Bass straps - what you using ?

[Jackroadkill]

4 minutes ago, Adey said:

I'll have to look elsewhere now....

 

The XL one that I mentioned above is properly XL, Adey.  I use mine on its shortest setting.  I'm only a mere 1.8m, but I reckon it would probably do for someone your height.

[Adey]

Heistercamp do some really nice looking ones. I might treat myself if I get a bonus this year!

[rhysyjob]

Mono Betty or Gibson Switchblade.

I haven’t found anything more comfortable personally. 😊

[AndyTravis]

Had the same 2 padded Levy’s ones for a while now.

 

Black one is 15 years old and bought the maroon one here about 6 years ago.

 

no idea of the “model” - absolutely ace.

[LeftyJ]

I've used Italia Leather Straps a lot, and think I own around 8 of them - both 2" and 3" width versions. They're great, my oldest and most used one has been with me for around 15 years now and used extensively, and shows zero wear.

 

Currently the ones I use most are my Mono straps though. My Status S2 Classics each have their own Mono The Betty (extra long), and my Carvin DC727 has a Mono Warsaw in grey seatbelt material that matches wonderfully with the silver metallic finish on the guitar. 

[DTB]

Ordinary Fender guitar strap. 
Had a nice leather one with metal ring/holes all the way along and the leather was etched with acid when i was working but that got recycled into a very wide punky looking belt when I stopped. Think it weighed almost as much as the bass. 😳

[Rich]

3.5" wide padded leather Maruszczyk item, won as a raffle prize at the South West Bass Bash a few years ago. It's starting to get that gorgeous beaten-up patina you get with brown leather sofas, flying jackets, etc. First time I used it, the dark brown padded inner left a massive big brown stripe right across the white t-shirt I'd been daft enough to wear. I gave it (the strap) a good scrub with some leather cleaner and got rid of the rest of the excess dye and it's been harmless ever since.

Edited March 17, 2023 by Rich

[dmccombe7]

21 minutes ago, Rich said:

3.5" wide padded leather Maruszczyk item, won as a raffle prize at the South West Bass Bash a few years ago. It's starting to get that gorgeous beaten-up patina you get with brown leather sofas, flying jackets, etc. First time I used it, the dark brown padded inner left a massive big brown stripe right across the white t-shirt I'd been daft enough to wear. I gave it a good scrub with some leather cleaner and got rid of the rest of the excess dye and it's been harmless ever since.

Quite liking the look of their straps in Bass Direct. Curious what strap locks you use there /

Dave

[Rich]

They're proper Schaller straplock bodies, but the fluted front washer is from the cheapy Stagg knock-off of the Schaller locks. I liked the look of the washers but the straplocks themselves didn't feel as substantial as the pukka Schallers.

 

I'm always intrigued by comments that the Schaller locks 'fall apart' or that the nut comes loose and it falls off the strap. I've used Schallers since 1986 and only had to replace my original ones a couple of years back because one literally wore out, i.e. the metal wore so thin that it finally failed (see pic). Was I just lucky? And the loosening nut can be solved by using some threadlock -- Tamiya stuff can be bought for as little as a fiver on fleaBay and is worth its weight in gold. I use the stuff everywhere.

 

Edited March 17, 2023 by Rich

[dmccombe7]

8 minutes ago, Rich said:

They're proper Schaller straplock bodies, but the fluted front washer is from the cheapy Stagg knock-off of the Schaller locks. I liked the look of the washers but the straplocks themselves didn't feel as substantial as the pukka Schallers.

quite vintage looking.  Nice.

Dave

[neepheid]

1 hour ago, Rich said:

First time I used it, the dark brown padded inner left a massive big brown stripe right across the white t-shirt I'd been daft enough to wear.

 

T-shirt mojo?  T-shirt relicing?  Is that a thing now?

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

T-shirt mojo?  T-shirt relicing?  Is that a thing now?

For a gig with the punk band and a venues anniversary party we played i had to buy a T shirt and punkify it with hand painted designs, tears and safety pins. Is that relic'ing or just modifying and personalising 

Dave

[Dad3353]

Just now, dmccombe7 said:

...Is that relic'ing or just modifying and personalising 

 

No, it's just daft. 

[dmccombe7]

With regards schaller's loosening off, i've had that on occasion but now i always check before i leave the house that the nuts are tight and no movement in the strap locks or buttons on the basses. I've just gotten into the habit of giving the nut a quick finger tightness check on a regular basis.

Never thought about using a spot of thread lok to help keep them safe.

