Straplocks - are they necessary?

[Woodinblack]

Yes, I think that is a backward step by Schaller - the changes they made to the lock was good, but why do they need to change the other end that wasn't an issue, especially as now that increases the likelyhood that it would unscrew itself.

I have some of the new Schaller S's on a couple of basses, but they all use the original Shaller posts with the original screw.

[BigRedX]

In fact I'm not sure that the new design of any part of the Schaller Straplock is an improvement. 

 

In order to fit them properly and securely you still need the correct tools, just some different ones to what you needed before. You still need a mole wrench or similar to hold the "cup" part of the lock in place while you tighten the top section, and I'm pretty sure I could get the old style nut a lot tighter using the appropriate sized spanner then  I can with a relatively flimsy allen key.

[Woodinblack]

They do come in a much nicer box though

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

In fact I'm not sure that the new design of any part of the Schaller Straplock is an improvement. 

 

In order to fit them properly and securely you still need the correct tools, just some different ones to what you needed before. You still need a mole wrench or similar to hold the "cup" part of the lock in place while you tighten the top section, and I'm pretty sure I could get the old style nut a lot tighter using the appropriate sized spanner then  I can with a relatively flimsy allen key.

Haven't come across this new version of schallers TBH. Mine are all nut to tighten. Will check that out to see what you guys are talking about and my curiosity.

Dave

[tauzero]

On 15/03/2023 at 11:24, BigRedX said:

In fact I'm not sure that the new design of any part of the Schaller Straplock is an improvement. 

 

In order to fit them properly and securely you still need the correct tools, just some different ones to what you needed before. You still need a mole wrench or similar to hold the "cup" part of the lock in place while you tighten the top section, and I'm pretty sure I could get the old style nut a lot tighter using the appropriate sized spanner then  I can with a relatively flimsy allen key.

 

But it goes tight enough to stop it rotating and the grub screw stops it unscrewing. If Schaller put two nuts on the old strap part to enable the nuts to be locked, it would have been better.

 

I'm another one who's not a fan of the integrated screw and strap button. I think it's possible to get unintegrated Schaller compatible strap buttons. It's a shame they didn't continue with the old style alongside the new, they might have found what people's preferences are.

[BigRedX]

14 minutes ago, tauzero said:

But it goes tight enough to stop it rotating and the grub screw stops it unscrewing. If Schaller put two nuts on the old strap part to enable the nuts to be locked, it would have been better.

 

I couldn't get the grub screw tight enough for my piece of mind. I think my issue was that I already had the correct tools for the old style locks (a pair of mole grips and a spanner of the correct size for the nut) and now I needed different tools that I didn't have immediately to hand in order to get the new "nut" tight enough and not to unscrew.

 

TBH with the old style many of the straps I have used have been too chunky to get two nuts on the locking part.

[Leonard Smalls]

Am I the only one who's never used straplocks?

[casapete]

1 hour ago, Leonard Smalls said:

Am I the only one who's never used straplocks?

Possibly.

But are you the only one who’s ever dropped their bass when the strap came off? 😆

[Leonard Smalls]

23 minutes ago, casapete said:

But are you the only one who’s ever dropped their bass when the strap came off?

I've got one strap that's prone to doing this (only ever at the end of a song, luckily), but my Gruvgear Duo is rock solid. So I only use that now...

[BassAdder60]

I went through the strap lock saga originally using the old Schaller then the new 

 

Today I use either the Fender black rubber strap locks or orange Basschat ones and strap is left on the bass 

 

Perfect solution and low cost 

[SteveXFR]

I have Schaller strap locks that came with one of my basses. They're alright, do their job OK. I wouldn't actually buy them though 

[SuperSeagull]

I was fairly ambivalent about straplocks until my son asked if he could borrow my (new to me) Status that had just arrived to play in Church. I watched in horror as it fell off the strap as he put it on, the look on his face was particularly entertaining. Fortunately it was in a school sports hall with a bouncy floor covering so no damage done but straplocks went on the next day. 

[SamIAm]

I have Schaller S2s on two of my basses and two of my straps.

I love the feeling of security they provide that the strap will not slip off with my bass crashing to the floor!

 

S'manth x

[Little Dragon]

Was once in a rehearsal room when a guitarist , who had always said he disliked straplocks, went to take his Les Paul off and the strap came off and the neck hit the ground and broke. 

[tauzero]

23 minutes ago, Little Dragon said:

Was once in a rehearsal room when a guitarist , who had always said he disliked straplocks, went to take his Les Paul off and the strap came off and the neck hit the ground and broke. 

 

I have noticed that almost no guitarists use straplocks, despite the guitarists that I've played with mostly having instruments at the Les Paul/Fender Strat/PRS level of expense.

[chris_b]

2 hours ago, SuperSeagull said:

I was fairly ambivalent about straplocks until my son asked if he could borrow my (new to me) Status that had just arrived to play in Church. I watched in horror as it fell off the strap as he put it on, the look on his face was particularly entertaining. Fortunately it was in a school sports hall with a bouncy floor covering so no damage done but straplocks went on the next day. 

 

I've seen half a dozen guitarists and a couple of bassists drop their instruments when the strap has been twisted and come off the button.

 

Only a couple actually hit the floor but if there is a way of preventing the damage that hitting the floor, or some other hard surface, why not take it.

[Lozz196]

Since my first gigging band I’ve used some form of strap locks, just makes sense to me to try and eliminate an issue with something so small and cost effective.

[shoulderpet]

I just use the Daddario clip lock straps, work just as well as strap locks imo without having to make any modifications

[dmccombe7]

The problem i have is with the long wigs and outfits i wear in the Glam band i cant easily put a bass strap over the hair and outfits and its far easier to slip the strap under the hair on the shoulder and then just fasten it to the bass and with schallers its fast and easy. 

It wouldn't work well if i had to unclip or remove grolsch style washers while holding the bass. It just looks a bit clumsy for me anyways.

Once i remove the bass from the strap i just slip the strap off my shoulder rather than over the hair. (see my avatar for what i mean)

Dave