Members steve_man Posted July 17, 2015 Members Share Posted July 17, 2015 I've got a strap that I love by Get 'Em Get 'Em, but for some reason, it likes to slip off of the the strap pin on the front horn. I know this, and always hold onto the bass, just to make sure. Well, last night I reached over to grab a cable off of the wall, and the angle was just right... and I felt that strap let go. I was able to catch the body of the guitar before it hit the floor, but the headstock crashed HARD into the tile floor. Terrible sound... I expected there to be damage, but to my surprise, I did not see any. Just re-tuned it, and it was good to go.... Needless to say, I put strap locks on it today... lol... I've owned it for nearly 20 years, looks like I would have learned by now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted July 17, 2015 Members Share Posted July 17, 2015 Glad there was no damage. I can honestly say I've never had a strap let go, knock on wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 It's one of the worst feelings in the world when that happens. Thankfully it wasn't damaged - and smart move installing the strap locks. I've had guitars without them drop, but never one with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted July 17, 2015 Members Share Posted July 17, 2015 I used to use poor mans strap locks by just using longer screws and putting large washers on the end of the strap buttons. The washers were just large enough to get the strap on with some effort. Never had a strap accidentally slip after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted July 17, 2015 Members Share Posted July 17, 2015 same here, next day when my guitar first slipped from the strap and almost hit the ground was the day i bought strap locksthe schaller i use.since then on all my guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 17, 2015 Members Share Posted July 17, 2015 Had that happen once, luckily, my SG survived without a scratch. BUT one thing I tell people is when putting your guitar in a gig bag, check the straps on that! Had more gig bag straps go south, then guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Floyd Rosenbomb Posted July 17, 2015 Members Share Posted July 17, 2015 I'm really liking my newer strap. Locks built right in.http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Guitar-Strap-Polypropylene/dp/B001PGXKI2/ref=sr_1_14?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1437154763&sr=1-14&keywords=guitar+strap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Had that happen once' date=' luckily, my SG survived without a scratch. BUT one thing I tell people is when putting your guitar in a gig bag, check the straps on that! Had more gig bag straps go south, then guitars.[/quote'] Great point! The problem with gig bag and laptop bags is that the "snap" connectors don't always snap fully into place... or outright break. I never feel like I can fully trust them. I've never had a guitar strap actually break - just come unattached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted July 17, 2015 Members Share Posted July 17, 2015 Had that happen once' date=' luckily, my SG survived without a scratch. BUT one thing I tell people is when putting your guitar in a gig bag, check the straps on that! Had more gig bag straps go south, then guitars.[/quote'] Not the same thing but back in fall of '74 I'd had my 12-string for less than six months. I'd bought a nice used hard case for it and one day I picked up the case and the top wasn't latched. The guitar fell out and hit the tile floor. Luckily, there was only a minor ding in the headstock, one on the binding on the back on the lower bout, another on the neck, and a bent tuner. It could have been a lot worse. I've since replaced the tuners but of course the dings are still there. I've never done that again, thank goodness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted July 18, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Not the same thing but back in fall of '74 I'd had my 12-string for less than six months. I'd bought a nice used hard case for it and one day I picked up the case and the top wasn't latched. The guitar fell out and hit the tile floor. Luckily, there was only a minor ding in the headstock, one on the binding on the back on the lower bout, another on the neck, and a bent tuner. It could have been a lot worse. I've since replaced the tuners but of course the dings are still there. I've never done that again, thank goodness. There was a guy here on the forum a few years ago that met up with a guy via Craigslist to buy an Epi Les Paul. The seller had it in his trunk, and when the buyer put it back in the case to pay the seller, he forgot to latch it. Paid the guy, grabbed the case and whipped it out and around as the LP sailed out and landed face first on the pavement. He even posted pics... Still makes me cringe to think about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AlamoJoe Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 H e l l.....I've dropped every guitar I've ever owned! At least twice! I've broken most of my limbs at least once! My guitars have to be able to survive my klutzy ways! Scratches don't scare me. Broken necks are another issue.Never broken my neck..But I broke my '65 Kalamazoo bass's neck. My bad there. I was trying to impress a girl at a party gig back in '69. Got the girl...But had to go back to the 'ol Danelectro Silvertone for a few months. Still got the 'ol broke Kalamazoo...Not the girl though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members *BLEEP* Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 ...but the headstock crashed HARD into the tile floor. Terrible sound... I expected there to be damage' date=' but to my surprise, I did not see any. Just re-tuned it, and it was good to go.... [/quote'] A good bass can take a bit of abuse -- it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin' sort of thing. Just don't start beating up things with it on a regular basis. Leave that sort of stuff to the frustrated pros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted July 18, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 yup, this bass has been with me for nearly 20 years... I've done some upgrades to it (active pickups/new pick guard) but it is still solid as a rock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AJ6stringsting Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Get strap locks, it'll save you from heartaches !