So, the time has come - you’re finally ready to ditch the couch and hit the stage. Or, you want to stand in front of the mirror and strike some of your finest rock star poses whilst donning your beloved guitar. Whatever reason you’re standing up with your guitar for, you’re going to need one of the best guitar straps to do it well.
Buying a new guitar strap might not be quite as exciting as buying a new pedal, amp or even guitar, but it’s a fairly essential purchase. Whether you’re stood up or sat down playing guitar, the best guitar straps will ensure that your pride and joy is securely in place, so there’s less chance of any mishaps that might cause damage.
A guitar strap will let you hang your guitar from your shoulder at whatever length you set it at, but they’re also a great way of introducing some personality to your set up. There are plenty of different guitar finishes available now, but there are even more patterns, designs and colors when it comes to straps. The best guitar straps should also make it comfortable to play when stood up.
Whether you’re a punk rocker and you wear your guitar down by your knees, or you’re a straight up jazz player that likes the guitar a little higher, you’ll need something reliable that does the right job for you. With all the options on the market now, it can be a little daunting when it comes to choosing, which is why we’ve put together this list of our favorite guitar straps out there right now.
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Best guitar straps: Our top picks
While it won't win any prizes for head-turning aesthetics, the Fender Broken-In Leather Strap does score highly where it counts. Of all the guitar straps on display here, this is one you could comfortably call the 'everyman'. It won't offend anyone, yet it'll quietly get on with doing its job, year after year.
The materials are well chosen, the buckle-less design means one less thing to go wrong in the middle of your solo, and the finishes are tasteful and give an air of authority and craftsmanship to the package. Pound for pound, this is one of the best guitar straps on the market today.
The Ernie Ball Neoprene Polylock guitar strap is another favorite, if you're more into functionality over dazzling looks. The extra thick padding means that crippling neck pain will be a thing of the past. Pair that with the built-in guitar strap locks, and you've got yourself a recipe for success.
Much like the Fender strap, it's unlikely to feature on a runway in Milan - but you're bound to see a few on stages worldwide.
Best guitar straps: Product guide
While for some a guitar strap is another way to express themselves, for others a strap is merely a tool to allow you to concentrate on playing. That's not to say there can't be a quiet elegance to a strap though. That's exactly where the Fender Broken-In Leather guitar strap comes in.
Coming in four tasteful finishes – green, brown, black and tan – this classy strap gives you the confidence that it will last the distance. Its oiled finish gives the cowhide leather a softness, while the generously adjustable length makes it ideal for guitarists of any height. Hands-down the best guitar strap available right now.
A sad fact of life, for many of us, is that the body starts to give up long before the mind does. So, while in our heads we could play for hours and hours every night of the week, often our neck and shoulders have other ideas. Thankfully, the good folk at Ernie Ball have a solution.
The Ernie Ball Neoprene Polylock guitar strap is designed, first and foremost, with comfort in mind. Coming in both 2” and 3” widths, this strap is the equivalent of playing with a pillow tucked under the strap. Not only that, Ernie Ball’s patented Polylock system securely attaches to your strap buttons for a safe connection without the need for modification.
It's fair to say nobody would align KLIQ with the bigger names in the guitar world. However, with its AirCell guitar strap, it may well have carved itself a nice little niche in the accessories world.
The AirCell boasts unique technology which packs a host of air-filled cells (you can see where they got the name from) onto its underside, making it one of the best guitar straps for comfort. These distribute weight more evenly, aided by the 3” strap width, while also giving a cushion to ensure heavier guitars don't take their toll on the player's neck and shoulders.
As well as comfort, the cells also provide the dual benefit of taking moisture away from the skin or clothing, allowing your shoulder to breathe over long playing sessions.
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As far as statement guitar straps go, Coffin Case’s velvet guitar straps are difficult to beat. Clearly modeled on the inside of a rather luxurious casket, what this strap lacks in subtlety it more than makes up for in dark, macabre vibe.
While we wouldn't want to typecast, it's easy to see how this strap would appeal to a certain type of player. It could be the colorway, it could be the name, or it could be the fact it's adjustable to a whopping 70”, making it ideal for players whose riffs are low, slow and full of foreboding.
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While it's true a guitar strap is merely a tool, an enabler, there's no harm in adding a bit of cool to the proceedings. Enter the Levy's guitar strap range. Where the other straps on this list focus heavily on function, comfort and durability, the Levy's MS17ASF range has all those things but then isn't shy of incorporating a dash of style too.
