Warwick Strap Locks -check your pins!

[yorks5stringer]

Managed to do an outdoors socially distanced gig last night and it was the first outing for the Warwick Star Bass. I almost had it crashing to the ground as the front strap lock ceased to lock and the Bass was hanging by its weight. As it was dark and I was working by torchlight it was impossible to see what was wrong but notwithstanding the stupid design where the release pin can be easily knocked by one's belly ( as the strap locator is on the neck/body joint at the back), I did a little research and sorted the issue.

Whilst it is obvious to say check the pins are locked, what happens is the little slider in the centre needs some lubrication otherwise it does not spring back out and lock everything in place. There is a tiny hole on the reverse centre of the post and I put some clear silicone grease in there and worked the mechanism until the central pin moved freely and enabled a full lock-out.

So check your pins and ensure they are locking out!

[Silvia Bluejay]

I replaced all of my Warwick straplocks with normal pins long ago. Stupid system.

[franzbassist]

Wise words!  Always good to keep your nuts tight or your ball bearings lubed, whichever straplock system you use.

[BigRedX]

Exactly this happened on my Starbass, just before a Terrortones gig. I managed to keep the bass on the strap by cutting down how much I moved about on stage which got me through the gig. The following day I ordered a set of Schaller Straplocks as replacements.