Feeding the cable thru your guitar strap

[Bergy]

I’ve been wondering about something for a while...

Most of the guitarists I know feed their cables up through their guitar straps before they connect it to the guitar input jack. The idea being if you step on your cable it won’t rip out of the guitar in the middle of a song and potentially damage your input jack...

If you pull it up thru the strap, doesn’t that cable’s exit angle make you MORE likely to step on your cable (even if it doesn’t pull out)? When you feed it through your strap like that the cable is hitting the floor right where your foot is. Even if nothing is damaged, quite a few times I’ve almost fallen on my ass mid-song tripping on a cable fed upwards through my strap.

A few years ago I started feeding it down through my strap instead. Depending on my stance and position relative to my amp, it can look a little bit like a cable cowlick but that exit angle pushes it out away from your feet. I can’t recall stepping on my cable since I started doing it.

Any of ya’ll do it that way? I can’t be the only one...or is this sheer madness? lol

This is the common way:

7F332551-6770-4A5D-849F-B0A8CA8AFF30

• Bergy
• May 6, 2019

I never had a cable rip out doing it that way, but I still stepped on my cable and nearly fell down too often. Now I feed it the other way like this:

D90D746E-CAFA-430C-A315-0D90FBC82899

• Bergy
• May 6, 2019

 

[Keefsdad]

Interesting. I do it the common way, i think. Never had a problem, but I see your point.

 

[Guran]

I can't recall that I have ever seen it done in what you call the common way. I have always done it like in the second pic, and that's the only way I have seen it done.

 

[Chunkocaster]

I've always done it like in the second pic. Can't remember ever seeing anyone do it the other way. That would just place the cable that bit closer to getting caught under your feet.
The cable usually grips between the body and strap preventing it from getting pulled out.

 

[Bergy]

Fascinating!

 

[41144]

Variations for pedal board users please?

 

[Mad Kiwi]

2nd way for me and anyone ive ever seen do it.

 

[macatt]

I’ve been wondering about something for a while...

Most of the guitarists I know feed their cables up through their guitar straps before they connect it to the guitar input jack. The idea being if you step on your cable it won’t rip out of the guitar in the middle of a song and potentially damage your input jack...

If you pull it up thru the strap, doesn’t that cable’s exit angle make you MORE likely to step on your cable (even if it doesn’t pull out)? When you feed it through your strap like that the cable is hitting the floor right where your foot is. Even if nothing is damaged, quite a few times I’ve almost fallen on my ass mid-song tripping on a cable fed upwards through my strap.

A few years ago I started feeding it down through my strap instead. Depending on my stance and position relative to my amp, it can look a little bit like a cable cowlick but that exit angle pushes it out away from your feet. I can’t recall stepping on my cable since I started doing it.

Any of ya’ll do it that way? I can’t be the only one...or is this sheer madness? lol

This is the common way:

7F332551-6770-4A5D-849F-B0A8CA8AFF30

• Bergy
• May 6, 2019

I never had a cable rip out doing it that way, but I still stepped on my cable and nearly fell down too often. Now I feed it the other way like this:

D90D746E-CAFA-430C-A315-0D90FBC82899

• Bergy
• May 6, 2019

I do it exactly the same way you do for the same reason.

S Mac

 

[brookdalebill]

I gig a lot, and I usually do the common thing, and
“feed” the cable through my strap the common way.
It doesn’t work on my avatar guitar, because it interferes with the use of my Hipshot B bender.
I have a rather odd way of providing strain relief for the cable on it.
I feed the cable through the bottom (last) hole in my strap, and then into the jack.
I attach the strap to the strap button via the second last hole in the strap.
It might look a little odd, but that’s way down on my list of concerns.
Thanks for listening.

 

[drmmrr55]

I gave in to inexpensive wireless, and now use the Xvive U2, and tripping over cables is a thing of the past. I've been using it for 2 years now, and I'll never go back... the only cable/s now is for the reverb/delay pedal in my effects loop.

