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Thread: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    On my 20th birthday in 1982, my bandmates bought me that leather strap, and it's seen hundreds of gigs; it was a sweet gift because my job at the record store barely covered my car payment and rent. The lead guitarist also opened up his father's well-stocked liquor cabinet. I chose a 5th of JB Scotch. 3 hours later, I was naked on West End Ave. in Nashville. The city has recovered better from the tornados than they have from my birthday dance. At some point I dressed, and we went to our hangout, the Bennigans on White Bridge Rd. The manager greeted us, and I said, "Today's my 21st birthday." He said, "You've been drinking here for two years." I laughed. On my 21st birthday, I went in with a few friends and told the manager that I'd lied the year before but that I was in fact 21 today. I showed him my ID. "Fucker," he said, but he didn't care. During that year 82-83, we played some very good gigs and were building our name and attracting a core audience. We had some connections and were ready to rock. However, I got sick, and that was that. That band was fun, and I'm still close friends with my talented co-singer Stacey and the lead guitarist Terry.

    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    5 star post, baby !!
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

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    Forum Member hushnel's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    The strap is holding up pretty well, if it’s the one in the picture.

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    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    I have that same strap which I picked up sometime in the mid '70s. It's wearing quite well though a few years back the holes for the strap buttons had stretched in size to the point I didn't feel comfortable using it lest it slip off the instrument at an inopportune moment. I fixed it by moistening the ends with water then gently pressing it with a steam iron set to "low". The moist heat shrank the holes perfectly and the strap was as good as new.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  5. #5
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    I have that same strap which I picked up sometime in the mid '70s. It's wearing quite well though a few years back the holes for the strap buttons had stretched in size to the point I didn't feel comfortable using it lest it slip off the instrument at an inopportune moment. I fixed it by moistening the ends with water then gently pressing it with a steam iron set to "low". The moist heat shrank the holes perfectly and the strap was as good as new.
    Lovely were the days when products were durable. That was a clever way to fix it up. That's a tip I'll store in the back of my noggin. Thanks.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  6. #6
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    "Tribal wisdom" from my ancestors.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  7. #7
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    I have that same strap which I picked up sometime in the mid '70s. It's wearing quite well though a few years back the holes for the strap buttons had stretched in size to the point I didn't feel comfortable using it lest it slip off the instrument at an inopportune moment. I fixed it by moistening the ends with water then gently pressing it with a steam iron set to "low". The moist heat shrank the holes perfectly and the strap was as good as new.
    I, too, will remember this. I have a strap that I bought for my first guitar, circa '72. It's holding up ok but the strap holes are a little loose.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  8. #8
    Forum Member hushnel's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    I have that same strap which I picked up sometime in the mid '70s. It's wearing quite well though a few years back the holes for the strap buttons had stretched in size to the point I didn't feel comfortable using it lest it slip off the instrument at an inopportune moment. I fixed it by moistening the ends with water then gently pressing it with a steam iron set to "low". The moist heat shrank the holes perfectly and the strap was as good as new.
    Good thinking, leather is some amazing stuff. I make all my own straps, bags, Belts both pain and tooled.

    An example of a piece I made a few years back,
    https://flic.kr/p/21ag7SW
    Last edited by hushnel; 07-13-2021 at 12:16 PM.

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    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    Quote Originally Posted by DanTheBluesMan View Post
    I, too, will remember this. I have a strap that I bought for my first guitar, circa '72. It's holding up ok but the strap holes are a little loose.
    Good plan. I've been using the rubber Grolsch washers on the few guitars I don't have straplocks on. They seem to do the trick as well.
    |I got a bagful at a homebrew store (brewing your own beer) that was closing down a while ago for a song. I don;t think I'll ever use them all up.
    ********************************
    "Do you call sleeping with a guitar in your hands practicing?"
    "It is if you don't drop it."
    - Trent Lane, Daria, Episode 1-2.

  10. #10
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: My 4001's Strap, and a Story of Drunkenness, Nudity, and Friendship

    Watching a vid of Yes at Montreux. Squire. Whew. If I didn’t have my 4001, I’d need to get one.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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