How Straplocks Saved My Life!
Jan 10 '05
The Bottom Line Straplocks are a cheap way to protect your instrument--consider the price an investment in your guitar.
Straplocks really didn't save my life, but I'll tell you this--they have served as a form of life insurance for my guitars for a great many years. If you gig with a guitar that's a vintage piece, or play a newer model that you've spent a lot of money for, you really can't afford not to have straplocks to protect your investment.
So What Are Straplocks?
Straplocks are small leather devices that attach to the pins or buttons of your guitar and then to your strap to prevent the strap from ever slipping off of the pins. If you use an ordinary leather strap, over time the strap hole will get bigger and bigger with use and there's a real danger of the strap slipping off the pins, which could result in a cracked neck or other serious damage to your guitar. The same is true if you play a very heavy guitar, like a Les Paul or just about any electric bass, or a guitar that is not evenly balanced, like a Firebird. The extra weight or imbalance could cause the strap to slip off of either pin, damaging your guitar. Straps tend to wear out and break at the holes at inopportune moments also, so straplocks can provide a little extra safety there too.
What Do Straplocks Look Like?
Straplocks are pieces of tough leather with attached screws configured to secure your strap to both the end pin and the neck pin of your guitar. Each straplock has a screw that goes into the pin hole, and at the other end of the straplock there are two leather flaps that attach to your strap with a screw. The straplock is made of quality leather and has two layers and very small screw holes for a very tight and secure fit.
How Do Straplocks Attach To My Guitar And Strap?
First, the end pin--remove the screw and replace it with the screw on one end of the straplock (I normally just remove the screw from the straplock and replace it with the original end pin, but it may be easier for the first time user to follow the rules!--any event keep the original end pin so that if you sell your guitar it will have all the original hardware). Next, place your strap between the two flaps at the other end of the straplock, and insert the screw which is provided through all three holes and into the screw receptacle attached to the lower flap. Tighten all screws well, and repeat with the neck pin. When you finish, your strap will be tightly, firmly and eternally attached to you guitar, virtually impossible to slip off, and allowing you to posture and strut around on stage without your hands on the guitar with absolutely no danger of damage to your instrument.
Straplocks can be purchased for anywhere from $10-$15, and as I said before, I consider that a pretty cheap price to pay for an insurance policy that protects your instrument from possible serious damage. I've used straplocks since they were created in the 1970s, and wouldn't dream of not having them attached to any guitar that I play regularly as a working musician.
Thanks for reading.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
sparkospunky
|
 in Musical Instruments |
 - Top 100 |
|
Member: Mike Mosier
Location: Jackson, Tennessee
Reviews written: 608
Trusted by: 745 members
About Me:
Send my credentials to the house of detention, I got some friends inside...
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.