Dave

[dmccombe7]

1 minute ago, Dad3353 said:

 

No, it's just daft. 

Ouch !!! there goes my delicate little feelings again. You can be so harsh @Dad3353. 

Dave

[Dad3353]

4 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Ouch !!! there goes my delicate little feelings again. You can be so harsh @Dad3353. 

Dave

 

 

[Phil Starr]

I've got an un-named and un-marked 4" strap of fairly thin plain leather that I bought 15 years ago. The leather is really soft and flexible if a bit smelly from all the sweat it has absorbed over the years. Apart from the softness and flexibility of the leather there is nothing at all exceptional about it except that it is the most comfortable strap ever and has long ago moulded itself to my shoulder. I've never found a replacement as everything else is either padded or made of super stiff leather.

 

I've wondered about looking to see if I can get something made up, in deepest Somerset we have a lot of saddlers so finding someone shouldn't be difficult, anyone else tried this?

 

Option two is to invent a gift from a now dead relative and a sob story about feeling them looking over my shoulder every time I gig so Susie on The repair shop makes me something

[Frank Blank]

Kliq Aircell for me...

[DTB]

6 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

With regards schaller's loosening off, i've had that on occasion but now i always check before i leave the house that the nuts are tight and no movement in the strap locks or buttons on the basses. I've just gotten into the habit of giving the nut a quick finger tightness check on a regular basis.

Never thought about using a spot of thread lok to help keep them safe.

Dave

The strap locks that came with my EHB Ibanez have a grub screw to stop them coming loose. I think they are schallers. 

[Rich]

6 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

For a gig with the punk band and a venues anniversary party we played i had to buy a T shirt and punkify it with hand painted designs, tears and safety pins. Is that relic'ing or just modifying and personalising 

Dave

We’ve got a ska gig at a Coronation night celebration party in Salisbury… I really really want to get a Pistols ‘God Save The Queen’ t shirt to wear for it… 😄

[Rich]

2 hours ago, Phil Starr said:

I've wondered about looking to see if I can get something made up, in deepest Somerset we have a lot of saddlers so finding someone shouldn't be difficult, anyone else tried this?

 

Thats a good idea… wouldn’t necessarily be cheap but I reckon you’d end up with a strap that would outlast your grandchildren. Keep us all informed if you go down that route plz?

[dmccombe7]

3 hours ago, Phil Starr said:

I've got an un-named and un-marked 4" strap of fairly thin plain leather that I bought 15 years ago. The leather is really soft and flexible if a bit smelly from all the sweat it has absorbed over the years. Apart from the softness and flexibility of the leather there is nothing at all exceptional about it except that it is the most comfortable strap ever and has long ago moulded itself to my shoulder. I've never found a replacement as everything else is either padded or made of super stiff leather.

 

I've wondered about looking to see if I can get something made up, in deepest Somerset we have a lot of saddlers so finding someone shouldn't be difficult, anyone else tried this?

 

Option two is to invent a gift from a now dead relative and a sob story about feeling them looking over my shoulder every time I gig so Susie on The repair shop makes me something

There's a saddler at Glenmoriston, Loch Ness that i visit most years when on holiday at Loch Ness. He normally does belts etc but many moons ago he did a few guitar straps and i bought one. It was only 2.5" wide and plain very soft type of leather sort of light brown in colour. It was so comfy and i used it with all my basses until someone stole it out of my case at one of those multi-band gigs i had organised with the band i was in. I was doing the lights when not playing so wasn't able to keep a check on my basses in the green room.

Darn i was furious but it went missing after i played that night so must have been after the event while we were dismantling PA and lights.

The guy is still there making belts and the odd guitar strap but he's now using a much stiffer leather that i found too hard for my tastes.

Dave

[Waddo Soqable]

4 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

There's a saddler at Glenmoriston, Loch Ness that i visit most years when on holiday at Loch Ness. He normally does belts etc but many moons ago he did a few guitar straps and i bought one. It was only 2.5" wide and plain very soft type of leather sort of light brown in colour. It was so comfy and i used it with all my basses until someone stole it out of my case at one of those multi-band gigs i had organised with the band i was in. I was doing the lights when not playing so wasn't able to keep a check on my basses in the green room.

Darn i was furious but it went missing after i played that night so must have been after the event while we were dismantling PA and lights.

The guy is still there making belts and the odd guitar strap but he's now using a much stiffer leather that i found too hard for my tastes.

Dave

Run out of Nessie skin obviously.. 😉

[binky_bass]

Pinegrove are my go-to. Exceptionally good straps.

 

[ped]

I’m pleased with this pairing!