AX-Synth Strap locks

Well, Dunlop straplocks don't fit the AX Synth, ie they cannot be installed properly.

The problem is that the AX body has a small bump with inside it a recessed flat surface on which the strapbuttons are mounted. Unfortunately the base of the Dunlop straplock button is just a tiny bit to wide to fit inside this 'crater' so it ends ups setting on the rounded 'crest' of this crater and wobbles around.

In theory you could perhaps fill up this recessed area with one or to washers but I don't think that would be a good idea as it would also increase the arm of force so the body will have more to endure and it may not be trivial to find a washer that wil fit exactly inside this area and still have a large enough hole for the screw.

The above is true at least for the strapbutton on the right hand side (near the highest note). I didn't check the others.

This kinda sucks because I don't really have a collection of straplocks from different brands to try and I don't really feel like opening up my AX Synth every time to try a different strap lock. I'm gonna write Roland again after Christmas and ask for advice.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Hey guys, i highly recommend you the dunlop strap lock system, very reliable, strong and can take a lot of abuse, and i mean a lot, i would stay away from the locks you just place on top of the strap/strap button unless you're not going to really move much, and specially by personal experience and not a good one i would stay away completely from a cheap thing called "The Ultimate Straplock" wich is one of those ones you put on top of the strap and the button, yes these things hold very well and they're some what strong but be aware that they can break easily and in my case i made a bunch of cuts on my hands with a broken edge. Look great for the show (bleeding hands) but not nice at all. So there's my 2 cents on this, i'm glad you guy are enjoying your AXs.

Karma

Karmafied wrote:

Hey guys, i highly recommend you the dunlop strap lock system

Unfortunately the Dunlop straplocks don't fit. And neither do Schaller, Boston, Ernie Ball or Warwic: their bases are all too wide (by about 1 mm) to fit inside the small recessed circular flat area on the Ax' body.

It may be possible to use these straplocks after all if you use a washer to fill up the small dent/recession in the Ax' plastic case in which the base of the straplock button has to fit. I asked Roland if it was ok to do it like that but they are not responding to my emails about this.

I guess they don't wan't to burn their fingers giving advice about a modification to the Ax, even though you have to do something like this if you want to follow the advice from their own manual to install straplocks instead of the standard strap buttons.

Hey Arjan, i'm not what are you talking about, i have the dunlops installed on my AX and they fit perfectly, i just had to of course open the keyboard, take the old buttons out and place the new ones,wich is fairly easy, no problems fitting the dunlop buttons at all,unless we are talking about different things, i use the "Dunlop Dual-Design Straplok System" on every single controller i have (rk100s,AX-1s, AX-Synths) and they fit on each one, the only thing is these dunlop buttons are a little taller than the original buttons but they fit perfectly, maybe you are talking about keeping the original buttons or something like that?? because otherwise these buttons fit with no problems.

I'll try to take a photo to show how is completely fine.

Karma

Karmafied wrote:

maybe you are talking about keeping the original buttons or something like that?

Originally that was what I was hoping to accomplish but I've given up on that. The installed strap buttons do not seem to be compatible with any type of straplock system, as opposed to previous versions (Ax 7).

Karmafied wrote:

i use the "Dunlop Dual-Design Straplok System"

I think that's the difference. I ordered Dunlop Traditional SLS1401N and those can not be fitted to an Ax Synth as-is. They do look quite different from the Dual Design version:


Dunlop Dual Design



Dunlop Traditional

Looking at the big difference I can believe that the Dual Design will actually fit. I had originally ordered the 'traditional' because I figured that the dual design would be more heavy duty (seeing as it can be used for bass as well) so the traditional seemed a safer bet. The local shop didn't even carry the dual design so I couldn't compare it.

Karmafied wrote:

I'll try to take a photo to show how is completely fine.

That would be great. Looks like I need to order some of those. These might be the only type that will fit the Ax Synth just like that.

Anyone need some traditional Dunlop straplocks :-) ? I don't think I can return them anymore as the packaging of at least one of them is damaged (I got two pair) plus it's been well over 30 days since I got them.

Thanks,
Arjan

Hello Arjan, yes indeed they're different, the attachment on the strap side will work with both but the button itself is different, there's some photos of one my AXs with the straplocks on it:

Hi guys, Sorry for the radio silence. Haven't been back here in a while.

To answer some questions:

In all this time, i've only had to open up and re-tighten once.

I think it just came down to me now doing it up super-tight in the first instance. But this was a while ago, and my memory fails me.

The one at the R.H. side of the keyboard doesn't do up tightly on my strap, and at the end of gigs it'll be pointing upside down

This is an occasional "problem". Like I said, the part that goes on the strap is u shaped, and fits onto the lock in that position. I find that at some gigs i'll go to take the strap off and it's loosened on the strap and rotated to the n position (I hope this is making sense, it's hard to word!). Even though I do it up as tightly as I can on the strap (with pliers) the problem still comes along occasionally. However, i've never had the strap come off whilst playing (and I do like to run/jump around a lot) so there's nothing to worry about it.

