New to this forum - Had a very bad night last night at my gig!

JoelHarlan

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Mar 24, 2013
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Tulsa, OK
I just purchased an NF3. I was so jazzed to let this beautiful guitar rip last night at my gig. First of all, my band tunes down a half step. Dont ask why, I dont agree with it either. It took about 30 minutes to get it to hold a stable tuning. I suppose it is because of the floating bridge. After that is seemed to hold just fine. I have a custom leather strap that I used for the night. I saw the extra large buttons and thought that it would make it through the gig until I could get some strap locks on it. It DIDN'T! Just before the very first song of the night. BAM the rear of the guitar crashes on to the tile stage so hard it bent the plug on the cable. I didn't understand it. It wasn't easy to get the strap around that large button. I now have a nickel sized chip on the base of my brand new PRS. I was soooooo bummed. I am on my way to get a set of stap locks for it now. I am afraid that the chip will fall out leaving a nickel sized area of bare wood. Does anyone have any suggestions? I will probably have to take it to a luthier for repair. Does PRS do any of this kind of work? What is the recommended strap lock system for this. On a good note, I used another strap for the evening and was extremely careful with it. This guitar has the most amazing tone and feel That I have ever experienced.
 
Oh man. We've all been there and that's why I won't use a new guitar until it has stap lock buttons installed. We all watched a member here nearly drop a new PRS on stage AT PRS because of a strap failure. Sorry to hear of the damage, but luckily that's all there was.

Welcome to the boards.
 
I run Schaller Strap Locks on every guitar.
You will not lose a guitar with them.
You also can use your PRS screws and not the ones with the Schallers.
 
What do you guys use on Schaller's to keep the nut from getting loose? Lock Tite?
 
What do you guys use on Schaller's to keep the nut from getting loose? Lock Tite?

I just make sure they're tight every time I do a string change.

Also, Schaller's are mostly fail-proof, but must be installed correctly. Make sure the "U" shape is positioned so the open part is facing up. So if the lock disengages, it will still be seated in the U.
 
Dunlop straplock have never failed me as well.
The best system for me, but I think it looks a little strange on a PRS, is the dimarzio cliplock. Have it on my Ibanezes for years and has never failed me. It is a super light strap as well.
 
Dunlop fan here...one advantage to Dunlops is if you don't have the strap with the locks handy, any strap will stay securely on the bottons attached to the guitar...unless you pull "Victor Wooten" type guitar flips...
 
I find the Schaller design to be noisy. Probably not a big deal in a live situation but it may matter to you in the studio.
 
Interesting video I just ran across on the 'Tube.


The proper tool for installing and removing the washer retaining rings on Dunlap strap locks is a pair of retaining ring pliers. Retaining ring pliers will not leave burrs on the retaining rings.
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I would imagine I am not the only one that does this, but I love good leather straps, AND PRS buttons, so I usually lengthen strap button holes a bit when I first put the strap on my PRS. just insert a sharp knife into the strap holes and lengthen the straight cut on each end of the strap. Just try not cutting into reinforcement stitches. Also helps if you start with a softer leather.
 
I'm a little late to the party here, but I have a lot of guitar and a lot of straps. I don't use locking tuners. I use Fender style strap buttons on my gibbons, PRS and, obviously Fenders. They're shaped very well and don't seem to let the straps fall out like Gibsons. PRS buttons are too big and too shallow...easy to not get them all the way on or for them to pull out when you wrap a cord under them for cord/jack safety. I have about 15 straps and just don't want to put strap locks on all of the...besides, they're metal and can scratch up the guitar. No problem in 25 years with Fender "Funnel" shaped buttons. They just work!
 
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