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STRAPLOCKS


Count Bassy
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I've gone for Schallers on all my Basses, mainly because they were the only ones the local shop had...

The only thing that annoys me is that I've had to enlarge the holes in the straps to get the strap part through and on thick leather, there isn't much thread to get the nut onto.

Also had to drill out and deepen the screw holes for the thicker, longer Schaller screws.

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+1 for the Jim Dunlops.

Have had Schallers in the past and got nothing against them but just prefer the look and functionality of the Jimbos.

We keeping score? Who's winning so far? Just like PE at school, don't wanna be on the losing side yet again....! ;-)

T

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I use the plastic version of the Grolsh washer - I think it is made by Dunlop. It is a plastic washer made of two parts, which vary the size of the centre hole as you move them against each other.

I have been playing bass for over 7 years and not had a strap come off with these add-ons. I had a Warwick for three weeks and had two near misses because the straplock had not seated properly. - Human error, but with straplocks you only get one chance.

I also dislike an engineering solution which rattles, when it is designed to be fitted to a mechanism that depends on transmitted vibration. If it made a difference, people wouldn't use them, but it just seems wrong to me.

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I use Dunlop strap locks because, when I got the first one, Dunlop was all Chandlers had. That was nearly 20 years ago and I have never had a problem. Use the same type if you have more than one strap so they can be interchangeable. I have 3 basses and 3 straps, all with locks. I don't take the straps off either. My basses are all around the £2000 mark, so good, reliable strap locks are necessary.

Edited by chris_b
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I'm slowly but surely converting my Warwicks to the same type (bayonet type not the style that cup the strap button) and I just bagged a pair brand new on eBay from a shop for 99p. Bet he won't be listing any more using the auction format :)

I agree with the comments on the Dunlop fitting ring (bitch to do in a dark pub with no pliers or similar tool) but I have to say the only near miss I've ever had was with the style of fitting that involves the button and cup fitting. It hadn't quite locked in and on the first enthusiastic move it jumped out but as has previously mentioned that can be put squarely on user error but it's never happened with the male/female bayonet fitting!

I'd sum up by saying that any of the systems (inc Grolsch rings... or bread clips, my first locking device) mentioned have got to be better than no system!

The amount of times my heart has been in my mouth when out guitarists LP has headed for the floor after another strap slip is beyond words (and he's still to bone idle to do anything about it).

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[quote name='Mottlefeeder' post='24862' date='Jun 29 2007, 12:57 PM']I use the plastic version of the Grolsh washer - I think it is made by Dunlop. It is a plastic washer made of two parts, which vary the size of the centre hole as you move them against each other.[/quote]

Yeah I bought the strap which has these on them for my guitarist's birthday. Like Warwickhunt I too had my heart in my mouth when his strap slipped off. He hated the idea of strap locks purely for looks (though I still maintain from far, no-one's going to tell), so I bought this for him. So that's one less thing to go wrong during a gig. :)

Edited by s_u_y_*
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I have used the schallers in the past, but dont like the way they shake loose and cause the screws holding them in to pull out of the bass. I've also tried the plastic dunlop ones - I had one fly apart during a gig once. Now all I'll use is grolsch washers. I always keep the straps attached to my basses, so they are perfect for me. If only they were available in black or clear.

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[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='25144' date='Jun 29 2007, 09:46 PM']I have used the schallers in the past, but dont like the way they shake loose and cause the screws holding them in to pull out of the bass. I've also tried the plastic dunlop ones - I had one fly apart during a gig once. Now all I'll use is grolsch washers. I always keep the straps attached to my basses, so they are perfect for me. If only they were available in black or clear.[/quote]

Ah then it wouldn't look Rock N Roll!

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[quote name='Muppet' post='20111' date='Jun 19 2007, 12:22 PM']Hi Clive

I prefer Boston straplocks for a few reasons


3. VERY IMPORTANT. They have two nuts on the shaft of the strap part as opposed to one. These act as locknuts. Schallers do not have this and unless you apply threadlock they tend to unscrew themselves over time, whereas the Boston ones do not.

cheers

Steve[/quote]

A tale I've told several times in these parts. Exactly what happened to me , mid-gig in York , dumping my Status on my foot. I was lucky not to break a toe.

Since then the Schallers have been in the bin and I have Dunlops fitted to all my basses.

Billy Sheean , according to an account I read , had his strap (made from the stuff they stop aircraft from crashing on carrier flight decks with) coachbolted directly to his bass.
Bloody good idea.

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[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='25144' date='Jun 29 2007, 09:46 PM']Now all I'll use is grolsch washers. ...If only they were available in black or clear.[/quote]



Can't help for the clear though

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Thanks for all your thoughts folks!

I was enquiring in a music shop and the bloke said that for schallers you pulled teh release knob, but for Dunlops you pushed them. His point was that you'd be more likely to push a Dunlop by accident and release it, rather than pull a Schaller. His argument may have been swayed by the fact that he had Schallers, but not Dunlop, in his shop.

Any thoughts on that point?

Clive

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[quote name='Clive Thorne' post='28273' date='Jul 7 2007, 12:24 PM']I was enquiring in a music shop and the bloke said that for schallers you pulled teh release knob, but for Dunlops you pushed them. His point was that you'd be more likely to push a Dunlop by accident and release it, rather than pull a Schaller. His argument may have been swayed by the fact that he had Schallers, but not Dunlop, in his shop.

Any thoughts on that point?[/quote]
Dunlop's have most of the button in a recess so I don't see how they can be accidentally pushed all the way in. Also if you want to release the lock you have to push the button in AND, at the same time, pull at the lock/strap. Your man was just trying to sell you what he had.

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i use a plastic dunlop thingamy (with blu-tak inside so it doesn't come apart!) on the strap button on the horn, and one grolsch thingy with a plastic dunlop fella on top on the other.... why?

the grolsch thing kept unwinding the screw on the horn (guess cuz i throw my bass around my head alot) anyone else find that to be a problem?

on the other end i found the plastic dunlop unwound itself and kept popping off... so i put the grolsch thing on as well... doesn't happen with the grolsch underneath cuz it cant move enough to come undone.

a little OTT and very much bodged, but it seems to work!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Used Dunlops for years and never had a problem. They can be hard to get on the strap - which also meand they're hard to get off - which is good. Seen one of our guitarist hunting for a xcrew out of his Schallers twice. Nuff said!

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  • 2 weeks later...

+ another 1 for the Grolsch straplocks.

Everyone I know who plays guitar or bass got a handful of 'em from me last time my local wetherspoons had Grolsch in stock.

I got some schallers (which I've still got somewhere) with my first bass & strap, but they seemed a right faff.

I saw about the Grolsch in an old copy of bassist mag, and I've never looked back.

Indeed, they're good value as well!

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:huh: I bought some Schaller which were fine standing up.
:) But rattled when I played sitting down in my big band.
So I took them off. Drank two bottles of Grolsch and am now much happier. :huh:
Oh, and I fitted the rubber bottle seals which I've been using for years but are now becoming harder to find. Whenever I find the right bottle of Grolsch I have to buy it and drink the contents. I've always thought it a pity they only come in red and then a couple of nights ago I found a restaurant with blue ones on its bottles of water. :huh:

Geejay
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