The design and craftsmanship that goes into the making of a fine strap is aimed toward complimenting the look of your valued instrument as well as the style and individuality of the musician. All of our straps are designed and handmade one at a time, to insure they reflect the true expression of each individual artist.

Equally important in the construction of a strap, are comfort and durability. Anyone who has had a guitar hanging on their shoulders for hours on end certainly knows the need for comfort, at the same time the conditions and surroundings musicians and their instruments are often subjected to can be extremely harsh. Therefore beauty, comfort and durability must be equally incorporated into the design and construction of the strap in order for the finished product to fully meet the needs of the musician.

Since all of our straps are custom made to suit the needs of each individual customer it is impossible to describe just one type of material or construction method used. Obviously straps with inlay, without inlay, different choices of padding, various designs, etc., will differ from each other. However there are some basic features that should be mentioned.

We use only first grade, veg-tanned hides. These hides are tanned using natural products in the tanning process, such as tree bark and other vegetable products. This insures the fibers in the leather are not weakened or damaged which can often occur with aluminum or chromium salt processing. This chemical salt process is most often used in the making of garment leather where a softer and more supple texture is needed. This is fine for clothing but you wouldn't want to make a pair of boots out of a leather vest. In addition, only veg-tanned leather can be used to properly carve and hand tool.

Our straps (unless otherwise specified) are made using single layer, top grade double-shoulders. This is one of the thickest and most durable parts of the hide, providing maximum fiber strength with minimal stretch. By using this thick, high grade leather, the need for stitching, which can soon become frayed and break, is eliminated. Similar to a pair of new leather boots, your strap will be slightly stiff at first, but with use will soon become more pliable and actually conform to the musicians individual style and stature. Once broken in, it should provide years of beauty, comfort and dependable service with minimal care.

An added benefit to using all natural tanned leather, is the occasional distinctive markings. Small imperfections in the hide caused by range marks, barbwire scratches, etc., give each strap it's own unique character.


It all starts swith a big piece of cow hide! We use only the highest quality Veg-Tanned double shoulders.	A strip is then cut to the specified width of the strap.	The desired pattern is traced and cut. Adjustment slots and attachment holes are punched.	The edges are finished by beveling, applying a treatment and then burnishing.

The strap is then dampened with a casing solution, placed in an air tight bag and allowed to cure.	Once cased, the strap is ready to begin laying out the desired design for carving and tooling.	Carving and tooling is continued until all designs, lettering and borders are completed.	The "tail" or adjustment strap is traced, cut and edged in the same manner as the strap.

Once the strap has been allowed to dry, the dyeing and painting process begins.	After the dye and paint have been allowed to dry, the padding is cut, fitted and glued to the back.	Finally the protective finish is applied and allowed to dry.	There it is! The strap is now ready to be packaged and shipped to our customer.

Once the order has been received, the lay out for the desired pattern, designs and strap type are created. These are then sent to our shop to begin handcrafting of the product. Once the item is completed, it is inspected, packaged and shipped. Depending on the complexity of the strap, designs, staining and painting, the production process usually takes from 2 to 8 weeks to complete. All in all it can be a rather lengthy process, but that is the only way to manufacture a truly custom strap. We hope you enjoyed this short presentation and maybe have a better understanding of the time and care we put into our products. If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to contact us. We want you to be as confident and comfortable as possible about placing your order with us.

Borders and Edges

Below are few examples of the various border designs available. These borders can greatly add to the finished look of a fine leather strap.

Thank you for your interest in

"Ovation Leather Design"

Contact Information

Ovation Leather Design

straps@ovationleather.com

Phone: 915-215-2317

El Paso, Texas

Guitar Straps - Banjo Straps - Mandolin Straps - Leather Guitar Straps - Custom Guitar Straps

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