiff. The outer surface of the faux leather tabs started to peel from being folded; in the time I used it I didn't notice any cracking or fraying of the core layer, though. I also found that while 4" feels good on the shoulder (spreads the weight out nicely), I didn't need the full width to run down my back. In the summer at an outdoor gig, it just made the sweat stripe bigger...
Click to expand...
Of course it's OK for you to chime in - that's what is thread is for. :)
I found that the Solostrap Neo was quite good in many repects, but the faux leather just didn't make the cut as far as I'm concerned. I never thought about the heat thing, but then I live in a considerably cooler climate :)
 
#36
Strap GAS. Good gravy.

The baseline strap: it came with my StingRay when new (79), so it's a "vintage" MusicMan. It's a 3 inch woven strap with leather ends. It has always been supremely comfortable. The quarter inch thick weave makes it easy on my shoulder. My 'Ray is a heavy one and it doesn't feel magically lighter today. Downsides: it's kind of ratty now after all these years. And it's black. I don't really care for black on a bass or bass accessories (that's just me). And I really don't care for black leather. Feels sinister. But I kept and used it plenty. because I never gave it much thought until recently. Thanks, TB. I decided very recently it is too ratty and black. I did pop a half-inch diameter "Monk" (as in Thelonious) button on the front and that made me feel momentarily better until my new

Levy's PM32 in tan arrived. Very good looking. Handsome. It feels comfortable and I believe it's gig-worthy for my (heavy, did I say that?) bass. Thus far, un-gigged. I practice seated and notice it nudges my neck (my neck) and notice it can feel kind of hot. It's not breathable like my ratty strap. Only real downside I note is the leather is so thick I can barely get it on the strap buttons. No need for strap locks .... Overall, very nice strap, getting used to it. And I got strap GAS because of my perceptions, and bought a

Planet Waves suede strap in honey. At 2 1/2 inches width and un-padded, I was dubious. But it appeals to me more, aesthetically, than the other two. More comfortable than I would have guessed, I use it every day now. Mostly because it's easier to negotiate my strap buttons and I'm practicing seated, as I just said. I really like the look, and I like the feel, and it is likely to gig. Yet I yearn for a replacement for my ratty strap, which serendipitously lead me to

Franklin Strap

and now I have serious GAS for several of them. It looks perfect for me. My belief is the "cinch" version will feel like my MusicMan. Will be a good while before I'm stateside (very briefly) so GAS it is.
 
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#38
Random tooled leather strap that musician's friend was blowing out for $2.50 each about 3 years ago. I bought one for every bass. (a dozen)

They are undyed relatively soft leather, kind of an ugly orangey-peach color. Tooled with a floral-like pattern and they do the job just fine.
 

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