Let's talk about STRAPS!

[Freakoftheweek75]

What strap makers do you all recommend for variety of cool looking straps, but most importantly -

• Comfort
• Don't take a year to break in and get soft and comfy

Nothing worse than a strap that feels like it's slicing into your neck for months and is impossible to get over strap knobs.

Discuss!

 

[line6man]

impossible to get over strap knobs.

Straplocks. :dontknow:

 

[mrpinter]

I really like my http://www.couchguitarstraps.com/. Couch straps are made out of vinyl so don't need any breaking in.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

Levys straps are nice.  The 3 inch padded ones are very comfy.  I also have a couple of couch straps, they are narrower so I don't find them as comfy, but the kitsch factor is off the charts.  I have the Mercedes vinyl and a Caddy faux leather strap.  Levy's straps tend to be expensive, but I found this guy on eBay and he sent it fast at an incredible price, for a Levy strap.
Patrick

 

[thebutcher85]

I really like my http://www.couchguitarstraps.com/. Couch straps are made out of vinyl so don't need any breaking in.

those couch straps are awesome! ever heard of JayKco straps? also handmade, and a really cool guy to deal with, I've got one of the ugly tie straps.

http://www.jaykco.com/

 

[Cagey]

I'm a big fan of the Franklin Straps. They're just as advertised - the leather is soft and supple right from the word go, so no break-in needed. Then, 3" wide means good weight distribution so you don't get shoulder fatigue. There's not a lot of fancy tooling or stitching or anything like that, so they're not embarrassing. Finally, they're reasonably priced.

 

[AutoBat]

100% of my straps are Levys (yes, both of them!)

 

[toronado]

I'm using Harvest Leather Straps made out of glove nappa leather. Very smooth and comfortable from the day I bought it. Not the cheapest, though, but highly recommended.

 

[Ddbltrbl]

The most comfortable strap I've ever used was a "Providence"! It feels broke in from day 1, but I've never seen them for sale anywhere but in Japan. :dontknow:

 

[Corey P.]

I'm not much of a Wilco fan but I saw one of those PG Rig Rundowns with Nels Cline and he mentioned Souldier (http://www.souldier.us/) guitar straps, and the customization is pretty great.

I also really like those Planet Waves straps that have the built-in locking mechanisms (link) for guitars that don't have strap-lock buttons & you want to leave stock/are borrowing, etc.

 

[Steve_Karl]

I got 2 of these in 4" wide and they're the best straps I've ever owned or seen in my life.
http://italiastraps.com/guitar-straps-uk.html

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I'm replacing all of mine with the 3" plush.
http://www.eyelandenterprises.com/html/straps3.html

Gold for the Baritone Tele, as it is being finished in buckskin.
Black for all others.

I apply my own hand-loomedbeadwork to them.

 

[KaiserSoze]

Gotta throw in for Levys straps.  Some cool designs and they are worth the price, although the straplock problem is there.  Wish straplock would make those dam threads stick up just a little farther....sheesh.

 

[MikeW]

The Franklin straps are very nice. I've got two of those including one with a cool snakeskin spot on it. Very nice with my all white Strat.

I've also got an adjustable Dunlop that I really like.

 

[Tonar8352]

I have several straps including a Jaykco which is nice but I like the  El Dorado plain strap I have the best. The reason is the lamb skin section of the strap which goes over my shoulder stays in place but I can move the guitar neck back and forth toward the floor and the thin part of the straps move through it. The Jaykco grabs my shirt and bunches it up on my neck if I don't hold the guitar perfectly still.  The only thing about the El Dorado is the I have to be very careful to make sure the buckle does not hit the finish when I put it in a stand or it dings the finish pretty bad. I usually take the guitar off the strap before I put it in a stand.
http://www.eldoradostraps.com/products2.htm

 

[Tipperman]

No. 1 elastic straps, Franklin 3" leather. The elastics are great at balancing weight.

 

[AutoBat]

Gotta throw in for Levys straps.  Some cool designs and they are worth the price, although the straplock problem is there.  Wish straplock would make those dam threads stick up just a little farther....sheesh.

Definitely. I couldn't fit the washer on it, I try to remember to tighten it every month or so.

 

[Phinox]

i personally like the DiMarrzio clip lock straps. easy to change out once you install the clip ends.

 

[swarfrat]

I had schaller straplocks on my Les Paul decades ago. I put Dunlops on my shortscale strat. The scahllers weren't bad. The Dunlops work just fine, but they're huge and ungainly, and rattle like crazy when you're sitting down. That plus the fact that My guitars all sit on a 7x inline rack now - means that I'm probably going to take them off  and use the camming plastic disc type. Every guitar doesn't need its own strap - only the ones that will be onstage at the same time. I just put my 3" wide leather strap on whatever guitar I'm playing while it's out of the rack. I had a plush padded one before, but wide is better than plush.

 

[B3Guy]

I just inherited my grandma's leather-backed flowery-embroidered strap. comfy enough seeing as she used it already. Gear with sentimental value is always the beast. (I hope to keep my Warmoth long enough that it means something to someone else just because it was mine . . .)