Yattycathy Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Hi, everyone. I'm a clueless mom here. I bought my 17 year old son the Epiphone Les Paul guitar he wanted for Christmas and I can see it is going to need a strap. Can someone tell me exactly what kind of strap (and strap lock???!!! What is this?) I need to get him. I wanted to get him a strap where I could get his two initials monnogrammed on it (a la John Mayer who has "JM" on his). Can someone point me in the direction I need to be in? Thank you!! Yattycathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Hi Cathy... Straps come in all sorts and all price tags. I dunno where you live, but for fancy stuff I've done one of two things for "personalized" guitar straps. 1. I've made my own. I got some saddle skirting, measured with a strap I already had (or one could hold the guitar in place) and made the strap so it was a bit wider at the shoulder than where it hooked onto the guitar's strap buttons. Then I did the tooling on the strap. For what it's worth, that was only my second tooling project and it was 40 years ago. I still use it on the guitar I made it for. 2. I have a marvelous custom strap made by a local saddlemaker. I think it ran a bit under $100, but it is padded at the shoulder, tooled with my initials, etc., etc. - and if purchased from an online company I'm guessing we're talking something in the line of costing more than the guitar. .... so you can see some variations. I have straps for each of my guitars. Some seem best served with an inexpensive but all cotton (except for adjustment buckle and leather ends), and the ones with one-piece leather ends work best. Several are relatively inexpensive 'store brand' leather. Some of those could rather easily be tooled or "branded" with initials. Perhaps others will have other variations on this, but... ... Now, strap locks. They're supposed to allow the player to toss his/her guitar all over the place and the "straplocks" keep the guitar from disengaging from the guitar strap. I've never used 'em in over 50 years of playing. That runs a range of performance styles from sitting and doing pop/jazz material to bluegrass to some pretty wild rock performances in a cupla college bands to... well, you figure it. I won't even tell you how wild some of the rock performances were. <grin> I was 20 and in pretty good shape at the time and rather enjoyed showing that I was. Even some of the country/old time performances with a flattop could move the guitar pretty ambitiously. On the other hand, it appears that a lotta pickers are doing something that endangers their guitars. There are several brands of strap locks out there. It appears to me that you may be better off getting the guitar, an inexpensive house leather strap (check "musiciansfriend.com" for one that runs around $15-$20 and is wide for comfort at the shoulder) and then worrying about strap locks or whatever. You've also gotta figure that whether you buy the kid a $200 strap or a $7 strap, he's likely gonna figure it's not his cup of tea because Mom got it for him. OTOH, I still have my "just turned 18" first guitar strap that was probably $2.50 over 50 years ago. So here's a suggestion: In the guitar case - you did get a hard case for the guitar? - add a "guitar strap gift certificate" up to what you figure your budget warrants. Or you could do a "strap/straplock gift certificate." I'd add that a decent cotton strap or inexpensive $20 leather strap can be embroidered, tooled, branded... But seriously? The big thing will be a hard case. Again, musiciansfriend.com has some that are under $100. I have a hard case for every one of my guitars. Period, and have since the beginning even though I agonized in youth about having to spend such a huge percentage of my budget for a case and less on the guitar... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhfrank Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Hi, everyone. I'm a clueless mom here. I bought my 17 year old son the Epiphone Les Paul guitar he wanted for Christmas and I can see it is going to need a strap. Can someone tell me exactly what kind of strap (and strap lock???!!! What is this?) I need to get him. I wanted to get him a strap where I could get his two initials monnogrammed on it (a la John Mayer who has "JM" on his). Can someone point me in the direction I need to be in? Thank you!! Yattycathy Hi Yattycathy, and welcome to the forum! Guitar straps are very subjective. Some buy them them for looks, others for comfort. I'd put the emphasis on comfort since we are talking about hanging a relatively heavy chunk of wood from your shoulder. In that respect I'm afraid that you get what you pay for but again, I'd stress comfort because wearing a guitar affects not just your shoulder but also the neck and back. The best option of course is to visit your local music store since they usually have a display devoted to guitar straps. Otherwise I'd check Amazon.com and read the reviews. You'll get a variety of opinions and the prices are quite competitive. http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Ami%2Ck%3Astrap+locks&keywords=strap+locks&ie=UTF8&qid=1416600168#/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dmi&field-keywords=guitar+straps&rh=n%3A11091801%2Ck%3Aguitar+straps Straplocks are designed to keep the guitar securely attached to the guitar thus preventing it from crashing to the floor during a performance. I look at it as insurance to protect an investment and have them on all my guitars. Schaller and Dunlop are good choices though there are cheaper