While it's not a cheap strap, as such, it is built with the highest quality suede and features a range of glorious leather and embroidered designs. These add a touch of class, meaning you'll look as good as you sound.
Chances are, if you're a guitar player, you've either seen or owned one of these babies over the years. The Fender Monogrammed guitar strap has been ubiquitous in guitar stores across the planet for decades now. Because style never goes out of fashion, of course.
Jokes aside, if you're looking at the lower end of the price scale, you can't go far wrong here. Fender doesn't generally put its name on bad gear so, even though this is a shade over ten dollars, it still comes with a certain level of quality, durability and ‘90s charm.
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As one of the acoustic world's best-respected names, you can be assured that the accompanying straps offered by Taylor will be of a superior level. The Taylor Element guitar strap does not disappoint, offering multi-layer distressed leather in a tasteful dark brown finish.
The Element straps come in either 2.5” or 3” widths and take inspiration from their flagship 800 range of guitars with the unique Element branding, as seen on their fret markers. This one would look rather dashing around the neck of any folk or country player, if we do say so ourselves.
The eagle-eyed among you will notice something familiar about the Levy's Deluxe Amped Grill Cloth guitar strap. Particularly those of you with a penchant for amps from a certain big brand beginning with F...
The addition of classic silverface-esque cloth within the strap gives it a unique, almost industrial feel, which we're big fans of. The strap itself is well made, featuring a three-piece cut out design and a foam padded back for extra comfort. We could see this style working with other well-known amp brands too...
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We're big fans of LM Products here at Guitar World. Each strap that comes out of the factory in Anderson, Indiana, is handmade, and the level of passion that goes into each one is apparent immediately. The leather is reassuringly heavy, while the brass detailing complements the simple design brilliantly.
The LM Products Odin guitar strap forms part of a wider range of Norse themed straps, with each boasting subtle design touches which ensure they are worthy of the names they bear. Indeed, it's not hard to imagine the All-father himself attaching one of these to his axe.
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These bright, colorful guitar straps are based on the straps that were included with Gibson guitars and basses in the 60s. There’s a range of designs to choose from, all of which hark back to what many consider to be the golden age of music - Hendrix, The Beatles, The Stones etc. so you can proudly wear your influences on your shoulder.
The 2” wide straps feature metal buckles, 34.75” – 60.5” adjustability, and leather ends and backing so they’re durable and should last a fair while. They’re even handmade in the USA, which is a nice extra, especially at this price point.
Best guitar straps: Buying advice
How to choose the best guitar strap for you
The ideal guitar strap is likely to be slightly different for each player. The height of the player, and personal preference on how low they like their guitar to be will play a part in finding the right one. Guitars slung super low might look cool, but it does make playing tricky parts that bit more difficult and, over years, can cause damage to your hand and wrist. That’s not to say really long guitar straps aren’t the way to go, but it’s something to consider.
Shorter guitarists or those that like their guitars to sit higher won’t need quite as long a strap. Most of the best guitar straps will have some level of adjustment to them, so the best thing to do is play around with different settings and find what is comfortable for you.
If you’ve got a heavy guitar, then it might be worth finding a strap that is either fairly wide, or has a good amount of padding. Wider straps help spread the weight of the instrument over a larger surface area, so they don’t dig in as much, and straps with padding will likely make for a more comfortable experience.
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What are guitar straps made of?
The material that the strap is made from is something to consider too. Straps at the more budget end are likely to be made from polyester or nylon, and will probably have plastic buckles. This isn’t always a bad thing, but they’re probably not going to last forever, and they can be slippy. If you’re after a guitar strap for live use, and you know you’re going to be wearing something like a leather jacket on stage (the unofficial rockstar uniform), then some of these cheaper straps might not provide the friction you need.
As you go up in price, you’ll start to see materials such as leather and neoprene which are likely going to last for longer, as will metal buckles - another feature on many of the best guitar straps further up in the price bracket. You might also see more padding the more you pay.
How do I attach my strap to my guitar?
Guitar straps are easy to attach to your guitar - simply fit the ends over the strap pins on your guitar (some acoustic guitars may only have one strap pin, so you’ll need a piece of thick string or thin rope for the neck end). Straps with leather ends may take a bit of working with your fingers to get on to your guitar, but it will fit eventually - plus, it’ll likely be more secure when it’s on.
Many players use strap locks too. There are different types available, but they are usually placed over the strap and locked in place so that your strap doesn’t accidentally come loose - a must-have if you’re fairly active on stage!
