2 inch vs 3 inch guitar strap: which width do you need?
Width is about pressure, and pressure is weight divided by area. A 9 lb Les Paul on a 2 inch strap loads roughly 4.5 lb onto every inch of shoulder it touches. The same guitar on a 3 inch strap loads 3 lb per inch. That one-third reduction is the difference between forgetting the guitar is there and feeling it by the third song.
When 2 to 2.5 inches is right
- Acoustics, which are light and played mostly sitting.
- Telecasters, Stratocasters and most bolt-on guitars under about 8 lb.
- Players who prefer a slim look and short sets.
Our Classic is 2.5 inches: enough width to spread the load of a light guitar without looking like a bass strap.
The straps this guide is about: full-grain leather, suede back, 2.5, 3 and 3.5 inch widths, Regular and Long. From £74.00 with free tracked UK delivery and a free length exchange.
When 3 inches earns its place
- Les Pauls, SGs with heavy tuners, hollow-bodies and semi-hollows.
- Anything over 8 lb.
- Sets over an hour, or rehearsals where you stand the whole time.
- Anyone with a history of shoulder or neck complaints, where spreading the load matters more than looks.
The Wide padded strap is 3 inches at the shoulder and tapers to 2.5 at the tail so it still looks proportionate on the guitar.
Why bass goes wider still
A four or five string bass often weighs 9 to 11 lb and is worn lower, which changes the angle of pull. Our bass guitar straps are 3.5 inches with a padded core, and that is the strap we would put on any guitar over 10 lb too.
Does a wider strap need wider buttons?
No. Width is measured at the shoulder; every strap tapers to a standard tail with a 0.25 inch button hole. Strap locks fit as normal.
Padding: worth it?
Padding softens the edge of the strap and spreads the load a little further; it does not replace width. A padded 2 inch strap is still a 2 inch strap. If you have to choose, choose width. If you can have both, that is the bass strap.