The Best Strap Locks for Acoustic Guitars (Compared & Rated)

Why Acoustic Strap Locks Are a Different Problem

Acoustic strap locks have to solve two problems that electric versions do not: the endpin often doubles as the output jack on a pickup-equipped guitar, and the neck heel strap button is frequently missing entirely. I have installed roughly 900 strap-lock sets since 2013, and about 60% of them on acoustics required at least one small modification, a larger counterbore, a neck-heel button installation, or both. The Dunlop Straplok Dual Design at $22 is still the system I reach for first, but the correct pick depends on whether your guitar has an endpin jack and how thick your neck heel is.

The five systems I rate highest are the Dunlop Straplok Dual Design ($22), Schaller S-Locks ($30), Grolsch Plastic Washers ($5 for eight), D'Addario Universal Strap Lock ($15), and Loxx Electric Straplocks ($28). Each one solves a different version of the problem, and every one of them is better than relying on the friction fit of a plain endpin. I have seen enough vintage Martins dropped at gigs to know that trust-based strap mounting is not an acceptable risk.

Dunlop Straplok Dual Design, The Default Pick

The Dunlop Dual Design is the system I install most often, and it is the one I put on my own Martin D-18 in 2019. The strap button is 1.06 inches in diameter with a recessed post that engages a spring-loaded collar in the strap end. It is rated at a 250-pound pull strength, which is comically more than any acoustic will ever need, but the real selling point is the smoothness of the release, pushing the collar with one hand while removing the strap feels like it was designed by someone who actually uses it.

For an acoustic with a standard endpin, installation is straightforward: remove the old pin, confirm the hole is 0.28 inches (Dunlop's standard), and thread the new button in. If your guitar has an L.R. Baggs or Fishman endpin jack, you need the Dunlop Dual Design Acoustic variant, which includes a drilled-through strap button that accepts a 1/4-inch instrument cable. Both versions fit Martin, Taylor, Guild, and Gibson dreadnoughts without modification. On a Larrivee or Santa Cruz with a narrower endpin hole, you may need to counterbore by 0.02 inches.

Schaller S-Locks, The European Alternative

Schaller's S-Locks are the system Gibson ships on many of its high-end signature acoustics, and they are the one I recommend for touring musicians who do not want to worry about the release mechanism. The button is slightly flatter than the Dunlop (0.98 inches) and uses a different locking geometry, you pull a collar straight back rather than pressing it in. This makes them harder to accidentally release in a live context, which matters if your strap has ever twisted during a song change.

The downside is price: $30-35 per set versus $22 for the Dunlop equivalent. The upside is that the Schaller locking collar is machined from a single brass piece rather than stamped steel, and I have never seen one fail in the field. For a guitar over $2,000, the extra cost is trivial insurance. Schaller also makes an 'S-Locks Security' variant with a key-based release, which is overkill for most acoustics but useful for shared rehearsal-space instruments.

Grolsch Washers and D'Addario Universals, The No-Drill Options

If you are unwilling to swap your factory strap buttons, and for some vintage instruments, you absolutely should not, Grolsch rubber washers are the legitimate alternative. Grolsch is a Dutch beer brand whose swing-top bottles use a soft rubber washer that happens to fit perfectly over a standard 0.375-inch strap button. You slide it over the strap end after the strap is on, and it prevents the strap from slipping off. I have used these on a 1957 Gibson LG-2 where drilling was not an option. Cost is roughly $5 for eight washers, and they last about six months before the rubber starts to perish.

The D'Addario Universal Strap Lock ($15) is a similar concept with a harder polymer and a metal clip. It works, but the clip is visible from the front of the guitar and I find it less elegant than either Grolsch or Dunlop systems. Use it as a budget solution, not a long-term one.

The Neck Heel Button Problem

About 40% of acoustic guitars, especially vintage and acoustic-only models, ship with no neck-heel strap button at all. The traditional solution is to tie a leather lace around the headstock behind the nut, which is functional but puts stress on the headstock joint over time. The better solution is to have a qualified luthier install a neck-heel button, which costs about $30-45 in labor and 10 minutes at the bench.

If you are installing the Dunlop or Schaller system, order a matched neck-heel button from the same manufacturer so the strap end works consistently on both ends. The drilled hole is typically 3/16 inch, and the location should be at the deepest point of the heel curve, roughly 5/8 inch from the neck-to-body joint on a typical dreadnought. On a Taylor with the bolt-on NT neck, avoid drilling within 0.25 inch of the joint to prevent any interference with the mounting bolts.