BigGriff Report post Posted January 4, 2012 New to leatherwork and want to make a guitar strap for my buddy. I was thinking about using wool/sheepskin for some padding on the inside of the strap. How would I go about attaching the woolskin? Is it just glue or cement? Do you sew the woolskin to the strap? Thanks for all the help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted March 3, 2012 New to leatherwork and want to make a guitar strap for my buddy. I was thinking about using wool/sheepskin for some padding on the inside of the strap. How would I go about attaching the woolskin? Is it just glue or cement? Do you sew the woolskin to the strap? Thanks for all the help. Hi Griff: Sorry I didn't see this earlier. Normally if you attach a lining like that you would.. 1. comb the wool away from the cut edge then trim the hair with scissors about 1/4" away from the edge. fairly close to the skin itself. 2. Pick the loose hairs away so you don't have to deal with fuzz. 3. Coat both flesh sides of the strap with your favorite flexible leather glue (or rubber cement) allow to get tacky and carefully meet glue sides together. 4 Sew with leather machine.... or hand stitch with a sewing awl... or use a pricking/thonging chisel and saddle stitch. Personally I would avoid wool on a guitar strap for a few reasons. The padding effect is minimal, especially on "standard" 2.25" and 2.50" straps and after several months of wear the wool becomes matted and nasty looking. (think of it like the insides of your wool slippers.) hope that helps. Sylvia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gringobill Report post Posted March 4, 2012 IMHO Sylvia is right about skipping the sheep skin. I've been a picker for longer than I want to remember and have had a lot of straps. To me the best ones are pretty wide, 2 1/2' or so and made out of softer/thinner leather. If you're going to tool it, 4/5 oz veg tan should be good. The besides getting matted down and "nasty looking," it's gonna be too bulky. Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted March 6, 2012 IMHO Sylvia is right about skipping the sheep skin. I've been a picker for longer than I want to remember and have had a lot of straps. To me the best ones are pretty wide, 2 1/2' or so and made out of softer/thinner leather. If you're going to tool it, 4/5 oz veg tan should be good. The besides getting matted down and "nasty looking," it's gonna be too bulky. Bill Bill, have you ever tried an 8oz or higher 3 inch wide strap? I have a Gibson LP solid mahogany... the thing ways over 12lbs. Wider strap is the ticket with heavy guitars. I have one of those thin soft leather straps and it rolls up and digs in... hate it. I find a thicker leather wide strap distributes the weight better across the shoulder Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gringobill Report post Posted March 6, 2012 Hey Sylvia, I have a 3" that I made out of some 4-5 oz veg tan and it is lined making it thicker and it is a lot more substantial than those soft chrome tanned straps. I have a Tele that would be close in weight (but lighter than your Gibson), but these days I mainly play some acoustic dreadnaughts rosewood and mahogany and they're all much lighter so I don't have a problem with the strap getting uncomfortable across my shoulder. If that's you with the little parlor guitar, that should sure be light enough, and sweet to play! Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted March 6, 2012 Hey Sylvia, I have a 3" that I made out of some 4-5 oz veg tan and it is lined making it thicker and it is a lot more substantial than those soft chrome tanned straps. I have a Tele that would be close in weight (but lighter than your Gibson), but these days I mainly play some acoustic dreadnaughts rosewood and mahogany and they're all much lighter so I don't have a problem with the strap getting uncomfortable across my shoulder. If that's you with the little parlor guitar, that should sure be light enough, and sweet to play! Bill That's my face... a friend put it on the antique photo for me. I used to do "face on" for people so good it was spooky. lol Here's one I did with my face on Heidi Klum's body Let's see. Classicals: Takamine G128S Luthier Hand made in Spain (ceder top) Acoustics: Martin 000C-16GTE Dean Performer Pink Denim Arts & Lutherie Wild Cherry Dreadnaught Esteban Starlight Ltd Edition. Fender F30 Round neck resonator Takamine 1970s Lawsuit Martin Fake 12 string. Tatomas 1970s Gibson hummingbird knock off that's actually my hubby's Electrics: Fender Custom Shop FMT-HH Telecaster. Fender SSS Strat MIM from the 90s Fender HSS Strat 60th anniversary edition. Gibson Les Paul Studio Vintage Cherry (the mahogany one) Washburn HB30 hollow body. Other Regal Square neck lap dobro Bass: Epiphone Les Paul Bass Ukes Kala Acacia Concert Some brand I can't remember Soprano tourist Uke Mandolins: To really crappy Chinese made ones that are little more than decorations. (I paid a .01 a piece for them plus shipping) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gringobill Report post Posted March 6, 2012 HOLY COW! Jessica Rabbit and another stringed instrument junkie to boot! You and your hubby are definitely guitar poor! I used to see a fancy blue acoustic out of some nice looking wood in your avitar so I knew somebody was into some nice instruments. Ok, I guess I gotta participate in show and tell. Hi, my name is Bill and I'm a instrumentaholic..... Collings Clarence White Brazilian Collings D1 mahogany 50 Martin D-28 Brazilian 48 Martin D-18 48 Gibson J-40 72 Martin D-35 72 Telecaster 60's Dobro