Strap locks are essential AFAIC - no use spending thousands on a guitar and then not investing less than R200 to protect your investment.

Schaller Strap Locks are the only ones I trust - and I trust them implicitly. Dunlop fail and when they do, they fail in the open position. The various nylon ones wear over time and get less reliable.

The Schaller screws are metric and slightly narrower than the standard used by Fender, et. al.. The larger diameter screws don't fit in the Strap Locks, so you have to dowel the existing hole and tap a new one. Easy enough...

i have a set of the ernie ball strap locks which are awsome and i also have the mighty mites which are also very good IMO, the earnies were quite expensive but they gave it to sweeten the deal on the guitar but the mighty mites are pretty reasonably priced and they are just as good, i actually prefer the opening mebhanism on them to the ernies.

Schaller are the best imo , all my guitars that leave the house have them , and @ 200 bucks it's nothing , and like alan said , dowel the old hole out with some dowel stick and cold glue and put the straps end in , well worth it at the end .

I don't know the Ernie Balls, but be careful of the Mighty Mites as they have a similar system to the Dunlop Pick Boys - and I once lost the 12-string neck of a doubleneck to the Dunlops. The ball bearings pick up dirt and grease over time and eventually they get stuck - and they are all that is holding the guitar.

With the Schallers, the flange holds them in place, even if the pin sticks (which I have never seen happen anyway). I've used them on every guitar I've owned in the last 15+ years with no problems at all. My Sanox has had the same set on since '92.

Hmmmm Schaller wins ?

actually just checked my guits at home now (lunch break) and see it is Schaller that i have on my other guits. so its seems the skrew size is the same as on the LP. I stuck match sticks and glue and stuff in my old guits.

thanks i am sure this post will help MANY peeps and prevent them from dropping their guits and snapping them in half ?

I've used Schaller, in fact one of my fender copies has them on still.. But the best I've found to work is using the screw that comes on the guitar... Slap a nice washer on it and screw the strap down.. That way, it ain't coming off!! Steve Vai uses this method, if you wana see what it looks like.

I have Schallers too ? But yeah, they're awesome. I'd trust my life on them.

guitarboy2828 wrote: I've used Schaller, in fact one of my fender copies has them on still.. But the best I've found to work is using the screw that comes on the guitar... Slap a nice washer on it and screw the strap down.. That way, it ain't coming off!! Steve Vai uses this method, if you wana see what it looks like.

+1 for this method, I got the tip from Billy Sheehan, both he and Vai do pretty wild antics on stage, and ya know unless the strap breaks it ain't gonna come off.

plus sides = cheap, secure, flush mounting
minuses = no good if you like to take the strap off when packing up.

For me each ax has it's own strap (screwed on) and I know I ain't gonna leave it behind somewhere. (along with half the lock ).

I put Schallers on every guitar I have. The only issue I've really found is that I'd like them to have a longer threaded section to stick through the strap. I've found that thicker straps leave precious little thread to screw the nut & washer down with.

Add a drop of thread lock compound as well, as they can loosen themselves over time - nearly dropped my LP that way, luckily it was the bottom which let go & no harm was done.

Banditman wrote: The only issue I've really found is that I'd like them to have a onger threaded section to stick through the strap. I've found that thicker straps leave precious little thread to screw the nut & washer down with.

That's usually because the standard hole in the strap is too small and the leather bunches up around it. I used to enlarge the hole in my straps, but now I have my straps made with a 10mm hole (and no "split").

Add a drop of thread lock compound as well, as they can loosen themselves over time

I tighten the hell out of mine with a spanner and vise and they seem to hold well enough.

I do have one small problem with them, which is mechanical noise as the strap moves. Not usually an issue unless you have microphonic pickups or tons of gain.

That's a good idea Alan. I've got a buddy who's a leatherworker by trade. Think I'll get him to make some replacement tabs for my straps to that spec.

Schaller strap locks are one of the best inventions since the wheel!!! :? My strap must have come loose about 20 times [at the bottom], lukily my left hand was always there to catch mi corazon! ?

Can anybody tell me where I can buy Schaller straplocks locally? [ JHB ] I usually get them from Stewmac and then it never ends with just straplocks, there's always something else that comes in with it ?.....I am such a sucker for pretty tools

Turnkey are the local distributors, but you should find them in most decent stores like Marshall, Bothner's, Music Mate, etc.

I know exactly what you mean about pretty tools... I fall victim to that one too. ?

music mate keeps them as standard i have always only paid 160 bucks for them , about music in melville keeps them aswell , and music world in boksburg as them as well , i am sure toms and music connection well stock them .

a little off topic , i have noticed music mate specially the bigger ones are now stocking parts , such as standard bridges , nuts , machine heads , jacks and so forth , which i am glad about it makes repairs a hell of alot easier .

Thanks Gents.....

Toms didn;t have last time I checked, they wanted to give me the Ernie Ball's, but just then a faint voice said..." Remember what happened to Alan's guitar ". I'll check the other stores you mentioned.....and yes, I have also noticed that they are keeping more hardware than usual...

Tailon. wrote: a little off topic , i have noticed music mate specially the bigger ones are now stocking parts , such as standard bridges , nuts , machine heads , jacks and so forth , which i am glad about it makes repairs a hell of alot easier.

Yeah, too many of the shops don't stock spare parts these days (hell, some don't even stock what I would call a representative range of strings). It feels like they want to sell you all the big stuff like amps, guitars and effects, but can't be bothered with the smaller stuff.

I just bought a cheapie Strat neck and body from Andre Meyer (at R650 each!) - he's the guy that sold a bunch of spares online a few months ago. He is in the process of setting up a local online store for spare parts - up to and including finished bodies and necks. Stay tuned folks...

That will be awesome.

I have a Peavey T-60 (1978/9) which is even heavier than the LP. About 20 years ago or more, after 1 or 2 nasty slips, I put straplocks on my Guit & strap and I have'nt even had to think about slippage since. The feeling of confidence in the safety of my guitar while playing, beat ANY money I had to spend on it (which then was'nt a lot).
I've just pulled out the spare set of locks I bought at the same time (never had to replace) and they are Schaller, definitely a good product! ?