Choosing the Right Guitar Strap

In our Guitar Straps Buying Guide blog, we introduced our new 2019 range of guitar straps. With so many choices and options, you may wonder how to choose the best strap for you. We’re tackling some common questions, offering advice and highlighting some of our best product features to help pair you with this essential guitarist’s tool.

What makes a good guitar strap?

Only buy guitar straps made from top quality materials. Inferior products could potentially result in damage to your guitar or at least needing to replace your strap.

You don’t want any stitching to come loose, or button holes stretched out, or leather dye rubbed on to your guitar. Just to name a couple of issues.

All Ernie Ball straps are made from the highest quality materials, including; machine stitching and Delrin buckles for enhanced durability.

Check out our full range of Ernie Ball Guitar Straps with links to official Ernie Ball retailers.

Is there a difference between straps for electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and bass guitar?

Not for Ernie Ball guitar straps. All of our straps are designed to fit and work with anything with a strap button.

With an adjustable length of 41″ to 72″ on our Polypro, Jacquard and Polyspun straps, our strap is one of the most versatile you can buy. Want all the guitarists in your band to use matching straps regardless of instrument or player size? Not a problem.

Do I need a guitar strap?

If you want to play your guitar standing up, you need a guitar strap.

Choosing the right strap can also add to your band image, or help tell an audience more about your style (take a look at our Checkered, Tweed, and Camo guitar straps).

A guitar strap can also serve other functional purposes, like our Pickholder Guitar Strap.

What guitar strap is best for a heavy guitar, like a Les Paul?

Any Ernie Ball strap will work with heavier instruments. But if you’d like something to help reduce the weight over long sessions, you should consider the following…

The wider the strap, the more weight distribution.

Ernie Ball straps are available in wider styles such as our 3″ Neoprene Polylock Strap, and our 2.5″ Leather Guitar Strap.

Consider a strap with padding to alleviate pressure.

We offer a 2.5″ Padded Neoprene Strap, also available in 2″ Polylock variant. The material will also help with comfort. Our soft Leather Guitar Straps and Seatbelt Strap will glide over clothes and our Stretch Guitar Strap will help reduce pressure and impact pain.

I have an injured shoulder/back, what strap should I buy?

We’re not doctors, so we’re probably not in the best place to advise medically. However, you should definitely spend more time considering the most appropriate strap for your needs if you have any injuries.

We’ve highlighted a number of straps in this blog that could offer some ergonomic help and spread the weight (such as our Comfort Collection or Padded straps), but you may need to consider how you wear your strap. For example, a low strapped guitar can put more pressure on the back and shoulders.

I’m an extrovert, what guitar strap will get me noticed?

We totally understand. And we want you to get noticed. Our range of Polypro Guitar Straps is available in a variety of colors, including Rainbow.

Our decorative Classic Jacquard Guitar Straps are available in a variety of eye-catching colors and designs.

Or, you can always accessorize with badges and buttons.

What’s the safest guitar strap?

Invest in one of our Polylock Guitar Straps. Featuring a patent-pending design that makes it easy to securely attach the strap to your electric guitar or bass, without the need for modification or bulky hardware. Simply fasten the Ernie Ball PolyLock Strap to the existing strap buttons on virtually any electric guitar or bass and you’re set.

Summary

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, straps shouldn’t be an afterthought or chosen at random. The right strap can make all the difference.

Ernie Ball Guitar Straps are some of the most widely-used amongst pros and amateurs alike. Whether onstage, in the studio or in their living room, Ernie Ball straps are trusted to perform when they’re needed.