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When Did Fender Drop Schaller Straplocks?

#22
I actually DO like the Schallers. I've been using them for quite awhile, and they've never failed me. The only thing that I don't like is that the strap sits fairly far from the body of the bass. If you like to secure your cable between the bass and the strap, it doesn't work too well.

That being said, lately I've been using the cheapo .40 cent rubber gaskets from the hardware store, like this:

100_0867.jpg
 
#23
Based on my experience with the American Series, I think it stopped around 2004, and before that American Series instruments were supposed to come with the complete system of buttons and strap locks. (I suspect the locks "disappeared" from many cases when they arrived at shops, which may explain the varying experiences.)

My 2003 Jazz came with the entire system. My 2004 Precision came with Schaller compatible buttons, but the locks weren't in the case candy. My slightly newer 2004 American Series Strat didn't even come with the buttons, so by that point Fender seems to have abandoned the system. My 2008 Am. Std. Jazz V has the same buttons as my 2004 Strat.
 
#28
fesem said:
If I may hijack this thread just quickly, what kind of strap locks do you, or others, like.
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I immediately put Dunlop Straploks on everything I own as soon as I receive it. I have had ZERO problems with these over the past 12 years of regular gigging. Of course, you have to use some common sense: after snapping the strap onto the post, give it an outward pull to make sure it is seated correctly.

And yes, most of the time I have to drill out the Straplok post for a larger diameter screw and then grind down the head on the screw that came with the bass (or guitar) so it will fit inside the Straplok post barrel.
 
#29
Turock said:
It started well before the '90s. If you had read and comprehended my post, you should have seen that the buttons came on them at least as far back as 1983.
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Yes, but I'm asking when they stopped using them.

My friend said sometime in early 2007...yes, some American series shipped without them. I was surprised. Convinced? I'm not sure.
 
#30
fesem said:
If I may hijack this thread just quickly, what kind of strap locks do you, or others, like.
Click to expand...
I've been using Dunlops without a failure for more than 25 years. In fact, I have one bass that still has it's original Dunlops in fine working order along with it's strap.

I have the original style, the dual purpose and the inset ones installed. One button, click and it's on. I don't like the horseshoe arrangement of the Schaller.
 
#31
bassmanrocke said:
The American Standard Series came with the straplocks until the redesigns for 2008.
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That's what I thought, but apparently not.
I put them on all my basses and can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want them.
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I hate them for three reasons:

1: They are totally unnecessary. If it takes me ten minutes of oofing and grunting to fit a new strap end over the button on the guitar, it's not coming off by accident, if ever.

2: An ounce or two of metal flying around on the end of five feet of strap is more dangerous to the gear and everything else within that radius than I care to deal with. If the particular strap I'm using fits loosely enough on the button to need a little extra security, I'll use something lighter, less obtrusive and less hazardous.

3: For all its apparent overkill, it's far from foolproof. I've very nearly dropped several Fenders when these let go after feeling like they were engaged, never mind gradually working themselves loose from the strap end.

There are other reasons why I think these are far more trouble than they're worth, but that's a start.
 
#32
fesem said:
If I may hijack this thread just quickly, what kind of strap locks do you, or others, like.
Click to expand...

I used Schaller locks exclusively for nearly two decades. I constantly had problems with them, a couple of which resulted in instrument damage.

I stayed away from the original Dunlops because they were useless without the locked strap, but I've been using Dunlop Dual Designs exclusively for eight years now. Zero problems. I have them on all of my basses. The only downside is that the lock is a pain to install on the strap, especially a thick strap -- but unlike the Schallers, once the Dunlop lock is on it stays on the strap. Also, because of the ball bearings, the Dunlop button stays on the bass (with Schallers, friction often causes the button to loosen).
 
#34
Bongolation said:
That's what I thought, but apparently not.

I hate them for three reasons:

1: They are totally unnecessary. If it takes me ten minutes of oofing and grunting to fit a new strap end over the button on the guitar, it's not coming off by accident, if ever.
Click to expand...

If you never take it off again, that makes sense. In that event you could also screw a strap on.

I always take my straps off so that wouldn't work for me.

2: An ounce or two of metal flying around on the end of five feet of strap is more dangerous to the gear and everything else within that radius than I care to deal with. If the particular strap I'm using fits loosely enough on the button to need a little extra security, I'll use something lighter, less obtrusive and less hazardous.
Click to expand...

So don't sling a strap around. A very easy "fix".:D

3: For all its apparent overkill, it's far from foolproof. I've very nearly dropped several Fenders when these let go after feeling like they were engaged, never mind gradually working themselves loose from the strap end.

There are other reasons why I think these are far more trouble than they're worth, but that's a start.
Click to expand...

You do have to pay attention and checking a straplock (even one I don't like) is a pretty simple maintenence issue IME.
 
#37
I used Dunlop straplocks on a Jazz bass that I gigged regularly in the 80s. I found that by moving the strap connection farther away from the bass, enough leverage was created that the strap button eventually sunk into the wood of the bass. In the early 90s I gigged regularly with a Ken Smith, which had esentually recessed Dunlops, and those worked great. I much prefer the Schallers on a Fender.
 
#40
king_biscuit said:
Are they recessed Dunlops? I know the Smiths are.
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Some are, most aren't. I did recessed on my most recent Brubaker sixes just because I like the look. Ken Smith was first with this IIRC... a long, long time ago.

The strangest is Fodera. I've noticed they only recessed the Dunlop on the bottom end of the body and not on the upper horn of my Contrabass. I've seen the same thing on a few other Foderas so I asked why they did that. Never got an answer.

I've had Elricks with the upper horn lock on the back side of the horn so a regular Dunlop-equipped strap would need to be twisted to work.
 

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