Wow.....16 pages......straplocks on all guitars and basses here....as the op said....first order biz after the strings.....
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Why no straplocks?
- Thread starter Broadstbully22
- Start date
I tried the Grolsch/rubber washer thing . Problem with that is the rubber is elastic and can still work its way off. And several times I've had the little buggers pop off when putting the strap on and bounce away under a dressing room couch.
Oh and about guitar solos going too long. Well aimed kick to the behind snaps them out of it .
Oh and about guitar solos going too long. Well aimed kick to the behind snaps them out of it .
I've never thought about strap locks to be honest. I have this old damn strap, but never once has my bass come loose from it while playing, and I thrash it about a fair bit. It's probably a smart idea to get some, but I've just never seen them as necessary. Plus, I only have one strap to put on my different basses. I may get some washers though, like that idea.
Moving in combination with using a strap that has ben softened and stretched out.
I love my leather straps but the button holes have stretched. Therefore the strap button easily slips through.
If someone has never experienced catching a bass that almost crashes to the ground due to the button slipping through the strap then its easy to understand why you wouldnt need/want them. For those of us who have... it only takes one time. And its easy to understand why they are a good thing. Either way. Whatever!
Anyone ever play a McCartney Ric? The strap buttons on this $2k+ bass are the most useless piece of hardware ever created for anything ever in the history of the universe. It has about a 1/4" ridge to hold the strap in place. I sit when i play it because its not mine and i almost dropped it a bunch of times.
Dropped my new Jazz ON my new Ampeg when the strap came off the bridge button. Fairly new Fender strap just got twisted as i was shouldering the guitar, and came off instantly. I use the schallers on all 3 basses (1 precision, 2 jazz) with the following mods: Original screw is larger than one supplied by schaller. I drill button to next size, and grind down original screw head to fit inside button. I dip screw threads in wood glue, and then install to body. Allow to dry for 24hrs. Lastly, a very small dab of silicone grease inside the lock to prevent squeaks. The squeak has been my only drawback to date.
That's my story as well - didn't use them until my strap slipped off one gig. After that, I just preferred a little extra security.
Although I've had strap locks that fail too - in particular the Ernie Ball ones. Using Dunlop now - so far so good. I hear Schaller is good too.
They're a bit ugly but I do use them on my basses. I've experienced the same thing some of the others have. Leather strap ends the enlarge. A strap that becomes twisted when you sling the bass on over your head and comes right off the pin.
I've only had one strap that it was never a problem with and it was a very high grade leather strap that I'd had for years called a Fretslinger. I don't believe they're even made any longer. They had an offset to them that held the bass in a more comfortable position.
I recently put some elliptical pins on my Tele and I'm going to see how those work. If they do the trick on the guitars I may try them on my bass.
I've only had one strap that it was never a problem with and it was a very high grade leather strap that I'd had for years called a Fretslinger. I don't believe they're even made any longer. They had an offset to them that held the bass in a more comfortable position.
I recently put some elliptical pins on my Tele and I'm going to see how those work. If they do the trick on the guitars I may try them on my bass.
I used Schallers for years. Then about 5 years ago I started using these neoprene washers. Easy on/easy off if you need to remove/change the strap. I have a strap for each bass I own, and use a set of these on each one. They're cheap (about .80 cents a set). They're not bulky (like Schallers), so they fit into the case without having to remove the strap. I'll never go back to "actual" strap locks again...
Great Idea!! I didn't see any one else comment on this. Using the neoprene washer would be strong enough to hold your strap on your bass but you can still remove your strap for storage or use any strap without having to add locks...AWESOME!
To those of you who don't see the need because a bass has never fallen off a strap on you, Well, that's just fine. You were lucky, good for you. But just because it's never happened to you doesn't mean it hasn't to anybody else. It DOES happen, and you could simply just be standing there and not hopping around on a stage like some mad frog. So please forgive us who it has happened to (twice to me) if we feel a little more comfortable using straplocks, whether it's a pair of Grolsch washers or a $15 set of Dunlops. Whether real or imagined, to me, a little peace of mind over the safety of my $1200 bass is worth $15.
I troll around all the time drooling at some of your guys collections, but I have one question. Why no straplocks? That and new strings are the first things I put on a new bass and my basses are mostly MIM Fenders. But some of you shell out alot of hard earned money but I rarely see straplocks on anything. So why? Do you not like the look, playing position, cost, What?
I don't need them.
I used to really like straplocks but I hate how they tend to pierce through gigbags when you leave them on, which I do most of the time.
Now I use large buttons and a strap for each instrument that I leave on.
