Heavy bass? What's that? -> comfortable straps!

[mcnach]

True, for some people weight is an important parameter: injuries or just age sometimes means that a heavy bass is just never going to be comfortable enough, and even downright unusable for some. In these cases, I doubt any strap will help enough. But I think in many cases a change of strap could be the difference between enjoying or enduring a bass.

 

I don't care too much if a bass is heavy provided I like the rest about it, but I do prefer light basses as long as balance is not compromised.

 

Some of my basses are definitely heavier and I do feel it on my shoulder after a while. I hurt it a while ago and it has never recovered 100%.

 

I just want to share one strap that has helped me a LOT.

I have used all kinds. Mostly just your usual 5cm wide straps (fave: Gaucho brand, hemp straps) without padding. I have owned and tried a few others, with different amounts of padding and different widths. Comfort neoprene straps, wide and padded leather ones (Maruszczyk, for example), and a few others, including dual-shoulder types (great idea, but didn't like the way the bass sat with those). And my favourite is... Lekato.

 

It's not as wide as others, but it's still quite wide, with a lot of padding, and seriously, when using that I forget I'm playing a heavier bass. I bought one a year ago, and I'm slowly replacing my straps with these: they're just very comfy regardless of the weight. 

 

I don't expect it'll be a miracle for everybody, but I suspect I am not such an unique human being  so hopefully others may find this useful. In addition, they're not expensive compared to the options.

 

Amazon link to Lekato strap

 

disclaimer: I'm just a happy user, I don't gain anything from this.

 

[Cat Burrito]

Wider padded straps certainly lighten the load. My shoulder is definitely playing up 35yrs of playing Paul Simonon / Peter Hook style (tried raising it but ultimately I am an old dog and this was too much of a new trick). 

 

I couldn't use the strap in the original post as it contains leather but I have a Couch padded wide strap that really helps. I now sit down for parts of longer rehearsals and generally try to avoid the heavier basses when buying. As someone who turns 50 in 12 months I would always say looking after your bass health is important if you still want to be doing this in a few years time. 

[Doctor J]

I've been using these for years. Love them.

 

https://www.thomann.de/de/planet_waves_74t000_gitarrengurt_nylon.htm

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, mcnach said:

True, for some people weight is an important parameter: injuries or just age sometimes means that a heavy bass is just never going to be comfortable enough, and even downright unusable for some. In these cases, I doubt any strap will help enough. But I think in many cases a change of strap could be the difference between enjoying or enduring a bass.

 

 

These straps look interesting. 

 

I recently discovered that my Harvest strap, thick, wide, very comfortable, heavy leather, weighs in at 1lb. So my weight limit for a bass wasn't 9.5lbs! I've been carrying 10.5lbs! These are all small margins, but when you have issues, believe me, every ounce counts.

 

Looks like it is a 1" strap in the middle with 1" of memory foam either side. Does the memory foam support the bass or is it just for padding?

[mcnach]

2 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

These straps look interesting. 

 

I recently discovered that my Harvest strap, thick, wide, very comfortable, heavy leather, weighs in at 1lb. So my weight limit for a bass wasn't 9.5lbs! I've been carrying 10.5lbs! These are all small margins, but when you have issues, believe me, every ounce counts.

 

Looks like it is a 1" strap in the middle with 1" of memory foam either side. Does the memory foam support the bass or is it just for padding?

 

 

I have both the dark reddish one and the black one. 

 

The middle bit is just decoration on the front. The foam covers the full 3".  

[chris_b]

10 minutes ago, mcnach said:

The middle bit is just decoration on the front. The foam covers the full 3".  

 

So is the memory foam strong enough to support the bass?

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

How effective is the memory foam? Does it just ensure you don't forget which key a particular song is in, or does it enable you to remember all the notes you need to play without any mistakes?

[ikay]

Surely there must be some sort of substrate material across the full strap width with the memory foam just being an outer layer?

 

[Man.about.Tyne]

Ok, I’m sold.  Just ordered the “bass” strap which is 3.5 inches wide and a few quid more.  I’ll let you know.

[mcnach]

27 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

So is the memory foam strong enough to support the bass?

 

Yes, it's pretty dense, not like the stuff on pillows etc. I wouldn't call it memory foam myself (if you squeeze it, it returns straight away) but I'm not a foam expert  

I justcompared it to my neoprene comfort strap which has a nylon strap for support and this (Lekato) is denser, using a very scientific method: pinch between thumb and index finger  

 

My oldest Lekato strap is about 14 months now, used nearly every day and still as good as new.

