If you’re a guitarist or bassist concerned about finding the best strap locks for your instrument, you’re not alone. Any guitar player who’s afraid of having an expensive or beloved instrument take a nose dive has to decide how they’re going to protect their instrument. Unless you never move when you play, some type of strap-security system is a must.
The two most popular kinds of strap locks are made by Dunlop and Schaller. If you search various message boards about which one is the “best,” I promise you that you’ll find people that swear by both. You’ll also find at least one person who has had a horrible experience with one or the other as well.
So which one do you choose? Help!
Personally (and this is a personal preference), I like the Schaller strap locks the best. As long as you keep the washer tightened on the strap locking mechanism (I suggest keeping it permanently tightened using Super-Glue), the design is – in my view – superior because if the locking mechanism does fail (and they all can fail), the U-Bracket will hold the guitar in place temporarily. To be honest, I also think the Schallers look a lot cooler than the Dunlops. However, there’s another option that many guitarists prefer, and it’s one I use myself often.
Believe it or not, the rubber washer from Grolsch Beer bottles are the best strap lock for many players. As long as you’re not doing serious guitar swinging, a Grolsch Strap Lock is a great solution. I use Schallers as my main strap lock system, but for my vintage-reissue guitars, I use the Grolsch washers so I don’t mess up the vintage look. If you don’t want to install Schallers or Dunlops, the Grolsch washers are a smart choice.