I used a Comfort Strapp for many decades, recently it broke on a gig - the leather going around one of the strap buttons just broke. I bought another but also found these Brazilian EVO straps which to my eyes is nothing I’ve ever seen in a strap. Great for bass - wide, the stitching helps keep them supportive but the leather is so soft and they’re padded.
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The Strap Snob Discussion Thread.
- Thread starter el murdoque
- Start date
+1 on the Italia straps. I bought two 4" straps secondhand here and liked them so much that I ordered a 2.5" elite, long. I wish that the 4" were longer, so I emailed them about getting longer secondary straps for the wider ones. I haven't heard back yet. I do plan on ordering at least one or two more to put on basses that stay in the rotation.
I love my Levy’s 3.5” suede straps. I got my first one in 2004 and it hasn’t busted one stitch or had any problems. I liked it so much, I bought a new one each time I bought a new bass, so now I have 4 of these straps that live on each bass.
Its called a suede strap, but to me it feels and acts like leather with an outer suede feel. It’s nice and wide to disperse the weight and make a bass feel less heavy and more comfortable, and the suede inside is a perfect balance of “slip” and “grip” against your shirt. That is, the bass won’t slip around on your shoulder unless you want it to. I have a bass with neck dive and the grip of the suede holds the bass from moving around or sliding down on its own. But it doesn’t feel glued to my shirt either, I can easily adjust the bass angle. One person here mentioned this strap was too stiff for them, but I didn’t feel that way. But I will say after some regular use it relatively quickly becomes much more flexible than they are new.
This is not the most fancy, showy, or expensive strap out there. But I think the four black 3.5” Levy’s suede straps I own, including one that is now 21 years old and another that’s 18, will realistically last my entire life.
I priced out and shopped around some straps recently. Like you, I’m willing to pay $200-300 for something quality. But after researching I’m not confident any of these more expense straps would be any better than what I already have and enjoy. I just can’t justify a high price product when I feel I already have the best straps for my needs.
levysleathers.com
Its called a suede strap, but to me it feels and acts like leather with an outer suede feel. It’s nice and wide to disperse the weight and make a bass feel less heavy and more comfortable, and the suede inside is a perfect balance of “slip” and “grip” against your shirt. That is, the bass won’t slip around on your shoulder unless you want it to. I have a bass with neck dive and the grip of the suede holds the bass from moving around or sliding down on its own. But it doesn’t feel glued to my shirt either, I can easily adjust the bass angle. One person here mentioned this strap was too stiff for them, but I didn’t feel that way. But I will say after some regular use it relatively quickly becomes much more flexible than they are new.
This is not the most fancy, showy, or expensive strap out there. But I think the four black 3.5” Levy’s suede straps I own, including one that is now 21 years old and another that’s 18, will realistically last my entire life.
I priced out and shopped around some straps recently. Like you, I’m willing to pay $200-300 for something quality. But after researching I’m not confident any of these more expense straps would be any better than what I already have and enjoy. I just can’t justify a high price product when I feel I already have the best straps for my needs.
Simply Suede Series
Crafted with premium suede and meticulous attention to detail, these guitar straps offer a clean and refined aesthetic that effortlessly complements any playing style.
levysleathers.com
i've got several racer x straps, and i don't find them slippery. they're made of different materials, though, and some are slicker than others. nowhere near as slick as their seatbelt straps, which are great for what they are. good selection of colors (i mean, look at this one). i find the racer x line more comfortable and better looking than leather straps, and they're upcycled and/or vegan for those keeping track of such things.
My wife buys me custom straps for my basses, and I have some really nice ones. I'll ask her for the info (I'm traveling for work right now).
Edit: she was quick - Invalid Link Removed
Edit: she was quick - Invalid Link Removed
I've looked at some of the BurnyBlack stuff - seems like a good option if you want a unique, one off strap design. For that kind of thing I've also seen some amazing stuff from Tool Awl Leather (on Reverb).
Invalid Link Removed
My favorite strap is a custom, one-off made by the lady who made my old dog's collar. The pup passed last year, but the stap (and collar) will go on forever.