makes. http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Ami%2Ck%3Astrap+locks&keywords=strap+locks&ie=UTF8&qid=1416600168 Hope this helps some. The Epi Les Pauls are great guitars. Your son should enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Hi Cathy Straps: I'd let him choose his own as this is subjective and all about personal preference. (A wide one would be good for an LP IMO but hey, better he has the one he most likes and sees as cool) - you could offer to get his intials printed on it if thats what he wants after he makes the choice. Straplocks - I use quality (Schaller W.Germany) ones on my best guitar and would not be with out them. Then again I am clumsy and the straps seem prone to slipping off otherwise. Note: you drop a Les Paul, fair chance the neck will snap at the headstock = $$$ to fix. On my other guitar I tend to leave the strap on all the time so snap on/off straplocks are less necessary - but I still like the security - so here's what you do in that situation: 1. Buy 2 bottles of Grolsch beer in the swingtop bottles 2. Drink the beer 3. Slip the little red rings off the bottle tops 4. Put the strap on the guitar, then stretch little red rings over the strap pins so they sit on top of the strap ends voila! Your strap is secured and you are refreshed. hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yattycathy Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 Here is the guitar. A case.....hummmm.... I guess I need to get the grand moms in on getting a case. Now that you mention it, it just came with a soft case (a cover). Straps: ok. Yes, I agree it would probably be better to make him a "gift certificate" to get a strap of his choice. We live in a rural area and I probably could find a leather craftsman. O.k. Good deal. I enjoyed reading the stories. My son has anxiety and his guitar has been his stress release and comfort. He had a year of lessons and then did his own thing. He isn't in a band or anything, but to my untrained ear, he is pretty good. He is a junior in high school and I look forward to seeing what happens in college Thanks for the input, Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Good thinking... FYI, I'm convinced that far more guitars are damaged by lack of a hard case when they're not being played, than by tossing them around while gigging. If you're in a cowboy country, should't be hard to find a craftsman to help. And I'm convinced the "certificate" is a good idea. Guitar playing is marvelous for anyone. It can be kind of a zen experience at one point, exuberant release at another. Heck... Ever thought of playing? <grin> Oops... that's the old age in me coming out. But my most recent donation of a guitar was to a lady friend whose children ... "appropriated" the family guitars she'd had and ... she promised she'd get back from a 20-year hiatus to play... With an 11-year-old barrel racer daughter who's making under 15-second runs she may need some zen. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Lovely guitar Cathy - a great choice. I've just bought my daughter a guitar (there's a recent thread here from me about that) and its cool to help the kids into something that allows them to entertain themselves (and maybe others) for life. Music is a great gift. Cases are important if the guitar travels at all. If its just bedroom use, a guitar wall hook (google them, there are heaps and they are cheap - probably $10) is a good investment as it gets it up out of the way of younger kids, dogs, mothers , etc where it can't be knocked over - and looks great as a bit of 'wall art' when not being used. The last thing you want to do with a LP is just leave it leaning on an amp... please just trust me on that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Nice guitar and great mom! I wish my mom would've encouraged me when I was Jr High age instead of hiding the power cord to my amp :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Scales... Yeah... my problem is that Cathy's likely the right age to be my kid were I to have had one. So... I wish she'd consider learning too! You ain't gotta be a pro to gain a lot. Pickin's good for kids of all ages. Heck, even mine. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burchster Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Great looking guitar. The Epiphone hard cases tend to run around 100 dollars and are a great value for the money. Very good protection if he wants to take the guitar to school etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yattycathy Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 What I find very interesting is that he excels in math, science and guitar. I believe I have read that math and music are somehow related. He is interesting in studying engineering at a tech university near by. Yes when he plays I desperately wish I had music ability. I took piano when I was young but quit because I wasn't talented in it... Just banged on ivory and expected some magic to happen lol. I always wanted to sing too... But not talented there either. I think you would call it flat and tone deaf. :0 I'm very proud he has musical ability. I often record him and upload it to Facebook (mom!!!! Lol) because I want to "show him off"... He is inspired by Green Day, Nirvana, Guns and Roses among others... