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What kind of straplocks do you use?
- Thread starter Balog
- Start date
My strap locks are basically black, wide O-ring washers that fit over the pegs above the straps. They were cheap and they work great. I got a bag of a dozen of them for somewhere around $5 on Amazon years ago.
Here's a link. They're now 12 for $4.89. Nothing fancy. but I'm still on my first pair from September of 2021.
Tifanso straplocks
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I used Schallers for about 30 years - a set on every bass - but I recently switched over to these Dunlop Lok Strap thingies:
I never minded that you needed to check that the Schallers weren't loosening (a tiny bit of LocTite prevented that) and I never had one fall apart or fail on me. The reasons for switching were that the Schallers stuck out so far they damaged the zipper on a couple of my gig bags and, even worse, they squeak! No matter what I tried I couldn't get them to stop squeaking and I finally just gave up.
Those little black plastic Dunlops are cheap and reliable. I had already used them on a few guitars for a long time and they never caused any trouble so I just switched back to plain strap buttons and I use the little plastic doo-dads. I have rubber washers on a couple of basses, too, and I bought one bass with the nice ball-bearing Dunlops, which I left on, but I've never jumped around much onstage. Simple plastic or rubber retainers are more than fine for my needs.
I never minded that you needed to check that the Schallers weren't loosening (a tiny bit of LocTite prevented that) and I never had one fall apart or fail on me. The reasons for switching were that the Schallers stuck out so far they damaged the zipper on a couple of my gig bags and, even worse, they squeak! No matter what I tried I couldn't get them to stop squeaking and I finally just gave up.
Those little black plastic Dunlops are cheap and reliable. I had already used them on a few guitars for a long time and they never caused any trouble so I just switched back to plain strap buttons and I use the little plastic doo-dads. I have rubber washers on a couple of basses, too, and I bought one bass with the nice ball-bearing Dunlops, which I left on, but I've never jumped around much onstage. Simple plastic or rubber retainers are more than fine for my needs.
All my basses and guitars get Dunlop dual design and flush strap locks. Dual design button on the upper horn, and flush button on the rear.
I use similar ones, work great.
I used to use these, but then the middle section popped out, rendering it useless, but if it's never happened to you , cool. Maybe I got a defective one.
Still it made me decide to switch, initially on one that the placement of the strP knob made it awkward to put those plastic ones on.
And that was not the one that had the middle pop out.
But hey, use what you like.
I have Gibson Posi-Loks on a non-Gibson guitar.
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Exactly this. Basses that 'make it' get handed the straplocks and they're in the gang. If I might sell the bass on then it would be a modification, which reduces the value. If I'm keeping it then it's an upgrade, which increases the value.
I have used straplocks.
Now I use the Fender rubber washers.
Why?
1. Straplocks are mechanical and they DO fail occasionally.
2. The Fender rubber washers were an upgrade from the old school plumbing department rubber washers I was using at the time... And slightly easier to put on than the plumbing washers.
3. Straplocks are noisy... (metal on metal) they can be heard if recording vocals and the strap is hanging loose. They can get squeaky without a bit of lube or parriffin applied... not fooling.
Now I use the Fender rubber washers.
Why?
1. Straplocks are mechanical and they DO fail occasionally.
2. The Fender rubber washers were an upgrade from the old school plumbing department rubber washers I was using at the time... And slightly easier to put on than the plumbing washers.
3. Straplocks are noisy... (metal on metal) they can be heard if recording vocals and the strap is hanging loose. They can get squeaky without a bit of lube or parriffin applied... not fooling.
Same here! I figure if they work for this guy's guitar collection, they'll be OK with mine.
I have the 1912 equivalents (in metal) that are holding the top down to the main body of my Stickley 819 sideboard.
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Interesting... Are those rubber? I'm familiar with metal figure 8 fasteners like this:
I'm kind of a furniture geek, with much time spent at the Yale Furniture Study, so my inquiring mind needs to know.
They are metal. I have never removed the top to get a closer look but have come across info/pics somewhere in one of my Arts & Crafts/Stickley books in my library.Interesting... Are those rubber? I'm familiar with metal figure 8 fasteners like this:
View attachment 7218008
I'm kind of a furniture geek, with much time spent at the Yale Furniture Study, so my inquiring mind needs to know.
Interesting website. I'll have to look into it; it seems its focus is on earlier than turn of the 20th century.
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Pre-USA all the way to last week. A very cool place. You can touch and hold stuff, too!