I still have and love the Italia straps, but need to replace my 4" wide ones with 2.5" since I've learned that I hate wide straps. I've been using a pair of snake skin straps for most of my guitars and basses, One back scales, the other belly scales. I mounted extra strap buttons to my wall to hang them via the strap locks when not in use. AF Designs Snakeskin Guitar Straps & Artist Replicas|Imlay Twp
I still have and love the Italia straps, but need to replace my 4" wide ones with 2.5" since I've learned that I hate wide straps. I've been using a pair of snake skin straps for most of my guitars and basses, One back scales, the other belly scales. I mounted extra strap buttons to my wall to hang them via the strap locks when not in use. AF Designs Snakeskin Guitar Straps & Artist Replicas|Imlay Twp
I recommend these for comfort and easy adjustments, even while playing
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...blk-3.5-inch-wide-ripchord-guitar-strap-black
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...blk-3.5-inch-wide-ripchord-guitar-strap-black
Each of my basses also gets its own strap.
Pinegrove Leather! Mom & Pop (actually Husband & Wife) business out of Church Stretton, Shropshire, England. Very well made, lot's of options, very high quality leather. Excellent fair pricing, much lower than other straps of equal or lesser quality. I ordered a strap from them a few years back with a custom option. Rod was a pleasure to deal with.
www.pinegroveleather.com
Pinegrove Leather! Mom & Pop (actually Husband & Wife) business out of Church Stretton, Shropshire, England. Very well made, lot's of options, very high quality leather. Excellent fair pricing, much lower than other straps of equal or lesser quality. I ordered a strap from them a few years back with a custom option. Rod was a pleasure to deal with.
Pinegrove Leather home page
Hand-built in England. Professional quality straps, cases and accessories for guitar, mandolin, harmonica, bass, drums.
www.pinegroveleather.com
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The best strap I've ever had is a Levy's M29 ...had it for about 20 years of weekly gigging with not a single issue. Naturally, they have discontinued them, so my new basses get the Levy's MSS2-4 extra long straps and Dunlop dual-design strap locks.
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Big +1 on the Levy's leather straps 3" wide. Comfy, well made, and they come in black or brown.
Neotech mega not just spread the bass weight and comfort on my shoulder, meanwhile she also can eliminate neck dive pretty well, and never left bad smell on the pad. You also can waste it once you found the pad has dry sweat signed.Hands down the best and most comfortable straps I have used in a long history of playing bass (46 years) are the neoprene straps from Neotech. I first started using their straps due to a very heavy Alembic bass I had at the time. The soft neoprene and that the strap has flexibility really helps with heavy instruments. I could not play a whole night on the Alembic without using that strap. Since then, I haven't looked back! They are now the only straps I use. There is NO leather strap I have tried that is anywhere as comfy as the Neotech.
Mega Strap Series | by Neotech™
The Neotech™ Mega Strap Series is the ultimate choice for guitarists and bass players who want to rock out without hurting their shoulders. Whether you play a jazz bass at a high position or a rock-n-roll guitar at a low position, there's a strap to fit you perfectly. You'll be amazed by how...neotechstraps.com
I also has Fender 3' neoprene swell on 2 of my bass, not as comfort as Mega strap, and she help nothing if your bass has neck dive issue, even slightly dive. .......
But need mention one thing, if you have big body or fat person, and you prefer hang the bass guitar low to your ball level , the Mega strap length may unable reach that low even with mega strap long model. But no problem with Fender neoprene.
I just bought a strap especially for my dreadnought from the maker as it has a very peculiar endpin size.
anyways it's a pretty good strap but the strap company (a leather works) doesn't exist anymore. fwiw I went with the horween veg tanned leather but they also offered chromexcel as an option.
anyways it's a pretty good strap but the strap company (a leather works) doesn't exist anymore. fwiw I went with the horween veg tanned leather but they also offered chromexcel as an option.
i used levy 3" wide, plain leather (black) straps for decades. dependable, but not that luxurious for the "strap snob" set.
and then i got turned on to lakota straps: same idea, but definitely "luxurious" compared to my go-to levys. buffalo leather....who knew?!!
mine: [This invalid link has been removed]
and then i got turned on to lakota straps: same idea, but definitely "luxurious" compared to my go-to levys. buffalo leather....who knew?!!
mine: [This invalid link has been removed]