Also, do you have any pointers on opening the case, like which screws to remove and which ones to leave alone? I hate unscrewing self-threading screws, especially if they have been screwed into plastic.

It's all of the screws running around the perimiter of the synth. The two-strips of screws in the middle of the body are for the keyboard. You also have to take off the volume and aftertouch knobs. It's quite daunting to do for the first time, but take your time and you shouldn't have a problem.


Hope those answers helped. I really reccomend getting the strap-locks, for peace of mind more than anything. I think I only played a few gigs on mine, and when I held it in certain positions, the strap would come off. Also, I seem to recall trying to put the strap on the original strap buttons to be a pain, because they're so wide.

Karmafied wrote:

here's some photos of one my AXs with the straplocks on it:

Thanks! Gonna order some of those Dunlop Dual Designs tomorrow, looks like a perfect solution.

Glad i was of some help Arjan, nothing like to feel secure on stage, this babies made of plastic can be fragile sometimes and is better to have them steady and secure.

All the best

Many thanks to Karmafied and Arjan for their lengthy and explicit details and instructions on the Dunlop Strap-Locks. I just ordered a beautiful black AX and hardshell case and I am about to order the Dunlop Dual Design locks for it. I have read all of the posts I could find on this subject and you two guys have really enlightened me. Thanks again!

I have tried the Dunlop 7007 and was not pleased with it. It seems to come apart too often. It seems to be the only one on the market that Roland is suggesting for use. I still don't know why they did not use a standard guitar lock. Anyway, I have decided to build my own system that gives me a feeling of security when I am on stage. You are welcome to build your own from my design and know that your ax is not going to fall to the floor. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/fmunderground902?feature=mhum#p/u/0/TfNKtOYIC64

I don't get this, am I the only one who notices that none of the straplocks mentioned in this thread so far can be installed without using washers to prevent undue strain on the AX body? The diameter of the indented space where the base of the straplock connects to the body is simply a tiny bit too small, even for the Dunlop Dual Design. I'm sure you can force them on but it's going to put stress on the 'bump' surrounding this flat area.

Here are some measurements (+0.05mm):

10.5mm - Base of original Roland strap button
10.6mm - Area available on AX Synth (indented flat space)
11.2mm - Dunlop Dual Design (0.6mm too wide to actually fit)
11.4mm - Dunlop Traditional Design

The measurement of the available area is not quite as accurate as the measurements of the straplocks but there really isnt' that much of a margin between the original Roland strap button and the space available for it.

There is simply no way that you can fit the base of any of these straplocks into this recessed flat surface without using an amount of force that I consider unhealthy for the plastic casing of the AX Synth.

I now have Dunlop Dual Design straplocks installed using two washers to fill up this recessed area so that the bottom of the straplock's base is just above the edge of the bump. If anyone is thinking of installing straplocks of whatever brand or model I would recommend doing the same thing.

I'm also going to exchange the Dunlops for Schaller after all, I don't like how the Dunlop straplocks increase the distance betwen the actual shouldstrap and the actual body of the AX Synth, the extended arm of force is going to increase the amount of tork considerably. I believe the shoehorse design of the Schaller reduces this distance by a significant amount.

Regarding the Dunlop 7007, keep in mind that that is not an actual straplock and although it seems like a nice idea that doesn't require you to open up your AX Synth I'm hearing too many complaints with regard to reliability.

captaincowhouse wrote:

The one at the R.H. side of the keyboard doesn't do up tightly on my strap, and at the end of gigs it'll be pointing upside down (like the letter "n", instead of "u"), and you'd think that might mean the keyboard would fall off but not at all, no problems at all.

Are you sure you assembled it correctly? I'm using Schaller straplocks too now and I can't imagine how the shoehorse could ever rotate if you tighten the nut well. There's three little sharp bumps on the shoehorse the dig into the strap's fabric (leather if you're using the Roland supplie one), it should be pretty much impossible for it to rotate. You did put the large washer on the other side of the strap, not on the same side as the shoehorse?

As far as I'm concerned the Schaller's are the way to go, there's less tork on the point where the straplock meets the AX' body and it sticks out less to so it looks better too. Since as it turns out neither the Schaller nor the Dunlop will fit properly without filling up the recessed area where the straplock is mounted onto the AX there's no reason not to choose the Schallers.

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just use the red rubber washers off the tops of bottles of Grolsch lager - work an absolute treat, and look kinda cool on the old AX Synth! (plus - you get to have a couple of bottles of beer in the process). A guitarist friend of mine told me to try them... I've got dozens of spares now (what can I say - I like beer!!) lol