TVvoodoo's Straplab

Great photos @4406Pack - I caught a glimpse of a rattler once hiking in a deserty part of southwest Saskatchewan but pretty much only garter snakes where I live.

Completed the Angry Tiki Surf Godz strap today, I expect it will be heading to Clay in Oklahoma tomorrow once he does his bit and lets me know what size button holes to punch for. This one in my guitar-protecting "Class Act" design with a convenient gunmetal back buckle. 47-58"
Could probably get over 60" out of it with a few extra holes. I particularly love how the base dark brown colour came out...
next time I do this I have another new idea for even more teaky woodgrain. The contrasting thread came out nice too.

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This one took a little bit more work and time than I estimated... but I didn't change the price for Clay, that's on me. He gave me a budget, so what if I went over it a bit. He's gotta be happy! Plus I feel like it was hella fun exploring into new "cultural" territory for a change. Here in Saskatchewan, I'm about as far removed from tropical surf culture as imaginable, but i sure do enjoy a rum LOL!

Got a nice word back from forum brother Vito in Jersey. He's been a loyal Well-Hung member of the "Family" - When it comes to a factory/store straps he'll tell you:
" Ay! Fuhgeddaboudit! I got my own guy for dat!" He just picked up the "Aqua Snek" for the Warlock he refinished as part of his Guitar Rescue project/mission.

Look at his collection so far!

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In his own words.....

"Why have I bought so many Well-Hung straps? Is it because of the Cheesies? Is it because with each strap there is a thoughtful letter accompanying your purchase, outlining the story of your strap and a personal thank you? Yes, perhaps personal touches help make me a repeat customer.

The main reason is because, like most of you, I have spent a good amount of my money on my instruments. I figure, what’s a little more to make sure my instrument is safe and secure. Why waste money on off the rack straps that become loose and literally fall off your guitar or dig into your shoulder. To me, this is a gear investment. Besides, they look great!

Also, running around the house with my new strap held high above my head shouting, “I’M WELL HUNG!! I’M WELL HUNG!!” and witnessing the expression on my wife’s face is priceless!!

Do yourself and your precious gear a favor. Get in touch with Brad. If you don’t see something you like in his Reverb store, I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to make you something to your liking. Trust me, once you try one of his straps, you’ll never go back to the same ole same ole everyone else has bought at the box stores.


Thank you Vito!

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Tiki Godz sucked up a lot of my life over the past week days, but I do have a set of four new
"Spice Merchants" in the pipeline. Have family travel obligations over the next week or so, so I will be shutting down the store for the weekend starting Thursday afternoon, but these will be first ones new in the store early next week.

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Just an ideal vintage tobacco burst, CSB vibe - 3" wide hootenanny ribbon sewed to a 3" wide leather base as per my 1969 design. Old school look, but modern comfort.
These will go probably close to 60" long, and be luxe padded as per usual.
 
I was going to finish the Spice Merchants today, but after mailing off a strap this morning to Kansas, i found a treasure in my mailbox.

It was a 3" leather link belt I found online a couple weeks ago, finally came in. Much of the day was spent giving this leather some love, re-dying it cause it was fading. I then replenished the natural oils with neatsfoot, and used Fiebings conditioner. This afternoon I was able to do what I do with the two hour conversion to turn this fairly rare 3" wide killer link belt into a super fine guitar strap.

I find these don't need padding - it would kind of wreck the vintage vibez. I also don't want to sew seams into this beautiful leather. This strap has a bit of natural "spring" to it, this one works between 49-63" which is pretty long. It's a back-buckle style, easy to work with but if you have a precious minty guitar, best between 55"+ as the buckle may make contact the way it comes together.

I can say tell you this is the kind of piece cool gear cravers will try to buy right off your back. I know this for a fact!

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As a strapmaker, I have to say this is one of my very favourite designs. This is the third conversion I have made in over a dozen years, as this belt does not seem to show up often. Selfishly, I kept the first two I made back for my personal gear horde, one black, one brown (black one below on my Hamer). This time I am sharing the wealth.

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@ninjaking67 is that the one with the slippy lining I recently sold? I rarely do that. What do you think of that if so?
Brad,

I’ve had it for quite a while now. The lining isn’t slippy at all. It stays in place perfectly. Several of my LP guitars are quite heavy and I really don’t notice because the padding does a perfect job in cushioning the weight.

I give it two thumbs up,
 
This morning I finally got some goods listed that I had finished a few days ago... When I found this ribbon online, it reminded me of a tribal feel. Then, when it showed up in-person, I noticed looking at the pattern, seemed to be a very angry man in there staring right back. Kind of struck a chord with me, so to speak, so I named it "Angry Tribe"
- Is it just me, or is anyone else out there finding themselves looking around at the current state of things and feeling it too?

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I had just enough ribbon to build four, so it's a limited edition, and quite striking.
This is in my tried and true typical 3" wide black leather "1969" format, with the 2" ribbon sewn securely on top of a comfy leather strap.
Beautifully padded, also incorporated a few nickel rivets to each one, seemed to help juice up the pattern a little bit, give it a bit of a malevolent glint.

