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Check your Schaller strap locks.


gary mac
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I had a strap lock fail whilst gigging last night, fortunately no damage but it made playing a bit tricky, until a point in the song where the bass was not required for a bar or two.

In the poor light I couldn't see what the problem was but on further investigation this morning, in decent light and with the aid of a magnifying glass it was evident that wear on the little retractable lug was the problem.

Mine have certainly seen a lot of gigs, so maybe to be expected but it wasn't something that had occurred to me to check. I've put a new set on this morning and will in future check regularly for signs of wear.


Just wanted to put this up as a warning to other Schaller strap lock users, it might save an embarrassing and potentially instrument damaging incident .


If you are out gigging tonight, go check em now :)

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[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1408793174' post='2533508']
Otherwise metal is rubbing against metal with the weight of the bass. The buttons have been known to shear off.
[/quote]

All the more reason to check these out. ;)[size=4] [/size]

[size=4]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/242655-grolsch/[/size]

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[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1408793174' post='2533508']
The best and safest way to use Schaller strap locks is to keep them separate from the strap, attach the strap to the bass as normal, then clip the locks on. Otherwise metal is rubbing against metal with the weight of the bass. The buttons have been known to shear off.
[/quote]

It hadn't occurred to me, to use them like that :)

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I tried strap locks for a while but found that I was being way more clumsy and careless (ie, leaning over to tweak pedals with bass attached, swinging all over or putting it around my back while I was looking at stuff) and putting way too much confidence in the fact I had strap locks... Until one went! I went back to grolsch rubber seals and they've never failed and I'm much more cautious.

Edited by skej21
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[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1408867381' post='2534082']
I really should have heeded Gary's advice, as the same thing happened to me last night!
[/quote]

Unbelievably it happened to me again last night :o Brand new replacement strap lock fitted yesterday pre gig, right in the middle of a number it failed, I had to adopt the rather naff looking pose, of foot up on the kick drum support to allow me to get through the remainder of the song.

Years of incident free strap related issues and then two nights in a row.

Grolsh bottle top washers from here on in.

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I've got Schaller or Schaller clones on all my basses and guitars. Never had a problem. They're all positioned so that the strap buttons sit in the cups, so the retaining button has no stress on it, it just keeps the button in the load-bearing cup. The only thing I have to do every now and again is a little nut tightening, though most of the clone straplocks have two nuts on each straplock, so the second one locks the first one.

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[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1409057325' post='2535855']
I've got Schaller or Schaller clones on all my basses and guitars. Never had a problem. They're all positioned so that the strap buttons sit in the cups, so the retaining button has no stress on it, it just keeps the button in the load-bearing cup. The only thing I have to do every now and again is a little nut tightening, though most of the clone straplocks have two nuts on each straplock, so the second one locks the first one.
[/quote]

Ditto.

25 years using them and the original strap fittings that I have on my strap at present have been transferred between two straps in that time (first one the leather wore through) and no failure as yet. As has been highlighted, I have the button on the bass resting in the cup... can't imagine why you'd do it any other way mind! :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've never ad a problem with Schallers but I do have a good guitarist friend who "lost" his Les Paul during rehersal. The action of the two parts of the lock rubbing against each other had worn away the lip on the "button" that attackers to the body and the lip sheared off. Luckily there want much damage done. I always check mine.

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