Have you ever tried to do a sweet guitar spin and your guitar went for a ride? If you answered yes, then you should consider buying strap locks. Strap locks are a super simple mod that can save the headache of a guitar smashing into a wall.

(Here’s another article on easy guitar mods on a budget.)

Strap locks aren’t just meant for buttheads who like to throw their guitar across the stage. In my experience, straps love to fall off right when you’re least expecting it. Whether you are a touring musician, play gigs every now and then, or just play in your room, no one likes dings all over their guitar.

We went ahead and compiled a list (in no particular order) of 5 Awesome Strap Locks:

1. Schaller Security Strap Lock:

Of course, we have to start here. Schaller is the pioneer of strap locks and have been doing it for over 30 years.The Security locks are some of the smallest strap locks on the market and they are sturdy and dependable.

These locks actually replace the strap pins in your guitar. They come with a small screw that fits nicely into the guitar. (Only complaint here is that guitars with larger screw holes may need to be filled to fit the smaller screws that come with the Security Locks.) The other end attaches to the strap and it very easily snaps on and off as needed. They even come with a nice little felt pad, which goes on first to protect your guitar’s finish.

These affordable strap locks will run you between $15-25.

2. Dunlop Dual-Design Straplok System

These strap locks have been in production since 1988, and are known to be some of the strongest on the market.

The most important aspect of these locks is the pin connector that goes on the strap. It’s designed to be quite a bit bigger than a standard strap pin so that there is no way for it to fall through the “eyehole” on the strap.

I have a set of these on one of my straps, and something I will point out to you if you’re considering these is that they are very annoying to disengage. The locking mechanism on them tends to be a real nuisance, and they are not very fun to put on/take off your strap. By the time I got it onto my strap I had decided that I’d probably never take it off unless I broke the strap. It’s that annoying.

With that being said, they are extremely resilient and are rated for up to 800 pounds of pressure without budging. So, if you’re looking for something heavy-duty, this is it.

You can buy these paired with a dunlop strap for $25.

3. DiMarzio Cliplock

Ah, the DiMarzio Cliplock. I think almost every guitarist I know owns one of these. These are loved for the simple fact that you can take your strap on and off so easily. A quick snap on the clip ensures that your strap is ready to go!

Some people used to not like these because they came in only one size, which was too long for some guitarists. Now they come in a few different sizes as well as a ton of color options.

There are some downsides to this strap though.

The obvious one is that you’re stuck with one strap for the guitar unless you want to change the screws every time you switch straps.

The other issue is that when you remove the strap, you leave the clip still attached to the guitar which can cause it to rub against your guitar when it’s in a case. I had a guitar in a case that got a little bit scratched up by mine. Now, that guitar stays on a stand so it’s no problem!

These straps are rated for about 150 pounds and will run you about $23.

4. Planet Waves Lock Strap

This strap lock is an awesome alternative if you don’t want to actually alter your guitar. All you do is slide the strap over the pin and click the locking mechanism in! It doesn’t get much easier.

Although the locks are obviously bound to the strap, these straps come in a ton of different patterns and colors. This way you don’t have to suppress your fashion sense.

My only complaint is that you have to remove the strap to adjust the length, which in my opinion is just silly. At least it won’t slip while you’re using it though. The ends are made of plastic, but they have rubber padding to protect your guitar’s finish, so you don’t have to worry.

This simple and comfortable strap will run you about $33.

5. Lock-it Strap

This one is one that I only recently tried, and boy was I excited about it. This is my new go-to for gigging.

My buddy brought one over and showed me, and I was fairly hesitant because the locking mechanism is so small and honestly feels sort of flimsy. I borrowed it for a gig and it held up amazingly and very comfortably. It’s very similar to the Planet Waves Strap, except you can adjust it while it’s locked and there’s no bulky plastic piece on the end.

The Lock-it is another all-in-one strap and it requires no modifications to the guitar. They are the absolute easiest strap locks that I’ve put on. They even come in different materials including leather!

Obviously these aren’t going to hold up to as much pressure as some of the others, but it works great for me and I’d recommend it!

These hidden gems go for $25-$65 depending on the type of strap you are looking for.

These aren’t the only strap locks out there, just some of our favorites! Hopefully, this was helpful for you in picking out the right ones for you!

If you don’t want to use strap locks and manage to destroy one of your guitars, feel free to replace it in our shop! We are authorized dealers for a ton of great companies, so we can help you find your perfect guitar at the best price possible!

We hope you enjoyed this article! If you did, make sure to check out more, because we upload new reviews, technical articles, lessons, and more daily!

This article was written by Zac Buras, our editor located in Louisiana.

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