Guitar Strap

[Chief31794]

This is a new model I am trying out. I made this one for my guitar to see how they come out. It is 7/8 oz Hermann Oak, 2 oz Glazed Pigskin LIner, and laced with about 22 yards of lace. I think the color is a little too dark.

Chief

[Rohn]

Looks nice Chief. The only thing I wonder about is if it needs some kind of a keeper to keep the end of the strap from hanging down when in the back when playing. That is the only thing I might suggest. Lots of lacing on that one. I'll bet that took some time. Looks like a fine piece of work.

[Chief31794]

Looks nice Chief. The only thing I wonder about is if it needs some kind of a keeper to keep the end of the strap from hanging down when in the back when playing. That is the only thing I might suggest. Lots of lacing on that one. I'll bet that took some time. Looks like a fine piece of work.

Thanks Rohn,

I had already started thinking about adding a sliding keeper, and since you noticed it too, I will definitely add one.

There is a good solid eight hours in the lacing.

Thanks,

Chief

Added a picture of the modified adjustment strap assembly.

Chief

Edited September 12, 2014 by Chief31794

[Rohn]

That looks much better Chief. Beautiful!!!

[Bob Blea]

Chief, the first think I noticed was the tip of the belt handing down too. I think the keeper is a good addition. I think your partially right on the strap being too dark. I think if you had used a resist on the carving and lettering so that was a light or natural color, it would be fine. You just loose the tooling details when it's really dark. But otherwise I think it looks really good. Like the buckle and belt end with it. The dark leather creates a nice contrast to the silver.

Bob

Edited September 12, 2014 by Bob Blea

[Chief31794]

That looks much better Chief. Beautiful!!!

Yeah, I like the sliding keeper back there. Thanks,

Chief, the first think I noticed was the tip of the belt handing down too. I think the keeper is a good addition. I think your partially right on the strap being too dark. I think if you had used a resist on the carving and lettering so that was a light or natural color, it would be fine. You just loose the tooling details when it's really dark. But otherwise I think it looks really good. Like the buckle and belt end with it. The dark leather creates a nice contrast to the silver.

Bob

Bob,

Thanks, I think it should be a little lighter as well. Thanks for commenting.

Chief

[DoubleC]

Chief one this piece I actually like the dark color. I think your tooling looks crisp and clean on it. Beautiful Strap. Cheryl

[shadowryder]

Beautiful lacing buddy.and the rest of course..

[Chief31794]

Chief one this piece I actually like the dark color. I think your tooling looks crisp and clean on it. Beautiful Strap. Cheryl

Thanks Cheryl, I appreciate the nice comments.

Beautiful lacing buddy.and the rest of course..

Thanks,

Chief

[shadowryder]

No wories my friend I continue to learn lacing from your youtube videos.

wish I was 10th as good as you.

AH well practice makes somewhere near LOL!!!!

[Colt W Knight]

I really like the lacing

[Eddie1968]

great looking strap. On the matter of the strap hanging down....I always build mine where the strap hangs from the other direction. seems more natural that way. but that's just what I do. But i see alot of them the same way as yours.

[Chief31794]

No wories my friend I continue to learn lacing from your youtube videos.

wish I was 10th as good as you.

AH well practice makes somewhere near LOL!!!!

Thanks, I think you're being too nice, I believe I've seen some of your lacing and it's awesome.

I really like the lacing

Thanks Colt,

great looking strap. On the matter of the strap hanging down....I always build mine where the strap hangs from the other direction. seems more natural that way. but that's just what I do. But i see alot of them the same way as yours.

Thank you,

Chief

[shadowryder]

Thanks buddy !!!

[Modad2010]

The strap looks great, Chief. I'm kinda liking the Martin flat top it's holdin' up too.

[Chief31794]

The strap looks great, Chief. I'm kinda liking the Martin flat top it's holdin' up too.

Thanks,

That is mine, it's a 1974 D-28, I bought it new, it seems that the older they get the better they sound. This one's been to Japan, Korea, Germany twice, and all over the US, it has some battle scars. I had to retire the Blue Case, newer ones come with a black case but this one is from that other era. I still have the case but it's a little beat up from all the air travel over the years.

Since I was trying out a new design, I thought I'd make a new strap for me to try it out.

Chief

[OdinUK]

Looks very nicely made and I like that lacing. As have been menioned, maybe a two tone effect could have been obtained on the tooled area to make it stand out more.

[Grappo73]

Great work!!!

[silverwingit]

First off, Chief, as always I love your work. You've set a high standard, especially with your lacing, that we can all strive for.

But I have a bit of a delicate question regarding lacing vs stitching or just a nicely finished bare edge from a comfort standpoint. As visually appealing the laced edges are, I wonder how comfortable the lacing is on the wearer compared to a smoother edge treatment. I'd like to suggest lacing but at an 8-hour investment in time to lace up a strap (even for an expert like you), I'd hate to have my client return the strap because it abrades his shoulder.

Can you or have any of your clients related any such experience?

Many thanks,

Michelle

[Chief31794]

First off, Chief, as always I love your work. You've set a high standard, especially with your lacing, that we can all strive for.

But I have a bit of a delicate question regarding lacing vs stitching or just a nicely finished bare edge from a comfort standpoint. As visually appealing the laced edges are, I wonder how comfortable the lacing is on the wearer compared to a smoother edge treatment. I'd like to suggest lacing but at an 8-hour investment in time to lace up a strap (even for an expert like you), I'd hate to have my client return the strap because it abrades his shoulder.

Can you or have any of your clients related any such experience?

Many thanks,

Michelle

Michelle,

These are actually pretty popular, I haven't had anyone return one, now the pigskin split is pretty plush. I wore this particular strap (it's a prototype for a new design with the buckles, etc.), on a 4 hour show and I never felt the lacing. I have had some customers pass on the lacing because of the price, I offer them three ways (the lined ones), sewn on a machine (cheapest option), hand sewn (next cheapest but pretty close to the laced, lacing material cost more than thread, however the time is pretty close (maybe an hour or so less to sew), and laced. I sell to a lot of accoustic players and they normally don't even want it lined this is just another option I offer. I sell a lot more of the unlined straps.

I haven't done any motorcycle seats, but they do this technique and people set on them all day and it doesn't seem to create a problem there, I think it's the same thing on an instrument strap, I think if you are wildly swinging the instrument around and up and down like I've seen some hard rock musicians do, then I think lacing might cause a problem.

Sorry, I don't have a better answer, I didn't invent this technique, I've seen lots of high end guitar straps with lacing (normally double loop), I woudl think double loop might be more abrasive than round braid.

Thanks for the nice compliment,

Chief

[silverwingit]

Thanks, Chief. I didn't figure you'd be making uncomfortable guitar straps. Some of my Mexican Round Braid work isn't as tight and smooth as yours, but I'm working at it. :^)

Michelle