dmc79 Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 (edited) After one time when the strap slipped off the strap button and I only just managed to grab the bass before it crashed to the floor, I've been using the rubber washer strap blocks every time I play standing. I know that strap locks are an option, but I'm happy to keep with the blocks for now. I wasn't overly impressed with the Fender ones that sell at £5 for 2 sets (red and black). I gave a set to my son for his guitar, used the other set myself and one of them is ripped halfway across already, I'm paranoid that it will ping off at any second, then the strap comes loose from the button again and my bass goes crashing to the floor. Until I get some more, I'm making sure that the dodgy one is on the neck button, not the body one, but I need to buy some more. I realise it's pretty much just a rubber washer, so not very technical, and they'll all have a limited lifespan, but just wondering which rubber strap blocks people recommend. I'm not at all bothered about the branding, so tempted to buy some cheap ones in bulk, but just don't want to do this and find they are really crap ones that split in no time at all. Any help appreciated, thanks Edited July 2 by dmc79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 (edited) Grolschlocks - each one comes with a free beer! EDIT - glib comment aside - the washers are strong enough for straplock purposes - they're designed to keep beer in a bottle after all. Edited July 2 by neepheid 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 You can get bags of beer bottle washers from ebay, amazon, etc. (if you don't like Grolsch that is !) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Litorange-Grolsch-Gaskets-Silicone-Seals/dp/B0854BSBSR/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 4 hours ago, neepheid said: Grolschlocks - each one comes with a free beer! EDIT - glib comment aside - the washers are strong enough for straplock purposes - they're designed to keep beer in a bottle after all. Absolutely this ^^^ Beats me why folk mess with strap locks - the expense, faff, etc. I’ve never had a Grolsch washer fail yet, in well over 30 years 😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 40 minutes ago, casapete said: I’ve never had a Grolsch washer fail yet, in well over 30 years 😊 You must be thirsty by now... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 2 hours ago, Hellzero said: You must be thirsty by now... When I first used them, certainly round here at least Grolsch wasn’t that popular! Fortunately I liked it enough to supply me and some pals with the washers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 I have some of the Harley Benton ones. To be honest I don't use them much as my basses all have staplocks, but that has caught me out a few times as my strap now can't really be used with any other basses. I always make sure to have some rubber washers in my gig bag, 'cos you never know. The Harley Benton ones seem just fine and I was already putting an order in, so for like £2 for 4 they weren't bad. Might be tempted to sort a bulk bag on ebay or aliexpress if I used them all the time though. I know you said you aren't bothered about the branding, but could these convince you? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 Do you regularly take the strap off? I've had a set of the rubber washers on a bass for over a year and they are still perfect. . . . probably because I never take the strap off. They should last decades. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 (edited) I use these Harley Benton rubber washers, and they work perfectly as they are supposed to: https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_strapmaster_pack1.htm 1.7£/2 Euro for a pack of 4 (2 pairs). And comes in grey too. Edited July 3 by Baloney Balderdash 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 Grolsch user here... and the locks are decent too *hick!* 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmc79 Posted July 3 Author Share Posted July 3 Thanks for the replies. For those who use a generic rubber washer, what size do you use? I just bought some of these as I was passing a local guitar shop. Sadly they are exactly the sort of crap I was hoping to avoid, and stupidly I bought 10 of them. They are much more plasticky than rubbery and don’t seem to have any stretch at all. I just tried to put one over the strap button (standard Fender one) and it wouldn’t even stretch enough to go over it. When squishing it between thumb & finger it does bend but nowhere near as easily as the Fender ones. But on pulling the sides out to stretch it over the strap button, it’s incredibly rigid and just doesn’t want to stretch. So, a word of warning: do not buy these absolutely crap strap blocks: Do the Harley Benton / Grolsch ones have a decent amount of stretch to them? Also are the Basschat ones an actual thing and are they still available to buy? Also has anyone tried the brightly coloured Ernie Ball ones & can vouch for their stretchiness? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 3 minutes ago, dmc79 said: Do the Harley Benton ones have a decent amount of stretch to them? Yes, they are proper rubbery, and works great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmc79 Posted July 3 Author Share Posted July 3 2 hours ago, chris_b said: Do you regularly take the strap off? I've had a set of the rubber washers on a bass for over a year and they are still perfect. . . . probably because I never take the strap off. They should last decades. Yes I regularly take the strap off to put the bass in its case. IF I could stretch these crap washers over the strap button they’d be so tight they’d need to be cut off. I need a stretchy strap block, hopefully like the Fenders but cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmc79 Posted July 3 Author Share Posted July 3 5 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said: Yes, they are proper rubbery, and works great. Thanks. But with £10 shipping, I’ll pass. I don’t need anything else from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDean Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 The rubber washer types are ideal if you want to leave the strap on all of the time. When you start taking the strap off every time it goes in the case, that's when you need to think about proper strap locks. The constant movement is what does the damage. In terms of sustainability as well, these little bits of plastic aren't great. Just something else to go in a landfill. Get something made out of metal that is designed to be taken on and off regularly. My personal recommendation goes to the the Loxx strap locks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 22 hours ago, casapete said: Absolutely this ^^^ Beats me why folk mess with strap locks - the expense, faff, etc. I’ve never had a Grolsch washer fail yet, in well over 30 years 😊 Strap locks are a one-off faff. Washer locks are a faff every time you put the strap on or take it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 But if you have one strap for each bass... 😎 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 Just now, Supernaut said: But if you have one strap for each bass... 😎 . . . . and you don't take them off, problem solved. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 I've been using Grolschlocks* for about 15 years with no issues. However... I've bought several sets of the "rubber washer" type locks from various places (incl. Fender) and found that without fail, they go hard, brittle and tear or crack after a while. On the other hand, the Grolsch ones stay supple and resilient after years and years of use - including taking straps on and off multiple times. I bought a bag of 100 from eBay in 2009-ish. I've still got loads left. I love 'em. *TM: neepheid 2024 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 1 hour ago, dmc79 said: Do the Harley Benton / Grolsch ones have a decent amount of stretch to them? Also are the Basschat ones an actual thing and are they still available to buy? The Harley Benton ones are great yeah. Much bigger than the average though. I know you said you don't need anything and so they aren't worth it, but I mean are you really really sure you don't need anything else from Thomann? You've been very good this year. The BC ones were a limited run unfortunately. Although maybe @ped still has some behind the sofa or in an old pair of pants? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 (edited) I have used just about every brand of strap blocks as I don't like metal strap locks after my Precision hit the deck after a mishap with a schaller straplock in about 1982. When the only ones readily available were free with a bottle of grolsch, I accumulated several and have used the cheap ones from ebay/amazon as well as Fender, Ernie Ball, and Harley Benton. I keep the strap attached to each bass/guitar so they don't get put on and off repeatedly, and as I like to colour match (or at least co-ordinate) the strap to each bass I tend to match or co-ordinate the colour of the strap block as well. I did have a few no-name blue ebay ones which were more like a solid plastic than silicone and had no stretch at all, but apart from those, all of the others have performed well and I've never had one crack, split or become brittle. Edited July 3 by Jean-Luc Pickguard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted July 4 Share Posted July 4 10 hours ago, Supernaut said: But if you have one strap for each bass... 😎 I do. And I take them off at the end of the rehearsal/gig and put them back on again at the start of the next one. And occasionally swap them round for fun. However, on the washer front, ISTR somebody suggesting tap washers many many years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted July 4 Share Posted July 4 Then there is the Billy Sheehan way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Unscrew strap button. Place strap end near hole in body Screw the strap button on, through the strap, into the hole. Buy new bass? Buy new strap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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