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 m... yes, I've no idea why you pointed the response in my direction, but I agree wholeheartedly. Given ages of our kids Cathy and I may be similar age and I only got into it (semi) seriously a couple of years back and consider myself a near-beginner. Never too late to start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Scales... Absolutely... A friend of mine in college was the most tone deaf human being I've ever met - but I think he still picks up his guitar on occasion. He memorized the chord changes from the rhythms of some songs and that worked well enough. He'd smile like a cheshire cat when he was strumming a bit. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke17 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I guess the guys covered everything here but I'd like to add 'Good At Ya' for being a great Mom and encouraging your son.Nice choice with the Epi Les Paul...I would hazard a guess that just about every guy that posts on this site has at least one!PS Cat, The soft case that came with the guitar is called a 'gig bag'Just a bit of nomenclature you can drop on your son to impress him.:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iankinzel Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 That exact model was my first electric - a black Epiphone Les Paul Standard. To this day, Epiphones remain by far the most comfortable neck shape I've ever played on, and no matter how many times I try to go with something different, I always end up back with Epiphone. Excellent choice, Cathy. One other thing I would recommend in addition to a hard case and strap is to see if you can get a guitar tech to give a decent setup. Sometimes a new guitar - even an import model - will play alright out of the box, but oftentimes not, and that's not too hard or expensive to take care of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iankinzel Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 PS here are a couple used Les Paul hard cases for $70: http://www.musicgoround.com/p/252718/used-gator-lp-hardshell-case http://www.musicgoround.com/p/253717/used-lp-style-guitar-case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Music is mathematics of sound/ratios. An Epiphone hard case will protect it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yattycathy Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Music is mathematics of sound/ratios. An Epiphone hard case will protect it well. Thank you. Everyone gave him musician friend gift certificates for Christmas, so he bought the case for it plus some other things. UNFORTUNATELY, the guitar, which is only used a handful of times because of our Christmas schedule, appears to be cracked where the neck meets the body on the back of the guitar. So now I'm dealing with this nightmare of having to initiate a warranty claim. Very frustrating!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yattycathy Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Thank you. Everyone gave him musician friend gift certificates for Christmas, so he bought the case for it plus some other things. UNFORTUNATELY, the guitar, which is only used a handful of times because of our Christmas schedule, appears to be cracked where the neck meets the body on the back of the guitar. So now I'm dealing with this nightmare of having to initiate a warranty claim. Very frustrating!!!!! Here is my new post-- I think I posted it in the wrong forum. http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/118616-epiphone-les-paul-problem/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkJB Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 What I find very interesting is that he excels in math, science and guitar. I believe I have read that math and music are somehow related. He is interesting in studying engineering at a tech university near by. My 10 year old is the same - when he was newborn we started using classical music as a sleep trigger for him, not only did it work and he still likes playing as he goes to sleep, but his guitar playing is also extremely good for his age - within 2 years of first picking up the guitar he was playing "Sweet Child of mine" from start to finish including all the solos (at 9 years old). Plus he is, what the school calls, "gifted and talented" in Maths & Science! Now, whether the classical music is the key factor who knows - we have a house full of guitars so it's no surprise he started to play - but neither my wife or I are any good at Maths! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yattycathy Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 My 10 year old is the same - when he was newborn we started using classical music as a sleep trigger for him, not only did it work and he still likes playing as he goes to sleep, but his guitar playing is also extremely good for his age - within 2 years of first picking up the guitar he was playing "Sweet Child of mine" from start to finish including all the solos (at 9 years old). Plus he is, what the school calls, "gifted and talented" in Maths & Science! Now, whether the classical music is the key factor who knows - we have a house full of guitars so it's no surprise he started to play - but neither my wife or I are any good at Maths! Very cool. We are a science-oriented family but not musically inclined!!! I'm so happy he plays an instrument! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 This is not a joke... There's a guy on the forum, "Rocketman," who literally is a rocket scientist and now university prof. He's an incredibly talented musician, keyboard or guitar. Talent helps, but the joy of creating music from wherever in one's mind is a value beyond money, and a gift. It's also a gift one must work a bit to enjoy, which adds yet more value. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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