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What is a good guitar strap?


Guitarists Dad

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My teenage son bought (with a little help) an Epiphone Les Paul Special II guitar package. He has had it about 10 days. One of the holes in the strap where it attaches to the guitar has ripped already. I don't believe that he has abused it. Does anyone have a recommendation on a quality replacement strap? Thanks for any help.

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I'd reccomend a nice wide heavy leather strap.They cost a bunch more in some cases,but they're durable and help spread the weight of the guitar out a bit.I'd also recommend getting strap locks.That'll help to reduce the wear on the strap holes,and keep the guitar firmly in place.

I have a couple of levy's leather straps myself. These should last for years .

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My two main guitar straps are a Levy's (made of suede), and a nylon Gibson USA strap.

 

The Levy's is nice because it creates some friction against your clothes, if your guitar tends to dip at the headstock, but the Gibson is smooth and lets you swing the guitar out of the way easier.

 

I use them about equally.

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I've used L&M 2 1/2" black leather for years. Never a problem.

I dont like them 3" or bigger -- though the wider it is, the more it distributes weight, I didn't like the look!

 

My five string banjo needed a sheepskin padded strat those suckers are heavy.

TWANG

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The 2 most comfortable straps I own are both Franklin. One is black woven, and the other a natural leather - both 2 1/2" wide. The leather one has stains all over it, and I refuse to part with it. The woven one is the first strap on any new guitar I buy, eventually being replaced by something suited to that guitar, or it goes to another new guitar.

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Definitely leather. The woven straps tend to slide on your shoulder as well as transfer a lot of the weight to one spot. Wide leather destributes the weight and "locks" the guitar in the spot that you shift it to. To me, that's important in that it seems to help the guitar stay at the right angle when you move up and down the neck. You're not fighting the guitar anymore...it's there where you want it.

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Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate getting feedback from voices of experience. It looks like the local music stores all carry Levy's plus at least one other brand. I will leave it up to my son to choose what he feels comfortable with. Thanks again.

 

If you haven't yet seen the mural on the Levy's building it is worth a look. Click on the picture to see the mural scroll. [url=http://www.levysleathers.com/2008%20Straps%20And%20Bags%20Catalog/contactLevys/LevysLeathers.html]Levy's Leather[/url]

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I gotta admit that I've been using those wide 3" straps for awhile now. Holding an LP for 4 hours has never been a task for sissies but I've turned to the wide one's to distribute the weight better.
Same here .... I have a wide brown/black Fender strap that, with the "padded" black underside, makes holding my LP no big deal - quite comfortable, actually. Looking at my strap, am wondering if Fender contracts with Levy's to just "Fender badge" them, as the design is quite similar, to say the least. I like it ;)/
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I like a wide strap, but personally I don't like leather that much. I find it too uncomfortable on my shoulder at the very edge of the strap where it tends to dig into my flesh.

 

I like "Planet Waves Comfort Wide Nylon Straps". They are 3" wide and while they don't stop the guitar from slipping like the leather ones do (which isn't a problem for me), they mold to the shape of my shoulder to distribute the weight better.

 

They are much more flexible across that 3" width than the either the normal nylon straps or the leather straps. The effect for me is no hard edge digging into my shoulder.

 

http://www.planetwaves.com/pgeardetails.aspx?ID=1

 

comfort_straps_group.jpg

 

 

Insights and incites by Notes,

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