Tales from.. ..The StrapLab!

[TVvoodoo]

Ok, things are rolling again - lots of bad world trade news lately, not getting better, but not worse either LOL!

Some good news happens (most of the time) when I get a customer feedback, like Dougie and Patrick gave, both in Ontario

During the rush last weekend I noted a fun strap I call "Strap With No Name" sold out. It's not too often when
I make a few of something kind of different and they just blast off the shelf. So, whattaya gonna do but make moar?

These are still the same patch leather sent to me by the self-described handsome and somewhat loveable TGP rascal @Motorhed
but I'm quickly running out. The material was still at hand on the bench so it seemed a natural.

Six in my reverb store right now. If you happen to be in the land of the free/home of the brave, my entire stock must invisible
and unavailable to you, due to reasons. Hopefully only for the short term. Lucky you, I'll keep posting here, and hopefully
nobody suffers the hyper-intense GAS pains of unobtanium gear, when even just last week you had the entire world easily
available at your fingertips. Sad.

 

[TVvoodoo]

Howdy fellers, how's it hangin'?

Here's what's coming to the store soon, once I get all the nicey-nice photos done...

A couple of bitchin' new SwaggerMen! One in nasty black, one in supahot "Patina Mahogany."
If you are familiar with these you will know they are kind of rare in my store, even a little bit sought after.
I own two of 'em myself which I will NEVER sell, a couple of my absolute favourites.

These are 3" wide conversions of a hard to find ladies thick leather fashion belt, set up to adjust with a back buckle.

Super comfy, and look like they've been time-machined direct from 1974

God some nice guitar pics in over the weekend, we were camping... snapped this fun sunset shot... as purply-durply as it is...
No bears this time, thank goodness, same place we usually camp at.

Speaking of purple-durple, Casey in Cali who is a TGF brother got his custom... He and doggo seem pleased... Like I told him in messages, purple is a weird colour to work with - customers can send me multiple shots of the very same guitar and it'll often appear to be very different colours. Makes it a bit of a challenge for dye work Topping that off, purple guitar people seem to generally demand a more perfect match than anyone else, probably because
there's just so many strange and mysterious purples.

"I got the strap in the mail today (Saturday). Thanks for the cool swag as well. I'm extremely happy with the strap. I think the match is great, and even without breaking in the leather it already feels very comfortable ... I've gotta say this strap is pretty amazing. I was expecting it to be a higher quality version of other good padded straps that I have, but the comfort is on a different level. Straps have always been a necessary annoyance to me. With this one I prefer to keep it on when I'm sitting rather than play the guitar without it. Awesome work!

I hope you're able to open up shop again.... for what it's worth I think you could raise your prices to account for whatever extra crapwork you have to do to export to the US." - Casey

I'm toying with that very idea. It's not so much the extra work, but additional costs to my US customers. I simply cannot absorb them, and it puts my wares in a rather competitively disadvantageous position, price-wise, though certainly not quality-wise, my opinion

Also received this photo from Adam over in in West Virginy

"I received my "The Villain" strap today (Friday). This is on my Brent Mason tele. Your straps are impeccable! This is only my second Well-Hung strap, but I'll never buy one from any other maker. I understand why you had to stop shipping to America, but I'm sorry you had to. The quality and the look /appeal of your straps are superior to any I've ever had. They are a bargain for the workmanship you receive. Thank you sir."
- Adam N

Awwww Shucks! So nice to hear! I'm just glad it seems the last group I sent out have managed to escape the crazy extra customer cost levies added on by the authorities.

New in the store probably tomorrow (except for 'Mericans, who can't see all the things), some new "Tarnished" straps which I haven't made for a couple years now. Two silvers and one crazy metallic purple too. Just have to complete tail straps for these first thing tomorrow.

Happy National Coconut Day. Yes, it's real.

 

[TVvoodoo]

And boys, she's hump day already... those long weekends sure make for a short week!
I listed the three Tarnished straps just above, mid-morning. By lunch-time, purple metallic was GONE,
and it's now headed to Ontario. The two silvers remain in the store.

Funny, at this time I'm trying to think what I want to take to some guitar shows in a month, but if I build them, then list them on reverb,
it's both "yay!" and "hooray!" for the sale, but then I realize geez, that's one I can't take it to a show!

Today I started on a whole different thing... came to me in a dream while we were camping last weekend. Now, I'm not really "hip" enough to
be clued in on the whole Russian toilet dude humour deal, but I do know somebody is going to think this is "on point" -

The way I understand it, "skibidi" is one of those "catch-alls" all in the context, as much how it's used as in when it's used.
Could mean super cool, or super NOT cool. Kind of like how 'sick' is used. I plan to make the letters in a new metallic treatment
I've been trying to perfect

Ryan got in on the last gasp for USA customers nine days ago, and he's becoming one of my favorite Reverb feedbackers.
Dude should be writing for J. Peterman. - so far it seems I made the deadlines for no extra charges. phew!

Hope your day is going ...uh... totally skibidi!

 

[TVvoodoo]

I think in my entire history only my fifth strap sent to the land down under.
I did open up all my listings to Australia last week though, and the UK. Maybe five a year over there. At this point I need to be visible everywhere that treats me and my customers nice. Today I got to put a pin in Sydney.

I've been keeping my World Domination Map here in the StrapLab for only a couple of years now... Frankly, I'm constantly forgetting to pin new places. Unfortunately we won't be sticking too many over on the right side for a while, as apparently strap companies in that country don't dare try to compete with Well-Hung no more!

Today, work continued on Skibidi... painted all the letters a light gold metallic before retiring last night.

