how different straps change my tone.

crguti

crguti

New member
I've been playing for 10 years and I own top notch expensive equipment. I've got a cocktail of NOS tubes in my custom vintage all tube Fender Tri-ReverbDSP amp therefore my tone is quite unique. I play with occasional/weekend lawyer players and I'm better than all of them. Nobody plays the blues like me. I always get good comments about my tone although the comments only comes from my bandmates because we've never played live.
But let me talk about something I've discovered lately which has more impact in the tone than wood or pickups. What I've noticed how different straps change my tone. Nylon straps produce a lifeless kinda sterile tone. Too compressed and too flat sounding. Call it active strap sound if you want. Strap made of cotton in the other hand brings all the SRV warm bluesy tone and it clean up so nice when you roll off the volume. But leather strap is another story... it popups all the upper harmonics and my licks sound much more live. Metal riffs sound heavier and you can get screaming harmonics all over the place.
What I will experiment next is, how the strap length affects the tone. Once I find out that I will make custom straps for all my guitars.
 
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Re: how different straps change my tone.

With leather straps it is important to measure the tonal effects of studding. You can't do teh brootalz without proper studding! And BTW, suede will give you that '70s classic crunch.

For true vintage tone you need to use a camera strap.
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

See, I really care about strap related tone . . . but I'm a purist. I play without a strap, just leaning the bottom of my guitar on my 4x12 cab and using my fretting hand to hold the neck up. No strap = completely free tone where it sounds like your fingers are flying off the fretboard. Because they occasionally do.
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

I've also found that spikes aligned 3 to a row sound much brighter than 4 to a row.
Also the longer the strap, the more it effects tone.
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

so... the strap length works as a buffer? the shorter the strap = more highs?
 
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Re: how different straps change my tone.

I call BS.

The type of rug you stand on makes a MUCH larger difference to your tone than the type of strap.

I only use boutique Persian rugs like all the pros.
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

I get so tired of strap freaks and their crazy theories. Spend all you want on your slabs of wood and boutique tone suspenders. It all means nothing without a balanced set of brass strap buttons. What good is an expensive strap if you're going to ignore the transference of strap energy to the tone timber? Too much emphasis has always been placed on the "neck joint" while strap coupling has been overlooked.

It goes without saying that savvy players avoid chrome plated buttons due to the inductive losses inherent in the nickel alloys and the resultant tone degradation ... particularly when using the neck pickup on a short scale guitar.
 
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how different straps change my tone.

I use acoustic guitar straps.

Yields a tone that's woody. Like Frank Lee's full, firm erection.
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

The act of holding a guitar deadens it anyway, so it's all completely pointless. Most guitars sound at their best by not being picked up by anyone, ever. Many players sound their best when they put the guitar back on the stand. I am probably one of them.
 
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Re: how different straps change my tone.

Me at circa 1983. Imagine how bad @ss my tone was with that wide 70's weave.
You people are not worthy!
:haha: :haha:

lpfb1983.jpg
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

crusty philtrum said:
The act of holding a guitar deadens it anyway, so it's all completely pointless. Most guitars sound at their best by not being picked up by anyone, ever. Many players sound their best when they put the guitar back on the stand. I am probably one of them.
Click to expand...

LISTEN TO THE SUSTAIN!!!
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

Lazarus1140 said:
I get so tired of strap freaks and their crazy theories. Spend all you want on your slabs of wood and boutique tone suspenders. It all means nothing without a balanced set of brass strap buttons. What good is an expensive strap if you're going to ignore the transference of strap energy to the tone timber? Too much emphasis has always been placed on the "neck joint" while strap coupling has been overlooked.

It goes without saying that savvy players avoid chrome plated buttons due to the inductive losses inherent in the nickel alloys and the resultant tone degradation ... particularly when using the neck pickup on a short scale guitar.
Click to expand...

I got some interesting results by swapping the tail strap button with the one on the horn. It was enough of a difference to make me go out and order two pair of Schaller Antiquities for each of my guitars so I can try out all the different combinations through my own rig and use whatever suits each instrument the best. I even worked out a quick-change system so I can A/B different strap buttons more easily:

01-1makita-cordless-drill-driver-72v.jpg
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

Absolutely hilarious!!! All good answers!!! Thanks to all for a great laugh!!

-dave
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

Lazarus1140 said:
I get so tired of strap freaks and their crazy theories. Spend all you want on your slabs of wood and boutique tone suspenders. It all means nothing without a balanced set of brass strap buttons. What good is an expensive strap if you're going to ignore the transference of strap energy to the tone timber? Too much emphasis has always been placed on the "neck joint" while strap coupling has been overlooked.

It goes without saying that savvy players avoid chrome plated buttons due to the inductive losses inherent in the nickel alloys and the resultant tone degradation ... particularly when using the neck pickup on a short scale guitar.
Click to expand...

Amazing! But what happens if i sandblast the chrome off and repaint in black? ?
I'm truly worried about my chrome now! Gosh darnit all!
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

GuitarStv said:
See, I really care about strap related tone . . . but I'm a purist. I play without a strap, just leaning the bottom of my guitar on my 4x12 cab and using my fretting hand to hold the neck up. No strap = completely free tone where it sounds like your fingers are flying off the fretboard.
Click to expand...

Of course the tone is completely freed when you're talking about true strap bypass.
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

CTN said:
I call BS.

The type of rug you stand on makes a MUCH larger difference to your tone than the type of strap.

I only use boutique Persian rugs like all the pros.
Click to expand...

****, is that what i've been doing wrong? all this time i've been playing while standing on a POS rug i got at IKEA.
 
Re: how different straps change my tone.

The tone is in the threads!

I guess that kinda applies to straps as well.

cloth covered cables are also superior.
 
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