Bass Strap Width (What do you prefer?)

[Teebs]

My guilty secret is... I'm quite partial to guitar straps, and 'accidentally' keep aquiring them *blushes*

A small sample...

[T-Bay]

I use 3” ones from hypnotic straps but the padding is as important as the width.

[TrevorR]

I use Italia Leathers 4” straps on all my basses. Those would be far too thin for my Aria or Wals. Happily use one on an acoustic guitar though...

[kodiakblair]

No wider than 3".

Very uncomfortable having a 12.5lb T40 hanging from a 4" strap that's cutting into your neck.

[Sibob]

8 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

No wider than 3".

Very uncomfortable having a 12.5lb T40 hanging from a 4" strap that's cutting into your neck.

That’s like the opposite reasoning to me, I go wide to spread the weight (not that any of my basses are over 9.5lbs).

I have two 4” wide padded leather Maruszczyk straps, really good! Although I would swap them out for something equally functional, but ‘vegan’.

Si

[JapanAxe]

Neotech Mega bass straps, which are soft and padded, and 4in wide at their widest area. If I have any trouble from shoulder pain, it's from over-tensing as I play, not the weight of the bass.

I like the proposed Chowny patterns, but as potential guitar straps!

[Grahambythesea]

4ins for r maximum comfort.

[discreet]

40 minutes ago, Grahambythesea said:

4ins for maximum comfort.

That's what SHE said! Arf! Arf!

Sorry. 

Edited November 7, 2018 by discreet

[Martbassplaya]

I have a 3" leather strap that has some padding. Just always gone for something like this to spread the weight of my heavier basses.

[Chownybass]

22 hours ago, ambient said:

I mean the end bits where they attach to the bass.

Ah yes. Those are indeed leather.

[josie]

21 hours ago, Teebs said:

My guilty secret is... I'm quite partial to guitar straps, and 'accidentally' keep aquiring them *blushes*

Very nice. And a lot cheaper than 'accidentally' acquiring basses, which I should really stop doing 😞 

Most of mine are plain black 2.5". My lead guitar player plays a Les Paul gold-top on an antique gold metallic ribbon Souldier strap which looks perfect for it. 

[Dood]

On 07/11/2018 at 15:45, Hellzero said:

The one and only strap I still use is the good old Gerald Reese Slapstrap which is 3.75 inches wide. Have it for at least 10 years, but now I'm playing sitted most of the time without any strap... But when one is needed, I use this old buddy. The only thing I don't like about it is its colour : stupid black leather.

WOW! I think I still have mine too! Somewhere!! 

[Dood]

22 hours ago, T-Bay said:

I use 3” ones from hypnotic straps but the padding is as important as the width.

Totally agree. I have a pair of 4" from Hypnotic and they are of the padded types. You totally have my agreement there.

[fleabag]

Got a couple of different sizes ..  left Gaucho 2.75"   middle Unknown 4"  right Gaucho 2.75"

I definately prefer the 4"

Edited November 8, 2018 by fleabag

[josie]

This is my only patterned strap. I wouldn't have bought it, but it came attached to a guitar (a wonderfully cheesy Soviet-era Bulgarian Orfeo rescued from a junk shop) and I think it suits the "folksy" look of the acoustic (Michael Kelly). 

 

 

[Skybone]

I'm hoping that the Chowny straps aren't the ones with the shiny vinyl on the inside face, but have some grippy material instead. They're OK for (some) guitars, but definitely not suited for bass.

Using a 3" wide Mono just now, I think they're great.

[josie]

38 minutes ago, Skybone said:

I'm hoping that the Chowny straps aren't the ones with the shiny vinyl on the inside face, but have some grippy material instead. They're OK for (some) guitars, but definitely not suited for bass.

This is a very good point. I need a bass to be fairly light, which often means a bit of neck-dive. The Jazz Aerodyne saves on weight by slimming the body, but there's not much they can do about the weight of the headstock and tuners. My Ibby 6 is absurdly light (lighter than a typical Fender P 4!) but again the headstock is heavy. My favourite strap for both is a 2.5" rough suede - the rough surface gives it just enough grip on my shoulder to stop the neck-dive. 

[NancyJohnson]

Levy's polypropylene extra long, 2" width on every guitar.  Tried the extra wide Levys ones, but they looked ridiculous.

[Chownybass]

Thanks to all who voted.

[Happy Jack]

I'd join in with this thread, except that you wouldn't exactly be enthralled by a photo of 10 Comfort Strapps ...

[discreet]

1 minute ago, Happy Jack said:

I'd join in with this thread, except that you wouldn't exactly be enthralled by a photo of 10 Comfort Strapps ...

Depends what you're doing with them and how many melons are involved.

[MOSCOWBASS]

I've used Mono "Sharkskin" for quite a few years, I like them, but they leave a black, unmovable stain on white shirt collars with the dinner suit. Recently using the Neotech, also good, but too early to comment on shirt collar damage😂

I didn't like the Comfort Strapp, it's lying in a cupboard somewhere.

[Guest Marcoelwray]

Honestly, I don't care... I just have one strap, Fender tweed, with Schaller Locks and all my basses have Schaller bits.

[Chownybass]

They're finally here. http://chownybass.com/product-category/chowny/bass-straps/

Thanks for everybody's feedback. Currently they are 5cm/2" wide while I source wider ribbon and webbing. I picked a cotton webbing so that it's less slippy on the back.

Thanks again everybody.

[bartelby]

1 hour ago, Chownybass said:

They're finally here. http://chownybass.com/product-category/chowny/bass-straps/

Thanks for everybody's feedback. Currently they are 5cm/2" wide while I source wider ribbon and webbing. I picked a cotton webbing so that it's less slippy on the back.

Thanks again everybody.

Hiya, are the ends actual real leather?

i know it says “leather” but sometimes that turns out to be synthetic...

Edited January 3, 2019 by bartelby