Then this morning I smeared some gross and nastly "Skibidy Goo" all over that thang

I used a Mahogany Antique which gives things a nice warm colour tone... turned the gold into copper!
Looks pretty nice on that dark, dark brown. Now clearcoating.

Also got some preliminary work done on some new "Mid-Evil" straps... Cutting the shapes, the basketweave slits, and all the components, as well as dyeing the tops and edges. Not real happy with the red, I think I might darken it all down with a light overdye of black.

Busy day.... kind of bushed actually!

 

[TVvoodoo]

The last few days a whole rush of reverb feedbacks came in, some really creative ones, a few expressing hopes I'll be moving product southward sometime again in the future. We shall see. I looked more into getting CUSMA certification, but it's going to require setting up new accounts with the government due to regulatory hurdles etc. It seems like a rather large mountain to climb to get serious about it. Around every corner it feels the bureaucracy is making it harder and harder for the "little" guy to truly participate.

But here's some fun words from recent customers, this feedback on an extra wide strap...

This feedback on an extra skinny strap! Short and to the point!

Four on the bench right now in various stages of completion, but was able to finish these two today. A Mid-Evil in an interesting coral/reddish brown -

While they are a little too labour intensive, I love my Mid-Evil design more and more. So bold, with all the texture and bling/shine. All those surfaces reflect light so nice when you move, and its wide and padded comfy too. Need to build one for myself someday. I try to keep at least one of each my own favorite/best designs in my personal collection. Mine will be wine red though, I think.

I was going to darken this one down, but when got into the shop and I looked at it again this morning, I felt it was just such a unique color, kind of beautiful. It's the sort of colour a fellow might try to repeat when asked, but would likely be difficult. I think this would look fine as frog's hair on a rose gold strat or likely something in the shell pink, or of course coral. It is a bit more red/brown than pink. Hard to describe!

And of course, Cowboy Skibidi, which is pretty awesome in the darkest brown possible without being actually black.
The contrasting copper/gold stitching really sets it off too.

 

[TVvoodoo]

Hello friends, been posting less, everywhere... this past week health issues seem to have slowed me down a fair bit. I'm generally real healthy so it's been very strange getting used to moving around a lot slower, and not meeting my own expectations of what I can get done in a day. But... I'm not one to lay in bed and moan, still picking away at stuff here in the shop.

Completed and on now on reverb, though not visible to my USA friends for the time being...

A couple of new ZAP! straps

Bronze Python - a fun metallic shine up front,

ZAP! Snow Leopard, with a touch of luxe hair-on hide... I think it's actually dyed goat...

And of course I got the Reverb listings up of the three new Mid-Evils, in "AweBurn" "Tan" and "Black"

And finally, the "Skibidi Kid" turned out real nice... for what it is LOL!

I did a test mailing to Finland early this week with 15 pairs of Pro-Pins, it was in my mind a real pain to deal with the HS product codes and VAT and all that for Europe, etc... but in comparison to trying to ship anything below the 49th parallel these days a relative cakewalk.

Still building, remaining hopeful and trying to get myself better. If anyone here has been on the BRAT diet, I now understand.
I'm in my sixth day and boy do I crave some real food again, and a beer!

 

[Chocol8]

If the BRAT diet is dragging you down, may I suggest the Taco Bell and Cheap Tequila diet? The theory is that crap is so disgusting and toxic, any bacteria, viruses, amoebas, worms, or other parasites will bail out and seek a more suitable host to infect. The scientific evidence is currently lacking, but it’s always worth a try!

 

[TVvoodoo]

@GuitarGorilla Yeah that diet is gonna clean out anyone real good. But at least some protein in it? I can feel myself getting weaker and weaker by the day.
Probably headin' to a clinic tomorrow if things don't begin to "firm up" back there today. Two weeks of "runnin' for the border" without Taco Bell has me pretty drawn out.
Worst of it is they'll probably just send me for the ol' alien probe procedure, which guarantees even more needle threadin' ahead for me....yay.

 

[TVvoodoo]

Today I completed FIVE new Sum Yung Long Hung Guy straps ... I recently made similar, was hoping to take them to a couple of gear enthusiastr shows coming up but they sold off real quick. So, only thing a fella can do is get some more done up! Five should do it!

These in a darker brown than the other set, the leather nose and tail sections, could be maybe even a bit nicer than the last set.

I've been kind of inundated with feedbacks over the past week, all super positive fortunately! I just have been a bit knocked back so not showing them all off.. but Joe in Georgia picked up a couple, a "Serpentine" with the red and black, and a "Grommet" just before the USA order window closed. This message came in a few days ago.

" Straps arrived today, they are even more stunning in person. Perfect fit and finish. True works of art! Awesome, awesome, awesome! Really appreciate you and your work! Thank you so much!"
~ J. Dell in Georgia

 

[GuitarGorilla]

@GuitarGorilla Yeah that diet is gonna clean out anyone real good. But at least some protein in it? I can feel myself getting weaker and weaker by the day.
Probably headin' to a clinic tomorrow if things don't begin to "firm up" back there today. Two weeks of "runnin' for the border" without Taco Bell has me pretty drawn out.
Worst of it is they'll probably just send me for the ol' alien probe procedure, which guarantees even more needle threadin' ahead for me....yay.

Not sure if you're unfairly blaming me for something I didn't do (this time) or just wanted to tell me about your poop. My hopes were up for a second that you opened US sales back up!

 

[TVvoodoo]

Authentic Mexi-blanket strap in "Vino Tinto" now available to the UK, Australia and Canada! One of my favourite original Well-Hung offerings for you loco desperados out there. Goes 44"-59" lightly padded, and makes you want to holler "Arriba!"

Ideal for any nacho-caster or an acoustic needing a little extra attitude, now in the Reverb store!

Happy Friday compadres!