IF YOU'RE GETTIN OLDER

[DirtySteve]

That's the first I've heard about Well-Hung guitar straps! They look like they are well made. I've been buying wide straps from Heavy Leather for several years now. I'm an old fart also and I can vouch that a well made wide strap can make a world of difference. BTW my LP traditional is just shy of 9 lbs,

He's a member here, but he hasn't posted in a while. @TVvoodoo

 

[TVvoodoo]

Damn ... been a while since I showed up here. Frankly, I got no Marshall power here so, it's like hangin' out at the Mustang forum when you drive a Camaro.

That said, thank you for those who tagged and mentioned. @Jethro Rocker @StrummerJoe @fitz et al.

I am indeed the Well-Hung strap guy but not really my style to push it in places where there's little interest. But if I may say, this catches me now in flow state of strapcraft as in a week I'll be vending at the Edmonton Guitar show where I drag my sorry ass out of the StrapLab and interact in-person with some actual human citizens (and a whole lot of guitar players) for a day.

My whole deal since 2011 was to craft a wider, longer more trusty, and above all more comfortable straps.
I started with the old Agile forum where we regularly took delivery of 11, 12 pounders or even more!

Anyway, I try stuff. Lots of things. I want to innovate without creating harnessy, floofy-looking things that look like they came from the old man orthopedic store.

Just this past weekend, for example, I built a couple of prototypes for what I am calling the "BeastMaster" guitar strap, specifically designed to sling 8.5-12 pounders.

It's a stretchy strap, but with big differences fom the typical. It's 3" wide, with a very "controlled" stretch. It's also much thicker than the typical, and features silicone/rubber grip inside. Can be personalized to match like I did for my greenburst. I've been testing it now for a couple nights and it really is something else. Anyway... just one example of a developing line and I'm REALLY looking forward to watching people try it at the show and see if they too feel it could be a game changer.

 

[dro]

I took 69 years to get a good Les Paul.
I am not giving up on it now!

Don't get me wrong. I'll not give up totally on Les Paul.
Although I have spoiled myself with Custom Shop stuff lately.
CS 1968 RI Les Paul Black Beauty, was my intro into Custom Shop.
I've had Custom Shop acoustics.
These Custom Shop electrics are amazing.
Had played 336's before, with 57 Classics. Never been a fan of 57's
Custombuckers are where it's at for me.

 

[donwagar]

I'm 72, my back is bad. I'm used to standing at a gig, and my #1 gig guitar ('01 R9 8 lb 12 oz) is too heavy for anything over an hour.

I switched to my '57 Special, it's only 7.0 lbs. And I've always loved P90s anyway.

One day at my local store I found a new SG Tribute, they aren't expensive. Only weighs 6.2 lbs. I don't care for 490 pickups, I switched it to a 57/57+ set. I'm still a Les Paul guy, but I'll use the SG at places I'm not real comfortable taking my Special.

 

[ampeq]

I am not sure at all that a wider strap could relieve the pain on the back.

At most it would alleviate the pressure on the shoulder but the weight on the back will always be the same ... as well as the pain.

Think of it like a bulldozer trac, it disperses the weight over a larger area. A 10 lbs. LP would be nothing in a backpack, but put a 1” wide strap on it and it becomes uncomfortable. I have used a real leather 3” strap from the get go with my ’77 LP and it works great. But there are tons of guitars out there that are under 7 lbs., my ESP E2 is light as a feather and can rock with the best of them.

 

[donwagar]

I don't think it matters how well the weight is distributed, it's still gotta go down your spine.