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Ladder back adjust, thick leather ends, go 42"-56" which is about five inches more than your typical Ladder style. Very comfortable,
and just perfect for a great hot flash of angry colour for a red guitar. Happy Canada Day Weekend my guitar brothers and Sistahs.
 
Picked up this chrome plated elasticized scale belt the other day, and it's taken me a while to figure out how to attach to a strap body.
I ended up using a bunch of very small nuts and bolts, trimming off the bolts on the backside, and covering with nice padding so you won't feel em.

Rock trivia types will recognize this as something similar to the Vox Python belt, that they designed back in the 60's specifically for Lennon. I believe he wore his on the famous ed Sullivan appearance that changed the modern music world. I think John Lee Hooker wore a brass version for a time too. Vox has re-issued their original design a couple of times, some seem to love them... The ends seemed really skinny and a bit sketchy to me, looking at photos. Some note they look great but aren't much for comfort. On the luxuriously padded 3" wide Well-Hung base, that problem is addressed. But this is NOT a straplica of the real deal, only a rough approximation... wider, longer.... if you are in a tribute band, most wouldn't know the difference, I'll bet.

It's made with a found item "belt" so it goes in to the No Prisoners line as "Day Trip" and it aches to carry a nice Rickenbacker

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This is not an ideal strap if you have long hair. It'll get tangled up quick and that won't be fun at all.
But I gotta tell you, the reflection/mirror show biz vibe is for real.

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Comfy body, kind of a badass vintage vibe, good strong leather nose and tail, as I always do. It'll be up on Reverb tomorrow.
 
So I get these little gifts from my mother-in-law from time to time who works in the back end of a thrift shop. They often end up with things they don't know what they are,
unsure if they are re-sellable. So instead of the dumpster, if my MIL thinks I might be able to use it, she'll keep it for me.

This strap, (after a little research) used to be a "Booty Band." Now, I know what you're thinkin', and no, not that kind of booty band.
It's a fitness thing, like resistance training so ladies can get thems that ultra-desirable booty, in their ongoing attempts to enslave us forever

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Anyway. I got me one, in pink 'n black python pattern, cut it apart, and made a strap out of it. It's a very heavy duty multi-layered woven elastic. Even has rubber woven into the underside so it won't slip during the booty exercise. And, as it just so happens to be, pretty much the ideal stretch weight for a 9 pound guitar. Surprisingly thick and strong too.

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Very effective as a strap. Comfy, no padding required. Non-slip. 3-1/8" wide. Strong black leather ends. On about a 9lb. pull, about 1" stretch, and it doesn't want to go "bow-wow-wow" like a some kind of circus clown strap. Sits real nice. Hardly cost me much to make, only some leather and a couple hours. So, call this a prototype/experiment, now in the store and priced pretty low.

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For the right guitar, and a fella willing to take a chance, you will be very pleased, I think.

Also new in the store this morning, a pair of new "Five Crosses." These are kind of special.
Each one features five hand-tooled thick leather crosses, on a vintage white leather base. Heavy leather ends.

Forum member @Iron1 is sporting one of these, and there's a story to it too.

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I don't often make white straps. To me they're like white boots, or white belts... sort of feminine. Only way they
seem to work is when you put big dark elements on them a la SRV or, these Iommi gothic crosses.
The indigo features dark blue crosses, with an Ace of Spades concho and dark blue denim lining, but they'll
read as black in most low light environments.

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I flat-smashed the rivets, so it ends up they work as tiny glittery mirrors when you move under lights. Cool "notice me" effect. Both of these work in the 47-60" range. The red crosses have a slightly different element in the center, and red crushed velvet as a lining, otherwise the same, nicely padded and ready to go to work on stages big or small. Great to look at close up, and from far away as well.

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Started a series this afternoon I've been putting off for like forever! See ya tomorrow.
 
I started these yesterday, but finished the first three about half an hour ago.

This is the first edition of "Denim Demon" where i take strange denims I find and turn them into super limited run guitar straps.
There are plenty of denim straps out there, but they tend to be run of the mill regular denim. With all the crazy denims available, I'm now on a one way train to crazytown!

I don't even know what I'm going to call these, taking suggestions. But they are faded denim with velvety taupe coloured leopard spots all that worn light blue. Black lining, black leather nose and tail. probably run between 46-59 in length. Very comfy. Hope to have them up in the store tomorrow or possibly Friday morning.
There will be more Demons, as I find more fun denims.

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The delay will be because this Well-Hung tribemember Shane in Portland is about to receive this absolute unit/monstrosity from a possibly clearly insane builder.

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Several clues lead me to believe it is some sort of guitar, or stringed instrument. Including the fact he wants me to make a custom strap for it. Why did he come to me? Well, he recently found two of my straps on Reverb, and was instantly converted. He figures I'm the guy that can help him comfortably heft this 18 pounder.

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If ever there was a Portlandia guitar, this gotta be it. But I do love me a challenge.
 
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