Some guitar players do not pay much attention to what kind of strap they employ to suspend their guitar when playing standing up or just as a general guitar safety measure. Others care a great deal about the strap they use and can be quite finicky about how it fits and feels. I certainly qualify for the second category, so I was pleasantly surprised by my new C. F. Martin leather guitar strap.
The strap is made from supple cowhide and dyed black. It is 2-1/2" inches wide and it has an extension that is 1" wide and is adjustable to suit most every player's needs. In fact there are eight slots for the extension and the extension itself has four slits to fit the end pin. This makes the strap versatile indeed and it should be usable with a wide range of different sized stringed instruments. The classic "C.F. Martin & Co. est. 1833" is embossed in gold at the opposite end from the extension. The overall construction is first rate, with stitching that should last for decades. The leather on the padded section is soft and clearly of good quality.
This new guitar strap has become my constant companion. Prior to receiving it from Maury's Music I had used a very expensive strap that looked similar but was considerably larger, with thick padding. The lightly padded Martin strap seemed flimsy in comparison. However I quickly learned that I had been over doing things all these years. My previous strap was actually designed for heavy, electric guitars or basses and on my various acoustic guitars it was often slipping across my back and shoulders, causing the guitar to drop one way or the other. The strap was just too heavy. The Martin strap is the perfect weight to use with acoustic guitars. It allows for effortless balance and ease of use. It also folds up very nicely for easy storage in a guitar case or even the inside pocket of a jacket or coat.
On the whole the Martin leather guitar strap is well made from top quality materials and intelligently designed to look good and work great.
Of a possible 8 notes on the T Spoon Scale of Guitaracity, I give the Martin Leather Guitar Strap a sleek and supple 7 notes.
TSP, NYC
