Monday, August 25, 2014

Strap Keeper - A Safety Belt For Your Guitar

Tapastring Strapkeeper  photo by Rick Jackofsky
This isn’t a new product, it’s been around for several years, but it is a clever solution to a persistent problem. The ubiquitous acoustic electric endpin jack is a clear and present danger to any well loved acoustic guitar. Anyone who gigs with an acoustic electric guitar knows how easily a strap can pop off an end pin jack. Keith Gipson at Tapastring Guitar Care has come up with a clever and functional solution. Keith’s Strap Keeper is a thin leather harness that attaches to the end of your guitar strap and locks onto the endpin jack with a sturdy C clip. I added one between my Lakota Leather strap and my Larrivee 000-50 which has an LR Baggs Lyric pickup installed with a standard endpin jack. It seems to be very secure and definitely affords me some piece of mind, giving me one less thing to worry about when playing unplugged or miked rather than plugged in. I suppose it could be a bit of an inconvenience if you take your strap on and off a lot, but even though I have D'Addario quick releases on all my straps, I leave my strap on whether I'm using it or not.  I will definitely be installing Strap Keepers on my two other acoustic electric guitars in the not too distant future. You can order one directly from Keith at Tapastring Guitar Care Products for ten bucks ($9.99), with free worldwide shipping. I consider it cheap insurance for a valuable acoustic guitar.


1 comment:

  1. You've got the C clip the wrong way round in the photo! If you turn it 180 degrees it will protect it better if for any reason the strap is pulled at 90 degrees to the body of the guitar. The way you have it, the strap may even push the C-clip so that it comes off.

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