SUPERIOR STRAPS

Comfort, strength and looks are all important when choosing how to wear your guitar

HEISTERCAMP HEAVY METAL (FROM £68)

Devon-based Heistercamp’s straps are handcrafted to order and are made with the finest full-grain Italian leather. As you’d hope from a company that’s all about personalisation, they’ll make you any strap design you can dream up, but if you’re buying off-the-peg, start with the Heavy Metal range. With each variant named after the tor rock formations on Dartmoor and adorned with brass and silver embellishments, this isn’t just a strap, it’s a statement. www.heistercamp.co.uk

SOULDIER VARIOUS DESIGNS (FROM £32)

With a Souldier strap, you’re guaranteed never to be seen with the same strap as a rival guitarist. Favoured by stars from Ace Frehley to Gary Clark Jr, the Chicago firm offers a dizzying level of customisation – you can specify everything from fabric and webbing to end-tab material and hardware. Or, if you prefer to keep things simple, sites such as Gear4music carry an off-the-peg selection, mostly with deliciously retro floral patterns that are pure summer of love. www.souldier.us

PINEGROVE LEATHER GS61 PADDED STRAP (£55)

Based in Yorkshire’s Hebden Bridge, Pinegrove knows leather, and there’s a craftsman’s attention to detail in these British-made, hand-assembled straps. For a competitive £55, you get a topside of thick five-ounce leather, with the natural grain pattern tanned and oiled for that gloriously battered ‘on-the-road’ aesthetic. On the strap’s reverse, you’ll find hard-wearing Spanish cowhide suede, while two internal layers of padding lessen the shoulder-ache of a long set with a Les Paul. www.pinegroveleather.com

LEVY’S VARIOUS DESIGNS (FROM £23)

The Levy’s story goes back to 1973, when Dennis Levy crafted his first bespoke leather strap for his guitarist brother – before spreading the brand across the US and Canada. In modern times, Levy’s straps are crafted in Nova Scotia using expertly tanned leather, and still offer that artisan vibe, whether you choose the roadhouse-ready Country Western series, the posture-protecting Right Height ergonomic variant, or the Heirloom straps that you’ll bequeath to your kids. www.levysleathers.com

FENDER ROAD WORN LEATHER STRAP (£45)

Whether or not you’ve truly spent the last decade on the road, nobody will question it with Fender’s Road Worn strap around your neck. Available in brown or black, the ‘lived-in’ vibe speaks of long nights in a tour bus crossing the Mojave Desert, while the soft distressed suede backing is luxurious to the touch, and reinforced stitching won’t let your Tele tumble. It’s a solid, stylish, budget-conscious choice, for road dogs and bedroom guitarists alike. www.fender.com

DUNLOP JH01 JIMI HENDRIX WOODSTOCK STRAP (£33)

Almost as iconic as Jimi’s white ‘Woodstock’ Strat was the strap he used at the 1969 festival – and Dunlop has recreated it with a little help from the guitarist’s estate. As hardwearing as you’d hope from the accessories giant, the JH01’s materials, patterns and stitching are all period-correct, without the original’s auction-house price. For fans, there’s plenty more besides, from Jimi’s ‘Shreveport’ strap to one featuring a portrait by Hendrix snapper Gered Mankowitz. www.jimdunlop.com