resophonic round neck 38 Gibson Centry of Progress with mother of toilet seat fret board, this is a hell of a blues guitar 38 Kay orchestra model bass 85 OME Juggernaught 5 string Stew Mac kit 5 string Kentucky a model mando Kalamazoo a model mando 2 fiddles one German, one French 39 Kay Kraft Venetian florentine with bolt on neck and mother of toiet seat head stock overlay, very cool old bird Martin mahogany uke no name art deco uke black with mother of toilet seat head stock overlay and fret board and cool scroll decals on the body Regal guitar with cactus' and cowboy stensiled on the body no name plywood guitar with palm trees stenciled on the body. The last 3 are not players I think they're cool and I just like to keep 'em in my living room to look at. I never saw and guitar that I didn't want to own. The dang things just keep following me home! Whew, I think I need a meeting! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted March 6, 2012 I never saw and guitar that I didn't want to own. The dang things just keep following me home! Whew, I think I need a meeting! You know, I used to have that problem. Now they stopped following me home, but for some reason the stores keep on throwing in a free guitar with my string purchases Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted March 6, 2012 HOLY COW! Jessica Rabbit and another stringed instrument junkie to boot! You and your hubby are definitely guitar poor! I used to see a fancy blue acoustic out of some nice looking wood in your avitar so I knew somebody was into some nice instruments. Ok, I guess I gotta participate in show and tell. Hi, my name is Bill and I'm a instrumentaholic..... I never saw and guitar that I didn't want to own. The dang things just keep following me home! Whew, I think I need a meeting! lol Actually it was Hot Pink curly maple, not blue. That's the Dean. I agree with you there. I am at the point where I have to think about clearing some of mine out.... I can't say I play all that well because you have to practice to keep the skill level. But I enjoy owning these and will be sad to see some of them go. I WISH! I looked like Jessica Rabbit. lol Had a lot of fun with that picture over at Jamplay. I finally had to take it down when a new member, an eastern Europe fellow "shared" a nude of himself. "yikes!" I used to have a special room for my guitars, but hubby has pretty much taken over my office and my guitar room. So I work in the living room now and I must say I make quite a mess! lol Too cold for the garage. Syl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted March 6, 2012 You know, I used to have that problem. Now they stopped following me home, but for some reason the stores keep on throwing in a free guitar with my string purchases Sounds like how I ended up with a lot of my guitars... go in to get strings from my buddy at the pawn shop/music store..... and there would be this lonesome Fender guitar with a broken pot.... hmmm.... "What's your best deal on this one with the broken pot and loose tuners.... oh and it has a chip right here...?" "$75" Sold... I'd get home.... "Honey?... can you fix this pot for me?" LOL $5, a few minutes with a screw driver and soldering gun... my cleaning and tightening the screws on the tuners... shazaam. Fender Strat ready to rock. LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted March 6, 2012 Sounds like how I ended up with a lot of my guitars... go in to get strings from my buddy at the pawn shop/music store..... and there would be this lonesome Fender guitar with a broken pot.... hmmm.... "What's your best deal on this one with the broken pot and loose tuners.... oh and it has a chip right here...?" "$75" Sold... I'd get home.... "Honey?... can you fix this pot for me?" LOL $5, a few minutes with a screw driver and soldering gun... my cleaning and tightening the screws on the tuners... shazaam. Fender Strat ready to rock. LOL That's how I got my US made Squier for $75 too. Some teenager's guitar and they didn't know what they had. Found it at the pawn shop with sticker goo all over and shot pots and input. Considering the rare factor and the complete parts upgrade, I can easily snag 500 for it if I were stupid enough to sell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted March 7, 2012 That's how I got my US made Squier for $75 too. Some teenager's guitar and they didn't know what they had. Found it at the pawn shop with sticker goo all over and shot pots and input. Considering the rare factor and the complete parts upgrade, I can easily snag 500 for it if I were stupid enough to sell. I send folks to pawn shops all the time. You can find some pretty cool gems if you look often enough. You can also get taken if you aren't careful. I have a friend who has been trying to sell his Synyster on Ebay... he had it at $800 shipped, now it's down to $700 with $30 shipping. He's done a bunch of upgrading to it too.... but how many people want to buy a guitar with skulls with batwings on the neck? Wait... you might... lol http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schecter-Synster-Custom-Red-with-black-stripes-Floyd-Rose-modded?item=290679572470&cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D2%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6820864415186275047 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gnomecraft Report post Posted April 15, 2012 after working for a schecter dealer for a few years, he'll be lucky if he gets $350 for the sinister gates model. these days we're lucky is we get 5 for them, brand new. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
