Are strap locks necessary for your guitar?

What’s The Deal With Strap Locks?

There is nothing worse than trying to do a cool guitar trick on stage after you just played your part impeccably with no mistakes, you are feeling really confident about yourself and boom! You are filled with embarrassment because you attempted to do a guitar swing and failed miserably at it. Now everyone is looking at you and saying how much of a loser you are.

This may sound like something straight out of a horror movie, but it does not have to be your reality. As long as you have strap locks, you will not ever have to worry about looking uncool. A strap lock is a tool that locks your guitar or bass strap on the instrument. This ensures that it will not fall off, which could cause your guitar falling to the ground and breaking in half. That is why strap locks are beneficial.

The best way to prevent your guitar from breaking into a tiny million little pieces is to invest in a great strap. There are plenty of them out there. Keep in mind that when you are putting on the strap, there are a few modifications you can make that will make it better for you.

Strap Lock Advice For First-Time Buyers

You can take advantage of the strap lock that comes with a locking nut. This double ensures that your guitar will not fall out of your control, even if you are doing a daring guitar trick while you jam out to some of your favorite songs. It is also recommended that you take off the old strap pegs and replace them with new ones. Once you do that, you can install the new strap lock versions.

So yes, only will strap locks keep you from dropping your guitar, but it can also make you feel safe. You can rest assured that your guitar will not be damaged. It does not matter what kind of trick you are trying to do or if someone clumsy is holding your guitar. As long as you have a strap lock, it will stay in place.

Another great thing about strap locks is the fact that they are relatively cheap. Of course, there are some overpriced strap locks out there but do not let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch. If you search hard enough and long enough, you will come across the best lock strap your money can buy no matter your budget. If you want to spend a lot of money on one, that is your prerogative. Just know that is not necessary. The price point can range anywhere between $10 to $20 for a set of them. That is a pretty good deal for something so important.

Still, you may not have the time to find a lock strap, especially if you have found yourself in a guitar accident. If you ever notice some guitar straps, their holes can wear and tear with time. There may be one moment in which the lock strap holes fit snugly over the pegs on your guitar, but with regular wear and tear it can rip. That can leave you strapless. In a pinch, you may be looking for some alternatives to a conventional strap lock.

There are some old tricks that guitar legends have passed down from one shredder to the next. The most tried and true method is to use a rubber washer from an old beer bottle. All you have to do is place a guitar strap over the strap button. From there, you can position the rubber washer over the strap. This should be sufficient enough to hold your strap if you are doing regular handling of your guitar.

On the other hand, if you are planning on doing tricks with your guitar like swinging it around your body or being overly aggressive with it to show how passionate you are about showing off your guitar skills, you need to consider getting an industrial washer. These are also good if you are thinking about doing any type of flip on stage. Basically, anytime you want to do something crazy and unusual while holding your guitar outside of playing it, you want to make sure that you have an industrial washer if you do not want to go down the strap lock route.

It is also recommended that you use thick leather straps. They are way more comfortable to use, particularly if you think you will be at a jam session for several hours or if you are planning on playing a long set at a venue. You want to make sure that you have something that can withstand your crazy antics while also being able to hold up your guitar with ease. You also do not want something that cuts into your skin. That is why leather straps are the first choice.

Another reason why leather straps are better is because if you go with the washer method, it will be much easier to lock in your DIY strap lock into place. You can find any washer at any homeware store that is local to you. You could even look around the house, stumble upon that old toolbox you do not use and rummage in there to find the perfect washer you are looking for. It all depends on what you plan on doing with your guitar.

If you are only trying to practice around the house or you plan on doing a lot of sitting, you may not need all of this. You may not even need a strap as you can just put the guitar on your lap and strum away. On the other hand, if you intend on standing up and really giving it your all regardless of if you are home alone or at a venue, you will really need a strap lock.

There are not a lot of alternative strap lock methods that will work as well as the washer method. For this reason, when you find yourself in a pinch look around for a washer.