How To Make A Guitar Strap Longer Or Shorter

In our help page How To Put A Guitar Strap Together (Basic), we covered the basics of how the two parts of an interweave strap (AKA ladder strap) go together. This page looks at how you can adjust a strap so that it's just the right length for you. 

The length you want will depend on a number of things:

• Your height and build
• Where you attach the strap to your guitar
• Whether you play standing up or sitting down
• What feels most comfortable to you

You may also have a style you want to achieve, eg - high-line funk bass or low-slung grunge rock like Peter Hook:

The Pinegrove GS78 strap shown here has a buckle, but it also has an interweave section at the back to adjust the length.

Here's how to make your strap length right for you... 

First take the the strap apart.

Now put the small end of the tail piece into first slot at the back of the main strap. 

Pull the tail piece all the way through until its tab end (with the slot) comes up to the main strap.

Now test the length of the strap on your guitar.

IS THE LENGTH RIGHT?

If that length feels right, then you can just finish fitting the tail piece. Feed the small end of the tail piece into the next slot in the main piece and through the slot in the tab end.  Then weave the tail through the rest of the slots and you're done.

TOO LONG? 

If the strap feels too long, pull the tab end back out until it's the right length. Now you can feed the small end of the tail piece into the slot that lines up with the tab end's slot.  Put it through the slot in the tab end too.  Then weave the tail through the rest of the slots and you're done.  Here's how the strap will look on its shortest setting.

If the strap is still too long when you have pulled the tab end all the way down to the last slot in the main strap, then you need to get a shorter strap.  Get in touch with us for help. 

NOT LONG ENOUGH?

If the strap seems too short, take the tail piece out and try it in a slot further down:

Too long now? Pull the tab end back out an inch or three. If you have to pull it out so far that it goes beyond the end of the main strap, then start again with a different slot further up.

Still not long enough? Try a slot further down. If you run out of slots, then you need a longer strap!  Get in touch with us for help.

When you have it right, you can feed the small end of the tail piece into the slot that lines up with the tab end's slot.  Put it through the slot in the tab end too.  Then weave the tail through the rest of the slots and you're done.  Here's how the strap will look on its longest setting:
 

These are the basic combinations of how you can set up an interweave strap.  Through experimentation you will find what's right in length and looks for you.

As usual, if you need any more advice, just get in touch.  We'll do our level best to help.