Quick Look : Strap Lugs for Acoustics with Pickups
Hey gang! If you own an acoustic guitar with a built in pickup and prefer to use a guitar strap when playing, you have probably run into the same problem as I have.
In order to accommodate a ¼” jack for a guitar cable that is part of the strap lug, the lug must be pretty large. Often this means that the hole in the strap end is too small and you have to enlarge it. Or if you use a fine leather strap that is finished on the inside as well as the outside, you may end up having difficulty attaching the strap at all, without damaging the strap end.
Music Nomad Acousti-Lok
I recently wanted to put a strap from Walker and Williams on an older Taylor acoustic that had their Expression 2 pickup and preamp system. The resulting strap lug is very large and does not give much space for a thick strap, nor does the outer part of the lug do much to prevent a strap with a larger hole from slipping off, or becoming damaged. Many will say that is the price you pay for a great preamp, but I think that the issue could be handled better. So do the people at Music Nomad.
I was on Amazon, checking to see if they yet had stock in the Music Nomad Safe Zone Fret File recommended by YouTuber Philip McKnight of Know Your Gear. The file remains on ever increasing back order, but while there I noted this simple device called the Acousti-Lok.
For Taylor guitars built after 2002, there is a unit specifically for these instruments. It consists of a keyhole plate, a screw on strap lug and a retainer that the lug screw secures to the keyhole plate. It took almost a whole minute to install.
You can see from the screen capture that the lug is built to take a standard Schaller type strap lock connector as shown in the image below..
It’s a really elegant, simple and completely functional system. I will add one to all my acoustic guitars that have pickups over the next while, particularly because I personally prefer thick leather straps that are finished on the inside and the outside.
What About Acoustics with Pickups Not From Taylor?
Music Nomad has an answer for these guitars as well and it’s actually a bit less money. All you need to know is whether the threads on the part of the pickup that protrudes through the guitar is standard or metric thread. Then you order the correct strap adapter in either standard or metric thread.
Just unscrew the locking nut on the pickup end and screw on the Acoustic-Lok in its place and you are done. This model also takes the standard Schaller style lock attached to the strap just like the model for Taylor guitars.
Most through body pickups have a lock washer and nut that is attached to the shaft and then have the strap lug screwed on after. Be sure to check your instrument to ensure that the pickup jack can not fall back into the guitar body.
I’ve recorded a short video showing the installation on a Gibson Hummingbird with a K&K Pure Mini pickup, using the Acousti-Lok standard thread version.
Wrap Up
The version for modern Taylor guitars sells for $35.99 here in Canada and the versions for pickups like Fishmans that protrude through the heel in either Standard or Metric thread sell for $28.99 You may find them in your favourite guitar shop, but they are available on Amazon right now if that works for you.
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