Strap Width Poll

[Tal_175]

This should help us kill some time in our socially distanced lives. I find that the width makes a huge difference (guitar straps that is). Between 2 inch to 3 inch straps, my guitars feel like 3 pounds lighter.

I have never owned straps that are wider than 3 inches. I wonder at what point going even wider starts to get uncomfortable on the neck.

What's your favorite guitar strap width on especially heavy guitars?

[feet]

Never tried anything other than 2" for guitar or bass; acoustic, electric, solid, hollow or otherwise. Never felt the need.

[gitman]

I have a 3" cotton strap on my Super-400 + Cabronita-Tele and a leather 3" strap (43 years old...) on my ES-345.
The banjo has a 3" Neoprene strap on it, bought directly from Roger Sadowsky about 20 years ago (Frankfurt Musik Messe).
The rest of my herd have the more standard 2" strapped on....

[Tom Karol]

2" leather (some padded, some not) for guitars, 1.5" cloth for tenor ukes, 2.5" padded leather for bass.
I generally like Levys, but they often require customization - carefully enlarging the peg holes and cutting off the excess (I'm 5' 8").

[neatomic]

none of the above...

i prefer the vintage look...levys m25





cheers

[Tal_175]

none of the above...

i prefer the vintage look...levys m25





cheers

Just to clarify, by width I mean width of the strap where it's in contact with the weight bearing part of the body (shoulder and upper back). As that's why the width and padding matters. The weight is distributed to a wider area of contact is what makes the guitar feel lighter. From the picture that strap looks to me like it's 3 inches wide where it matters.

[gitman]

This Brookwood Leather strap (3" wide pad, mine has a golden buckle, same color scheme .....) helps in holding up my Super Eagle in style :

[Alter]

I use these, 4.1 inches wide with padding. Great belts. Their shop is close to where I live, so I bought a few at even lower prices.



https://www.minotaurguitarstraps.com...ded-black.html

[GNAPPI]

Long ago I saw Woody Allen and his band play live and I thought "jeez, those old duffers are all sitting" and nowadays I sit while playing :-)

My straps are all solid leather at 2.5" to keep from scratching the git in the case and are worn mostly to correct balance issues.

[pauln]

You didn't go narrow enough in the poll... my straps are 3/4 inch wide.

The width of a strap prevents it from digging into the skin between your neck and shoulder, but the major problem with running a strap there is not solved. Distributing the load does not decrease the total force, and it is the total force that produces tension on the muscle between the neck and shoulder - it acts to pull the neck to your left, and the width of the strap does not reduce that, just makes it more comfortable.

Just like bending a string - the same increase in string tension yields the same pitch whether you use one uncomfortable finger or spread the load with two or three fingers...

The old straps that tied to the head stock tended to naturally run off the point of the shoulder, which is extremely tough. I use a 3/4 inch wide mandolin strap with the "sliding wide section" discarded; perfect length without buckles or other complications, runs off from the corner of my shoulder, I can play my almost ten pound guitar standing for four hours without ever noticing it, and it looks very retro sharp.

[Thumpalumpacus]

From 1 1/2" to 2 1/2", suede only. The guitar stays still even when I'm moving is my main aim.

[wintermoon]

I don't use straps w buckles or anything that could scratch a guitar as I store it behind the neck in my gig bag.
I used a plain black 2.5 Levys for about 25 yrs but I worked a couple outdoor gigs in the hot summer heat and it ruined a couple white dress shirts.
Switched to a similar Italia black leather strap, very high quality though the inside leather is a buffed natural color, no bleed w these straps and they annually run a buy one get one 1/2 off deal in the slower summer.
I have 2 as a result and I'll probably never need another one.

[rpjazzguitar]

I play sitting nowadays. I want the guitar to balance without a strap, and my guitars do.

Back in the day, when I played a Les Paul standing up, I had a quilted leather strap made which was 4 or 5 inches wide. It was pretty comfortable. Used it with a straplok.

[Ray175]

I have a couple of guitars that tend to neck-dive so large suede Levys straps are what I use to reduce the neck-dive - I use similar straps on all my guitars.

[P.J.]

I have never measured or took note of how wide my straps are. I have no idea.

[marcwhy]

Serious leather only!



Regarding width/weight: our electric bass-playing colleagues often use quite wider straps, and their basses are typically quite heavier than our guitars, so that may say something.

[Woody Sound]

Never really thought about it, so I just checked. Mine are around 2.5" Maybe I should get a wider one? And heavier strings? And a heavier pick? And a thicker cable.....

And then there's this insanity, probably heavier than the guitar!

[Tom Karol]

Just wanted to add that I use a strap all the time now. That way the instrument stays in the same place relative to my body whether I'm sitting or standing. YMMV!

[Tal_175]

I use straps when I'm sitting as well. Almost identical to the way Joe Pass positioned the guitar with a strap while sitting. It can be seen in Rich Severson's guitar demos that he also uses that position while sitting whether he is using an 18 inch guitar or a solid body. It's takes some getting used to but it gets very comfortable after a while.

[Herbie]

As a Les Paul player I have ended up to 7 cm (2,75") wide leather straps & Schaller strap locks.

Minotaur had a model called 'Old Rocker' and I bought them some, some new some used. Nowadays I can't find that model anymore, but hey, I have them enough!

I tried the Klondyke 'Vintage' straps but the wide part never stays where it should!

I also had some Italia straps, but oh boy they are thick! And very stiff.

Have I found my style or do I have a fixation?

[mr quick]

I think all mine are 3", but I'd like to get a super wide one to try.

[DMgolf66]

Just ordered 2 of the 4" straps from Italia. Got lucky as I went on their website and it was their last day of BOGO.
This should revolutionize my playing.

[Greentone]

The 2.5" straps from Levy work very well. Been using them for years.

[gggguitar]

I wonder if one's strap preference kind of depends on when you started playing guitar.

If you've been playing guitar since you were a kid then you grew up with a guitar naturally hanging around your shoulders. So then for you, maybe the width of your guitar strap doesn't matter very much.

Just a thought....

[alltunes]

I have a couple of these 2 1/2”. Quality leather.

El Dorado Guitar Accessories << Truly Special Leather Guitar Straps to Complement Your Prized Instrument

Jerry Garcia’s guitars were all very heavy (reportedly over 13lbs.) Towards the end he and Weir used these straps made by a company called Wand. They had a slight stretchy feel which is very comfortable for heavy instruments. No longer made.