I saw this awhile back and finally got it. I had been wanting a locking guitar strap for quite some time, but didn’t want to modify my guitars or their strap buttons. This seems to have solved that by being self-contained and fitting the majority of instruments out there AFAIK.
These are designed by Ned Steinberger it says. I just got this, so it’s only my first experience with the strap, but it’s a guitar strap and basically like any other except the Auto Lock feature. The one I got is ‘padded’ and black. The padding is not all that thick, but seemed comfortable enough when I tried playing awhile - no shoulder ‘bite’ that I noticed. The Auto Lock is just a rocking hinge type clip over top of a keyhole interface (like a door security chain) for the guitar strap buttons. It’s made of plastic. I’m surprised nobody thought of this design before … it’s pretty simple really, and cost effective. I haven’t quite got the hang of quick engage and disengage with the Auto Lock, but I’m sure that will become familiar with time.
The strap quality seems decent so far. From the cost of guitar straps out there I have seen recently, this one is maybe just a bit more expensive, but has that nice functionality of the Auto Lock. On the D’Addario site there are other Auto Lock strap options with different material/designs and colors.
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It looks easy enough. I think I spent about $15 on my Dunlop strap locks, which worked out great since they fit 2 other guitars I had.
I guess if you don’t already have straps you like it’s a reasonable investment.
I’m leery of any strap lock arrangements, since I had a recessed set in my LP that failed and caused a headstock break.
EVH had the right idea with the industrial strength eye hook. For a guitar you’re going to beat up playing live, you could drill a pilot hole, fill it with epoxy and thread that hook in with vise grips. You’d have to saw it off the guitar to get it out.
I had meant to mention in my OP that it seems one strap lock set would limit you to that one guitar, unless you have the same type on multiple guitars, as you did. What I like about this one I got is that you can use that one strap on just about anything. The Auto Lock would be most useful in a live playing environment, though over the years I’ve had more “strap pop” (off the button) ‘panic’ incidents - just practicing - than I care to count. Luckily I don’t think I ever dropped a guitar because of that. My ‘grab’ reactions must have been good, but as I get older that may not be quite as reliable.
Yeah, you can do a lot of things if you don’t mind tearing up guitars, like he did. Interestingly, they actually market what you’re referring to now:
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Should be plenty easy and cheaper to get this stuff from the hardware store though.