Straplocks - are they necessary?

[ProfJames]

Not being a gigging bass player - but I do like to stand - I have been thinking about straplocks. Are they recommended? If so are they easy to fit? Which ones are best?

[rushbo]

I've had no luck at all with strap locks. I find them really fiddly. I bought a bag of 100 rubber Grolsch bottle washers about five years ago off eBay for a few quid and installed them on all my basses and guitars. Solid as a rock but easy to remove. And they're a lovely pink colour...

[ezbass]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1462815700' post='3045938']
I've had no luck at all with strap locks. I find them really fiddly. I bought a bag of 100 rubber Grolsch bottle washers about five years ago off eBay for a few quid and installed them on all my basses and guitars. Solid as a rock but easy to remove. And they're a lovely pink colour...
[/quote]+1 Having used Schaller and Dunlop, I find I prefer the Grolsch solution.

[Bobthedog]

There is at least one extensive thread on here on this very topic. Personally I prefer the Dunlop to the Schaller which I never trusted. Others will say just the opposite and others still will prefer beer bottle washers. The choice is not extensive but the opinions are.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Bobthedog

[Painy]

Someone will no doubt be along shortly to recommend the rubber washers from the tops of Grolsch beer bottles as an inexpensive option. Except of course I seem to have inadvertently just done so myself.
Personally I never play without them but I do play in a very animated pub rock band and have been embarrassed by a falling bass on stage enough times in the past to have learnt a lesson. Possibly not needed quite so much for home playing but no harm in taking that bit of care. As the old Grolsch washers are apparently getting harder to come by, the cheap and cheerful Dunlop style plastic straplocks are very cheap, don't require you to change the strap buttons on your bass and should be more than adequate for home use.

Looks like I took too long typing all that on my phone and have been beaten to it on all counts!

Edited May 9, 2016 by Painy

[Lozz196]

I bought some of the Fender Grolsch-alikes. Work really well, and you get both a black pair and a pinky-red pair in the pack (for extra authenticity I suppose).

[Chiliwailer]

Grolsh style ones are great....until they start wearing out, which very nearly ruined a lovely bass of mine. Then again, maybe the size of the vintage strap button was to blame as I was often removing the strap?

Either way, 'proper' locks for me these days.

Edit - and very necessary IMO

Edited May 9, 2016 by Chiliwailer

[blue]

Not necessary if your an at home player. Not really necessary for us gigging bass guitar players either.

Me, I've always used them and will continue to use locks.

Blue

Edited May 9, 2016 by blue

[Dad3353]

All our instruments (no, not the drums, you fool..!) are fitted, upon arrival, with Dunlop strap-locks, and have been so for about as long as I can remember (well, nearly 30 years or so, anyway...). Not too expensive (definitely less expensive than a neck repair..!), easy to swap guitars mid-set, or swap around straps; we find them to be very solid. I do make a point of applying a drop or two of vaseline oil every year or thereabouts, to keep 'em nice and supple. I've not had any failure, ever, from any of 'em (and I've a fair few...). Necessary..? For me, yes; others have other solutions, of course.

[Cameronj279]

Necessary? No. Will I ever own a bass without them? Also no.

I would much rather have the peace of mind. I prefer the schaller straplocks and they're easy to fit...even I could fit them!

[dand666]

1. Go to your local supermarket and buy 6 pack of Grolsch
2. Drink said beers and remove red washer
3. Use on every bass you have
4. ????????
5. Profit

[RhysP]

I've used strap locks ever since the strap detached itself from my brand new custom built Jaydee Supernatural bass & sent the headstock crashing into the floor.
I wasn't gigging when that happened either - I'd stopped playing for a second to answer the phone when it happened.

Luckily the bass wasn't damaged but I ruined a perfectly good pair of Levi's...

I've used Dunlops, Schallers & Grolsh washers - all work fine though my preference is for Schallers.

[gs_triumph]

I use Schaller copies but only because they make removing and attaching the strap easier.... Something I have to do when taking my bass out and back into its case. Saves the eyelet on the strap from getting stretched out.

If i never had to take the strap off I'd just stick with grolsch washers.

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='gs_triumph' timestamp='1462820739' post='3046034']
If i never had to take the strap off I'd just stick with grolsch washers.
[/quote]

That's the trick for me - each bass has its own strap which never comes off. The holes never get stretched so straplocks aren't necessary.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Roland Rock

[M@23]

I use Schallers as I wanted to be able to take the strap off easily when putting the bass into its case. I used Grolsch/Fender washers before that and do prefer them though.

[ProfJames]

I am not long into learning and I want to do the right thing by my basses. Will try the washers first. A strap for each bass as well, Thanks all......

[ped]

I've tried a few and the best are Marvel locks. Really neat and very secure, whilst being nice and small with no rattle once attached.

https://m.thomann.de/gb/marvel_security_strap_lock_system_gd.htm

Wouldn't mind trying these next

http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Loxx_Locks.html

[Geek99]

[quote name='ProfJames' timestamp='1462823749' post='3046080']
I am not long into learning and I want to do the right thing by my basses. Will try the washers first. A strap for each bass as well, Thanks all......
[/quote]
You can buy a bag of ten, five pairs off aliexpress for peanuts, they work perfectly

[alyctes]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1462817339' post='3045976']
Necessary? No. Will I ever own a bass without them? Also no.

I would much rather have the peace of mind. I prefer the schaller straplocks and they're easy to fit...even I could fit them!
[/quote]

This.

It's not just gigs. I have had a bass come off its strap while I was in a lesson, minding my own business.

[chris_b]

I've been using strap locks since the mid 90's. Always Dunlops and I've never had a strap accidentally come off any of my basses.

When you do something that works, keep doing it.

[Cato]

I use the washers these days.

You don't have to be jumping about like a loon for an unsecured strap to come off.

It happened to me years ago at a band practice after I shrugged my shoulders in response to a question from the guitarist. Fortunately I had my left hand on the the neck and although the bass swung towards the ground like a massive pendulum, my grip held and there was no impact with the thinly carpeted concrete floor of the rehearsal room.

[Woodinblack]

Got some strap locks to fit on my new ibanez bass, they were the fender copy of the schaller locknuts. They don't fit - the hole through the center of the nut is too small for the screw :/

[Highfox]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1462816300' post='3045956']
I bought some of the Fender Grolsch-alikes. Work really well, and you get both a black pair and a pinky-red pair in the pack (for extra authenticity I suppose).
[/quote]
I use those as well, work nicely. I don't sling the bass about round my knees anymore so no worries of it coming off

[CamdenRob]

My only issue with the grolsh approach is that they are quite hard to get on and off over the strap pin (which is the point I suppose).

I take the strap off my bass when I put it in the gigbag, it's quite a cosy fit and I don't want the hard plastic bit on the strap digging into my bass. This makes the washers a bit of a faff to squeeze on and off every time I take my bass out of the case.

[DaytonaRik]

After very near miss involving a Gibson SG and the inevitable headstock impact with a bedroom floor (although no headstock/neck damage luckily for me!) I've looked at several types of locks over the years, but for my basses I've settled on the DiMarzio clip-lock system across the board.

A pair of small nylon webbing "straplettes" are permanently bolted to the instrument,and the main strap is attached via quick release locking buckles - clunk click every trip!