Now, it might not sound like the most important decision you make in your life but if you spend any length of time standing up and playing your guitar then picking the correct guitar strap is actually of quite high importance. If you play a heavier solid body guitar such as a Les Paul or something large like a Gretsch White Falcon then you will want to purchase a strap that makes wielding the machine as comfortable as possible.
Hendrix like acrobatics notwithstanding you`ll be looking for a guitar strap that offers support without feeling like you’re bungy jumping or donned a strait-jacket just for the weekend. At the same time you`ll also be looking for a strap that doesnt cut into your shoulder like a length of twine.
These days there are plenty of straps that look great with a huge range of designs ranging from flaming skulls, naked ladies, psychedelic patterns and other punk, rock, emo and country designs. It is important to buy a strap that fulfills your image requirements but this in no way should compromise the comfort and therefore the time you spend blowing out your windows, annoying the neighbours, bringing the house down or even just impressing the hell out of your pets.
There are several options ranging from polyester, suede, elasticated and leather through to vegan, hemp and beads so there is absolutely no shortage of choice no matter how individual you feel you are. You may prefer a wider strap than usual – some straps come in a 4″ wide model – theseyou may prefer!
The key things to look for are:
1. Comfort.
2. Good adjustment.
3. Inbuilt locking – that way the strap will never come off – OR even better buy some Schaller strap locks.
4. A shoulder pad (sometimes with sheepskin for extra comfort) if you play a larger guitar.
5. Tight, well cut holes in the leather where the strap attaches to the guitar.
Obviously the best way to select a strap is to try them out on your guitar, for an hour.
My favourite straps are made in New Zealand by Lucky Straps and they are individually handcrafted with woven fabrics, metal buckles, tough vinyl backing and real leather ends which makes them extra strong. All straps measure 2 inches wide by 52 inches maximum length:
Here are some quality guitar strap manufacturers to consider:
Moody
High quality, professional with muted design features.
El Dorado
Traditional, ornate country style straps favoured by his Bobness, Mr. Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, Billy Gibbons and Keith Richards.
Couch guitar Straps
Awesome modern straps, with great individual designs of high quality.
UPDATE – August, 2013
Tempest Leather
This is another great and new option in the market which I personally love. I discover it a couple of weeks ago thanks to an Email from Cameron Loughlin (the owner) and what I love about these straps is that they fuse fabric and leather, the combination of these two things really catch your attention. If you visit their website you will find that they also have some really cool design work going on there. (Very interesting, multi-cultural art)
These guys have some COOL and HIGH QUALITY straps! Check them out!
And as suggested by Joshua, Souldier, which unfortunately does not have many options available at the moment, but worth it to keep an eye on those ones.
Well, That`s all folks,
Cheers…
