Strap locks security for your instrument

Rubber strap locks are a groundbreaking innovation in the world of music, specifically within the realm of electric guitar and bass. These devices have successfully addressed a persistent issue for musicians: the security of instrument straps, preventing accidental drops and potential damage to valuable instruments.

The story behind rubber strap locks is intriguing and demonstrates how a simple solution can have a significant impact.

Before the development of metal strap locks and rubber ones, musicians often relied on instrument buttons for standard straps to hold their instruments. However, these buttons could be unreliable, as the straps frequently came loose due to friction or sudden movements during live performances. These issues notably increased with the emergence of more "enthusiastic" or lively musical styles. This situation led to numerous unfortunate incidents where guitars fell to the ground, sustaining damage or disrupting the flow of the performance, prompting musicians to curse the occasional guitar strap.

The need for a more reliable solution led to the creation of strap locks. The basic idea behind strap locks was to secure the straps more effectively, preventing them from accidentally coming loose. Initially, strap locks were composed of metal pieces that attached to the strap buttons and the instrument. While these metallic systems provided greater security, they often required instrument modification and could be complicated to install.

The true innovation came with the introduction of rubber strap locks, a simple and effective solution to securely fasten straps without the need for special tools or instrument modifications. These devices use durable rubber or silicone to firmly and securely hold the strap to the instrument button, preventing accidental detachment.

But where did this all originate? As far as we've been able to determine, the origin is the rubber from the seals of beer caps that some brands use for airtight closure, specifically from the brand "Grolsch." Here in Spain, we could do the same with Soda caps, although it might seem less glamorous. Nowadays, these red rubber pieces originally from Grolsch beer caps are sold on various online platforms.

One could say that beer might have disrupted a concert, but the instruments emerged unscathed...
Strap locks has evolved, but the original idea of the rubber Strap lock is now a safe, simple and effective way to secure straps securely without the need for special tools or modifications to the instrument.