Straps for heavy guitars?

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:02 am

Hello shortscale long time no see n' all that.

So I've been playing a bit of bass recently. I've got one these cheap Harley Benton ones from Thomann and it's fucking heavy. If my scales are right it's 5.5kb (about 12 lbs). I can barely play it for 20 minutes standing up before my left shoulder has turned to jelly.

I'm guessing I want a new strap for this thing but I don't know what. A big wide one to spread to load? One of those weird padded ones? The ol' etsy special leather one with LIVE LAUGH LOVE stamped into it? Help me out here.

BTW this is what I've got and I really rate it. It feels super solid and well made, no sharp fret ends or rattly hardware or dodgy tuners.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:09 am

It's great you like the guitar but your back and shoulder is more valuable. I would seriously consider finding a lighter guitar because in the end you'll be better off.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:12 am

Sell it and buy a lighter bass. 9lbs is too heavy. 12lbs is just unreasonable. I don't think any padded strap would make that feel light.

See the recent thread about guitar weights.

http://shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=69177

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:29 am

I was worried you'd say that, but you're probably right...

Time to go stare at mustang basses again.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:51 am

A) Reece you motherfucker!

B) Buy a new, lighter body and swap the other bits over. The body doesn't mean shit on a Fender-style guitar.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:53 am

There is a strap system that works like a pants belt. The downsides are it requires drilling the guitar to move the strap button to the lower horn or around it and generally it all looks super weird. The guitarist from the Screaming Females is rocking one with her G&L ash strat which is probably quite heavy and she makes it look cool. On me it would look super stupid

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:02 am

sunshiner wrote:There is a strap system that works like a pants belt. It's called a gu-girdle-itar. I can make you one?

In all seriousness though; Steve Albini pulls this off without any special fuckwittery, he just uses an extra long strap (and some stilts). Obviously forces you to be pretty low-slung though, which is more of a drag with bass.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:07 am

hahaha priceless as ever paul.

I've tried the steve albini belt...strap...thingy on a guitar before but you can't angle the neck up towards you so it was pretty uncomfortable. You can see he's got the bent wrist claw hand in that photo to reach.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 5:23 am

Yes it's probably inherently prone to make the neck sit low.
I found the link to the company which makes such straps

lank

Post by **Doog** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:23 am

REEEEEECE!

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:52 am

Lol I've got the sunburst one and yeah it weighs a ton. Feels alright though using a Fender Monogrammed strap.

Welcome back.

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:45 pm

I got a wide strap because a guitar strap was giving me trouble with the neck muscles/nerves on the left shoulder, and that was just for a JB copy.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:46 pm

Hello Reece, lovely to see you here.

Reece wrote:Time to go stare at mustang basses again.

I too have been staring at Mustang basses (and Burns 12 strings, of all things).

gusman2x · Post by **gusman2x** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 6:17 pm

I have a mono Betty. It does indeed help with heavier guitars, but itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s not a very attractive piece of gear. You kinda ruin the rockstar look but wearing a piece of orthopaedic equipment.