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Good thing it was a Fender, they're built like tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chuck Manson Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 I noticed that many touring players use the red rubber washer that come on Grolsch beer bottles. I recently went to a home brewing shop and bought a bulk bag of them for under ten dollars. I have been giving them away to friends, and extra ones so they can pass them along as well. They work fine and cost next to nothing. And some times nothing at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phaeton Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Strap locks would not have saved me from my last guitar crash. I often play guitar through headphones while sitting on the couch (with a strap). One time I had a bass instead of a guitar, and as I stood up I lifted it up (by the horn) to lift the strap over my head and set the bass down. However, not thinking about the longer neck, the headstock hit the ceiling, I lost the grip on the horn, the bass whanged the coffee table (two chunks out of the bottom of the body) and the strap pin came down onto the top of my bare foot. This was two or three years ago and I still have a mark on the top of my foot from this incident. I have since sold said bass, but it was a super bad day all around for both of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted July 19, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 19, 2015 yikes... that sounds pretty bad! I bought a set of strap locks the next day. I have used the Dunlop dual-design strap locks for a long time on my electrics, and they seem to be working great on my bass. I'll play at church tomorrow, knowing that the strap is firmly in place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Malcolm Ramone Posted July 21, 2015 Members Share Posted July 21, 2015 I've heard the little bread bag plastic doohickeys work pretty good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catscurlyear Posted July 21, 2015 Members Share Posted July 21, 2015 yes, tis crap when that happens ,i used the top red ring part of a grolsch beer bottle ,they work and hold the strap good, but it was a struggle getting it off, ha ha . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catscurlyear Posted July 21, 2015 Members Share Posted July 21, 2015 Good thing it was a Fender' date=' they're built like tanks.[/quote'] Yes this is true i never worry about my strat ,Pete Townsend said he struggled smashing fenders up (although Jimi didn`t do a bad job). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted July 26, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2015 Yeah, this bass weighs a ton, but I was thankful for that when it fell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvvoodoo Posted July 27, 2015 Members Share Posted July 27, 2015 Several dozen folks (other than myself) seem to like these so far (the middle one). about 50% more surface area to hold your strap in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted July 30, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 30, 2015 interesting.... Have not seen those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvvoodoo Posted July 30, 2015 Members Share Posted July 30, 2015 They are not mainstream yet, as I am "developing" them. They are pretty fab for a strap that is really worn out in the nose or tail, (though rebuilding is a better plan if the strap is really important to you) - get you many more years on that strap. They do also seem to work with most off-the-shelf rack straps, but it can take strong fingers to get them on the first time as they are about 3/4" wide. Below is a look at them on a guitar (the gunmetal/dark chrome version). I supply robust screws with them. It is unbelievable to me how you can buy this fancy $10 locking system, and they supply these cheesy little tiny screws. how often in these guitar forums do we talk about pins pulling out, toothpick and glue tricks, chunks of string inserts, dowel refills? It's not so much the fault of the wood as it is the fault of an unsuitable hardware for the job. You don't have much control over the wood, but you sure as heck do over the hardware. I build straps, and when "straps let go" it is more often the guitar wood/screw or button mount/locking apparatus that fails then it is the actual strap breaking. In your case, it seems as much the fault of the strap button, as it is the fault of the strap. On an old, well-used strap the holes can get so worn out and the end so floppy it won't grab anymore. Strap ends can rip right through as well, like the ones often found on those budget 2" wide poly web straps - but that is less common. What bothered me most was that ubiquitous space capsule design where there is a ramp built right into the button to help your strap slide off... you bend down to tweak a pedal, strap is pushed off the pin. Under pressure of weight, the design is to force your strap towards your guitar, but when there is no weight on the pin, even for a second, it can be dangerous. Best practice is if you can, keep your straps on your guitars. The more you put them on and off, the more wear and tear on those important points of contact, locking hardware or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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