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by mcnach

[mcnach]

13 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

How effective is the memory foam? Does it just ensure you don't forget which key a particular song is in, or does it enable you to remember all the notes you need to play without any mistakes?

 

I'm sure there's an app for that but I didn't try it yet

 

[mcnach]

13 minutes ago, ikay said:

Surely there must be some sort of substrate material across the full strap width with the memory foam just being an outer layer?

 

 

There may be something internally. It would make sense as I don't think any kind of foam on its own would be resilient enough, you just can't see or feel it so I guess it must be inside.

 

Construction details aside, it's solid and there's nothing digging on your shoulder, just 3" of dense foam-like material covered in some kind of fabric.

[mcnach]

22 minutes ago, Man.about.Tyne said:

Ok, I’m sold.  Just ordered the “bass” strap which is 3.5 inches wide and a few quid more.  I’ll let you know.

 

That one looks more like the Comfort strap. I nearly bought that one because of the extra width, as 3" was narrower than any of the others I was considering, but I thought I already have a Comfort strap so I'd try the other one (and I like it better than the Comfort one, but both are good).

They also make another kind, thinner but still wide with a layer of neoprene 'studs'. It looks nearly identical to an Ibanez brand strap I also have, and it is light and wide but it offers very little grip (my 'stage clothes' are often too smooth and 'silky'). They're all good, but I feel -for me and my circumstances- the one in the OP is my preferred choice.

 

Any of these are a nice improvement over the usual 2" nylon types.

 

Please share your thoughts when you receive yours

Edited April 28, 2022 by mcnach

[howdenspur]

Thanks for the tip, just ordered one👍!

[ead]

My favourite is a 4" wide well padded item I got from Overwater (probs made elsewhere).  I routinely scour the Marketplace for preloved ones as I cannot find them anywhere.  I've had it for years and noting comes close.

[ezbass]

Those look very interesting. I use a Maruszczyk strap, which is great, but anything that will help further has got to be worth a look. Thanks for sharing.

[Stub Mandrel]

OK I've ordered one. Will try it with my HB, which has stolen the 4" one I bought to complement my Embassy.

[Stub Mandrel]

Just a thought. For some reason 2" Fender straps with the smooth backing are much more comfortable than ordinary canvas style 2" straps.

[Grassie]

I bought a Warwick one about 12 years ago - 3 inches wide woven job and I think I only paid a fiver for it new (in a sale somewhere). It’s great, much like the one posted by Doctor J above. Can’t find any now though.

[MrDinsdale]

I built my bass  when I was 16 with out much consideration for future me. It was inspired (heavily) by the Warwick thumb and is made from wenge, bubinga and ebony fretboard. It's sooooo heavy it's ridiculous.

 

Getting a RightOn bass strap was a came changer for it. I can play longer than 20 mins without shooting pain in my neck 🙌

[neilp]

These are the only straps I use these days:

 

Levys Garment Leather Bass Strap BK – Thomann UK

 

There used to be a brown and a tan option which both seem to be out of stock or unavailable, but anyway, they are beautifully made, the suede stops them slipping, and they're the most comfortable straps I've ever used

 

Neil

[Stub Mandrel]

8 hours ago, neilp said:

Levys Garment Leather Bass Strap BK – Thomann U

 

That looks remarkably identical to one I bought from a 'locakl independent retailer' for about £2 more (and no p&p)

[Paul S]

I've ordered one of these Lekato straps, they do look good and it is half the prioce of the Marooschick ones I currently favour.  Thanks for flagging them up!

[TheLowDown]

I use a leather strap like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leathergraft-Acoustic-Electric-Reinforced-Leather/dp/B01I764RN4/ref=sr_1_16

 

3.7 inches wide, comfortable, good inner suede leather grip, £21.

Edited April 29, 2022 by TheLowDown

[dmckee]

Yeah, I’ve moved away from the Levys nylon ones I’d used forever in the last few years. Old age I guess. 😞 Tried a few different ones - including his one - but I think I found it a bit stretchy. Maybe not this one, but I really didn’t like ones that had a bit of a feeling of your bass being on a thick piece of elastic. 🙂.  

 

I eventually settled on these: https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/accessories-c2/straps-c54/mono-m80-the-betty-sharkskin-guitar-strap-black-long-47-56-p7422 No stretch, but very comfy.