Find a Personalized Guitar Strap That Is Unique to You

During the Covid-19 pandemic, musical instrument retail giants like Sweetwater and Reverb saw massive increases in guitar sales. In fact, Sweetwater reported revenue exceeding $1 billion in 2020. 

More people are picking up the guitar now than ever. Whether you're a professional gigging musician or just playing at home for fun, a personalized guitar strap can help your instrument stand out.

Just like a drummer needs a drum stool, the guitar strap is essential for a guitarist to hold their instrument up. If you're in the market for a strap, you should consider all the unique guitar straps available.

Want to know more about having a custom guitar strap made for you? Read on to learn about all the guitar strap options you can choose from!

Benefits of a Personalized Guitar Strap

You can go to a music store today and have a guitar strap right away, so why order a custom strap? While you could spend 10 bucks on a strap and have it last you for years, it probably won't be very comfortable, and it definitely won't be unique.

On the other hand, imagine having a guitar strap that no one else in the world has! Every gig you play, you'll have the advantage of a strap that shows off your style.

You can customize your guitar strap in all sorts of ways, including material, colors, graphics, text, and even size. Depending on materials, you can also have your strap embossed or riveted.

In addition to impressing your musician friends with your custom guitar strap, it can also become a big part of your stage presence. Just like some of the greatest musicians have signature instruments and accessories, a custom guitar strap can be part of your image as a performer.

Material

Before you get into customizing crazy guitar straps, the first decision you have to make is what material you want. There are a few different options, but the two main materials available are leather and polyester.

Each material has advantages and drawbacks, so keep your specific needs in mind when choosing.

Polyester

The most affordable option is polyester for sure. Because polyester is a fabric, it is easier to produce and print on than leather.

Generally, polyester guitar straps are attached to leather or vinyl ends that fit onto any standard strap lock. This kind of strap attachment uses the traditional "hole and slit" on the end pieces.

In addition to the lower price, polyester straps are more adjustable than leather straps, making them a suitable choice for adults or children. Using a slide lock, they can be adjusted to a length up to 62 inches.

Leather: Suede vs Nubuck

If you choose a leather guitar strap, you'll also need to choose between nubuck and bonded suede leather. While suede is often softer and more comfortable, nubuck leather is often more durable and stronger.

The strength of nubuck leather is something you should think about if you have a heavier electric guitar or a bass guitar. The Gibson Les Paul, for example, is notoriously heavy, weighing in at roughly 12 pounds.

Suede, on the other hand, is the material of choice for guitarists who want a more luxurious and comfortable guitar strap. While suede leather is the more expensive option, many find the softness worth the price.

Although a polyester strap is easier to dye than a leather strap, you can still have custom images and patterns printed on leather. 

Leather does have drawbacks when compared to polyester, despite the higher price. If you get a leather guitar strap, you should know the basics of caring for leather. Additionally, a leather guitar strap is a poor choice for a child since its adjustment range is usually between 45 and 55 inches.

Uncommon Materials

While polyester and leather are the most common materials for guitar straps, there are other choices available. In addition to polyester, other fabric choices include cotton and nylon.

If you aren't interested in leather, but still want the leather feel, you might consider a faux leather strap. These are typically made of neoprene or vinyl.

Some straps are made of unique combinations of materials, such as burlap bonded to leather. Great for a folk ensemble or country singer-songwriter, these straps are a great combination of unique and understated.

Colors and Graphics

It wouldn't be much of a custom guitar strap if you couldn't choose the color.

This is another factor to think about when choosing material. While you can have leather printed on, you may prefer the more traditional black or brown leather.

When choosing the colors and patterns for your guitar strap, you want to think about how it will pair with the guitar. Just like accessorizing with an outfit, you want the colors of the strap and guitar to complement each other.

You may prefer something even more unique, like specific images or your band's logo. Most custom guitar strap retailers will allow you to upload an image to be printed right on the material.

Another way to customize with leather straps is embossing. Using the image you send in, the manufacturer will create a custom embossing tool to stamp the image into the leather.

Custom Text

Text is another way to make your guitar strap truly one of a kind. Your text can be anything with special significance, like a meaningful quote, a song lyric, or a bible verse.

Maybe you want your guitar strap to make a statement about a cause that's important to you. Just keep in mind how your audience will respond to a political statement so you don't get booed off the stage!

In addition to the words themselves, you should choose the right font to match your style. Most retailers will have a selection of fonts to choose from, but if you need the letters to look a particular way, you can upload an image with the text you want.

When choosing a font, think about readability. Do you want people to look at your strap and know what it says right away, or is the text something just for yourself?

If you like the appearance of a font, but it isn't very easy to read, it still might be the right choice. It's all about choosing the personalized touches you love!

Width and Length

While this aspect of custom guitar straps is more practical than stylistic, it's still a crucial part of creating your perfect strap. If you're going to be wearing something for hours, you want to make sure it fits and is comfortable.

Typically, guitar straps range from 2 inches to 3.5 inches in width.

While you might prefer the look of a narrower strap, and it will usually be cheaper, a wider strap will distribute weight more evenly. Guitar players usually choose a wider strap to prevent it from digging into their shoulders under the weight of their guitar.

You also want to consider the environment you'll be playing in when choosing a strap size. Are you only playing in your air-conditioned house or do you play outdoor gigs in direct sunlight?

A wider strap may be more comfortable, but you may find it stifling in a hotter environment or if it will be touching bare skin.

In addition to width, length is an important part of how the strap fits your guitar and body.

Electric guitars almost always have two strap locks, but an acoustic may only have one. If this is the case, you might have to attach one end of your strap to the headstock using a cord, which will affect how long it should be.

Think about how tall you are, as well as your build and where you want your guitar to hang. If you are extremely tall, wide, or short, you may want to consider a polyester strap since it can adjust more easily than leather. You may also want an especially long strap if you're a heavy metal guitarist who plays below the waist.

Choose Your Personalized Guitar Strap

There are several factors to go over when you order a personalized guitar strap. You have to choose a material, colors, images, text, and size.

A custom guitar strap will not only make your playing experience better, but it's a great way for guitar players to stand out from the crowd! With so many ways to customize, it's easier than ever to create a unique guitar strap.

StrapGraphics has been making fully custom guitar straps since 2008, and we make every strap to order.

You can rely on us to deliver you a truly special guitar strap made from scratch using high-quality materials. Contact us today to find out how we can make a guitar strap you'll cherish for years!