 

[Bergy]

Sounds pretty slick to me, brookdalebill. Not to get too sidetracked, but how do ya like that Hip Shot B bender?

I am surprised that so many of ya feed the cable down through the strap. I have seen that so rarely. I am sitting here looking through pictures of my friends playing music, and no one I hang out with does it that way...gotta find some new friends. Haha, totally kidding. =)

Great point about wireless systems, drmmrr55. I haven’t run a wireless since my ol 2 channel Samson malfunctioned about 20 years ago. They were preferable to the 1 channel Nadys that picked up trucker’s CB chatter, lol. Maybe it’s time to reconsider going wireless...

 

[radiocaster]

On most guitars I don't feed it through the strap, but on at least one guitar I have to because of the jack position. I can't give any pointers, it depends on the guitar and your playing position.

 

[brookdalebill]

Thanks, Bergy!
I LOVE the Hipshot.
I’ve used them since they were a new product, circa 1983.

 

[Buzzgrowl]

1st pic here.

 

[roycaster]

Sort of like pic 1 but I always kept the cable on the side of the guitar, instead of behind, held in place by the strap…

 

[EsquireOK]

I find that it routs the cable behind me, as opposed to right in front of my foot. The reason I do it (and I only do it on some guitars) is not so I don't step on it and unplug myself. It's so I don't trip on it.

Combine it with a right-angle cable tip, and its very unobtrusive, visually speaking.

 

[AAT65]

I’ve been wondering about something for a while...

Most of the guitarists I know feed their cables up through their guitar straps before they connect it to the guitar input jack. The idea being if you step on your cable it won’t rip out of the guitar in the middle of a song and potentially damage your input jack...

If you pull it up thru the strap, doesn’t that cable’s exit angle make you MORE likely to step on your cable (even if it doesn’t pull out)? When you feed it through your strap like that the cable is hitting the floor right where your foot is. Even if nothing is damaged, quite a few times I’ve almost fallen on my ass mid-song tripping on a cable fed upwards through my strap.

A few years ago I started feeding it down through my strap instead. Depending on my stance and position relative to my amp, it can look a little bit like a cable cowlick but that exit angle pushes it out away from your feet. I can’t recall stepping on my cable since I started doing it.

Any of ya’ll do it that way? I can’t be the only one...or is this sheer madness? lol

This is the common way:

7F332551-6770-4A5D-849F-B0A8CA8AFF30

• Bergy
• May 6, 2019

I never had a cable rip out doing it that way, but I still stepped on my cable and nearly fell down too often. Now I feed it the other way like this:

D90D746E-CAFA-430C-A315-0D90FBC82899

• Bergy
• May 6, 2019

Hmmm — interesting! I’ve always used Option 1 myself but maybe I’ll try Option 2 next time round, it does seem logical.

On a related topic I usually also have in-ear monitors plugged in and that’s another cable to manage (can’t justify the cost of wireless). But maybe I should tape the guitar cable and the IEM cable together or something...

 

[Guitarteach]

I use right angle plugs guitar end and always thread the through the strap. Usually from the back/inside.

Doubly important for my semis with front mounted sockets. If I ever forget, that is when I kill my sound standing on it.

I also take the amp leads back and over the amp top and possibly around the stand behind so that I don’t wrench a socket down if I stand on the cable adjusting the amp.

Just basic stuff to ensure things go well. Experience has taught me to avoid ignoring it.

Everything to avoid excess leverage on components or avoidable mishaps.

 

[beagle]

I used right angled plugs and my cable went through a loop in the strap, not between strap and guitar which had a habit of prising the strap button screw out of the body..

 

[ClashCityTele]

Variations for pedal board users please?

I do it like the 1st pic & then my lead goes off at an angle towards whatever pedal board I'm using.
It's nowhere near my foot so I don't have a problem.
Alternatively, if going straight to an amp, use a 6ft lead. No chance of tripping over it if it's horizontal.
And teach your singer to limbo dance!!!