A Guitar Hero's Best Kept Secret - Souldier Straps

Raikus — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:02:00 GMT

The best way to find a secret is to not be looking for it.

And so was the case when I first started my fan-driven, borderline stalkerish task of tracking down the guitar strap of Jeff Tweedy. For those not familiar with the rock scene, Jeff Tweedy is the front man of the band Wilco which so happens to be the best band in the world (according to a 2007 survey written and taken by myself). I first noticed his very distinct guitar strap when Wilco appeared on Saturday Night Live last year. It's a beautiful strap with owls that Tweedy has coupled with his vintage Gibson SG. Immediately I fell in love with the pattern.

Tweedy, with Souldier strap, at a recent show in Indianapolis

I don't know what string of search terms or how long it took me to stumble on Souldier Straps, but finding them opened up a whole new world for me. Before I (like many others, it seems) thought that purely functional guitar straps were merely obtained on the racks of the local music store or Guitar Center. But now I entered a world where people placed love and dedication (and customization!) into guitar straps and turned them from a mere support device into pure freaking art.

My search led me to Etsy.com where I found Souldier's store. There, on the page, were the owl straps. I could hardly believe it. They were the perfect design match to the one I'd been looking for. I contacted the seller and asked specifically if I could get the strap closest to the one purchased by Jeff Tweedy. The process was painless -- no, it was a pleasure. A week and about $40 later I had in my possession the sister strap to my favorite band's leadman.

But what's the big deal? So I got a certain design that they're going to print billions more of. Where's the uniqueness in that?

Ah, but that's one of the many things that makes Souldier stand out from the other strap manufacturers. First, they use vintage materials. The design fabrics that they use were made decades ago (in some cases over 50 years old) and there's only a limited amount. Once it's used up, they're gone forever. Second, they use recycled seatbelts as the base strap. This means you're going to have a strap that you could use to hang a car from if you wanted. Quality is a huge focus point for them. Third, they come with a lifetime guarantee. And finally, they are all hand-made from their store in Chicago.

When you buy a strap from Souldier you immediately have something in common with big name artists -- you both bought it. Souldier doesn't give their straps away or pay artists to pose with them. These are straps that performers appreciate and fall in love with themselves. If you keep a keen eye out, you'll even see familiar patterns worn by Jack White (White Stripes), Johnny Marr (Modest Mouse), Brooks & Dunn, Sheryl Crow and bands like Pearl Jam, Fleet Foxes, Sonic Youth, Panic at the Disco and Bright Eyes. It always energizes me seeing a band play and noticing that they're wearing a familiar design. It's great being in on the secret and knowing I can just contact Souldier and get the same high-quality strap for a moderate amount of money.

So far I've bought three Souldier Straps. One, as mentioned, to go with my Wilco autographed guitar and the other two of my own design to go with other guitars. I just got a new Gibson SG Classic and I'll be ordering another strap from them in the near future. I just have to take some time and create one that is as beautiful as the guitar.

Check out Souldier.us to see all of the patterns and all of the different ways you can customize and design your own strap or copy someone elses. I may sound like I'm gushing (and I probably am) but rarely do you feel as "in" on something as I do with this company. When I look at all of my Wilco memorabilia the Owl strap stands out as one of my most prized pieces. To me, it represents a sense of accomplishment; of something that few other people will own. By writing this, I'm hoping that this is a sensation you to will soon enjoy.

The Wastebucket : vintage guitar straps

A Guitar Hero's Best Kept Secret - Souldier Straps