Now I use large buttons and a strap for each instrument that I leave on.
I bought the first set of Schaller Straplocks I ever saw. I think that was 1978 or so.
I chose Schallers after repairing at least half a dozen customers guitars where their Dunlop locks had pulled the screws right out of the body. (Early Dunlops placed the strap quite some distance from the body. They didn't work well on soft wood bodies.)
EVERY bass, guitar and mandolin I've owned since then has had Schaller Straplocks on them. Right now I have six sets, new in the package (3 chrome, 2 black, 1 gold) on hand just in case I buy a new instrument. It's the first thing I'll do when I get it home.
I will never own a bass, guitar or mandolin without straplocks.
Why? Because I got tired of using leather, and leather ended straps with stretched holes.
Whenever I get a new strap I repunch the holes using a .38 Special case as a punch. A Scaller lock then fits perfectly. I use a wrench to tighten the nut on the lock and it stays secure for years. And since I started repunching the ends I've yet to have a hole stretch.
For some, no explanation is needed.
For the others no explanation will do.
Y'all can do what you want, I really don't care if you drop an instrument or not. But I do care about what happens to mine.
I chose Schallers after repairing at least half a dozen customers guitars where their Dunlop locks had pulled the screws right out of the body. (Early Dunlops placed the strap quite some distance from the body. They didn't work well on soft wood bodies.)
EVERY bass, guitar and mandolin I've owned since then has had Schaller Straplocks on them. Right now I have six sets, new in the package (3 chrome, 2 black, 1 gold) on hand just in case I buy a new instrument. It's the first thing I'll do when I get it home.
I will never own a bass, guitar or mandolin without straplocks.
Why? Because I got tired of using leather, and leather ended straps with stretched holes.
Whenever I get a new strap I repunch the holes using a .38 Special case as a punch. A Scaller lock then fits perfectly. I use a wrench to tighten the nut on the lock and it stays secure for years. And since I started repunching the ends I've yet to have a hole stretch.
For some, no explanation is needed.
For the others no explanation will do.
Y'all can do what you want, I really don't care if you drop an instrument or not. But I do care about what happens to mine.
I use rubber fender (not the brand name) washers. For Fender basses, the size that works best is 1 1/4" diameter with a 1/4" center hole. Try to find ones that are nice and pliable/flexible. These can be had at most hardware stores for little money. I have used these for years and never had a problem with them.
It may take a few minutes of practice to find the best way to slip them on and off, but this isn't a big deal at all. These will wear out eventually, so monitor them for splits and cracks. When this happens throw the bad one out and put on a new one. This works without having to modify the bass which is something that is important to me.
It may take a few minutes of practice to find the best way to slip them on and off, but this isn't a big deal at all. These will wear out eventually, so monitor them for splits and cracks. When this happens throw the bad one out and put on a new one. This works without having to modify the bass which is something that is important to me.
The last Ric I bought new had Schallers on it from the factory. Allparts has some that fit, as do Grovers.
As Jackson Browne once said, "Don't think it won't happen just because it hasn't happened yet". This guy would probably agree:
Watch from :45 to :50.
+1 on the neoprene washers. The perfect fix.
Watch from :45 to :50.
+1 on the neoprene washers. The perfect fix.
Thanks Dan. Yeah, IMO these are friggin' great. Somebody above said that because they're "rubber", they can work themselves off. (These are actually neoprene, a synthetic polymer resistant to heat, oil, etc.) I've used them for years and never had one come off without me making the physical effort to remove them. And if you do take them off, they immediately return to their original shape.
The only thing that you have to be careful of is to make sure you buy the proper size. They come with various-sized holes in the center. Just make sure that the actual hole is smaller than the widest part of your strap buttons. That requires you to have to stretch it a bit to get it on or off, but that's exactly how you want it to be. Then you're good to go. I've even "converted" the guitar players in our band into using them...
That's a great clip from The Last Waltz! I loved how Robbie Robertson immediately took over the solo without missing a beat so that Eric could fix his strap...
Engine207
Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.
Yeagh...but that was a guitar. Something like that would never happen with a bass...
I've been using these for years. Found a handful in a bin in dad's garage. Total cost: $0. I'm sure they can be had for pennies at the hardware store.
5 advantages to this setup:
1. The strap doesn't come off which is the purpose right?
2. I never forget the strap because it can't come off without a screwdriver.
3. I'm short and wear my bass kind of high and the strap doesn't adjust. Hardly anyone else can play it. Keeps the tire kickers at bay.
4. ???
5. Profit!
