Q. How Do I Install this?
A. Using the 7/64” Allen Key provided unscrew the machine screw in the strap lock button to separate the parts. Place the keyhole ring over the end pin and slide it to the narrow end of the opening. Slip the plastic cover plate into place with its forked end wedged under the strap lock button flange and line up the screw holes. Reinstall the strap lock button using the Allen key and firmly tighten. Acousti-Lok does not block the battery cartridge. Will not fit TAYLOR® Guitars original AA battery powered EXPRESSION SYSTEM®. If the plastic cover plate won’t slip into place, the strap pin flange may be slightly bent. Rotate the Acousti-Lok to try it from different directions. If necessary, sand the underside slightly on a flat surface just until it’s thin enough to slip into place.
Q. Will this work on the original AA battery powered EXPRESSION SYSTEM® by TAYLOR® Guitar?
A. No. The internal shape of the AA strap button is curved and not as open as the 9v strap buttons. You could consider having the system updated to a 9v system. Contact TAYLOR® for details.
Q. I have a TAYLOR® Guitar but I don’t know which Acousti-Lok to buy?
A. All TAYLOR® Guitars with a 9v EXPRESSION SYSTEM® battery box will need a MN272 Acousti-Lok Strap Lock Adapter for TAYLOR® Guitars with a 9 Volt EXPRESSION SYSTEM® Battery Box.
Models built in the 90's and early 2000's with the slider controls mounted on the body have systems made by FISHMAN® and the Standard part number MN270 will work.
TAYLOR® Guitars with ES-B™ or ES-Go™, TAYLOR® GS Mini® without Electronics that have a for 3 Screw Output Jacks & Endpins will need a MN273 Acousti-Lok Strap Solution for 3 Screw Output Jacks & End Pins
Q. I have a TAYLOR® with a 9v Expression System from 2007 but it looks different than the one you show on the package and website. Which Acousti-Lok will fit my guitar?
A. For the first few months of production in 2007, Taylor 9v Expression System battery boxes used a different thread with a chrome or gold jack cap and a couple thousand guitars were built this way. If your battery box looks like the photo below you can remove the cap using pliers and install Acousti-Lok MN271 for metric output jacks.
Q. Will this work on recessed or flush mount jacks?
A. No
Q. Will the end of my strap block the output jack?
A. The amount of extra material that goes beyond the strap pin opening on a guitar strap varies considerably. While this material may seem to partially block the output jack opening, it is flexible and can rest against or lay over the guitar cable with no issue. If you’re running into an issue with your strap you may be able to trim the end of the strap, depending on how it’s made. Also, consider using a right angle plug into your guitar if you’re not doing so already. That may allow a longer strap end to rest over the jack once it’s plugged in. Acousti-Lok was designed to be as stealth and unobtrusive as possible while serving its ultimate purpose, securing the strap to the guitar with strap locks. A longer or larger design may not fit into some guitar cases as well and would protrude further off the guitar.
Q. What size allen key wrench is needed to tighten the strap button?
A. 7/64”
Q. Will Acousti-Lok work with DUNLOP® Straps Locks?
A. It's easy to convert Acousti-Lok to be used with DUNLOP® strap locks, but you will need a shorter screw. Simply loosen the screw holding the Acousti-Lok strap button in place and replace it with the DUNLOP® strap button.
We use and recommend a socket head cap screw #6-32. Screw lengths needed are 1/4" long for FISHMAN® and LR BAGGS® style (MN270 & MN271) and 3/16" for the TAYLOR® 9v EXPRESSION SYSTEM® (MN272).
If you're handy you can file or grind down the original screw to the appropriate length. Please note the screw can not protrude beyond the surface of the underside at all or it will scratch your guitar.
For more details on how to convert the Acousti-Lok to work with DUNLOP® Strap Locks CLICK HERE for a tutorial video.
Q. Which Strap Locks can Acousti-Lok work with?
A. Your Acousti-Lok strap lock adaptor is equipped with a high-quality Schaller style strap lock pin. If you intend to install Schaller style strap locks on your guitar neck and strap, then you’re all set. By the way, when we say “Schaller style” we’re referring to the design Schaller came out with in 1981. Since then, many companies have made copies of this design. Some are better quality than others but most importantly we want you to know you have many options in choosing a Schaller style set of strap locks. Fender, Grover, Guitar Center, Thomann, Warwick and Seismic Audio are some of the companies making these. Check Amazon, Reverb.com or Ebay and you’ll find even more choices at great price points.
Tip for using Schaller S-Locks: The strap pin and mounting screw are fused together with this design and the screw is too big to use in the neck heel of most acoustic instruments without the risk of cracking the neck. We recommend using a Schaller style button that uses a separate screw. These buttons can be purchased separately and allow you to use a screw that’s sized appropriately for your installation.
If you like the idea of using strap locks on your acoustic guitar without having to modify it but prefer another style other than Schaller, Acousti-Lok is still the right choice! You can easily replace the stock button on your Acousti-Lok with the strap lock button of your choice. It’s simply a matter of removing the button using a 7/64” Allen key and installing the replacement. Different buttons require different length screw to mount correctly. You want to use a screw that is long enough to securely attach but it can’t be so long that it protrudes past the bottom surface of the Acousti-Lok at all. If it sticks out even a tiny bit, it WILL scratch your guitar, so check carefully when converting.
Some players choose Acousti-Lok as a way to avoid the tough job of fitting the strap around the oversized output jack on most acoustic/electric instruments. If you’re in this camp, you have a couple options. You can simply hook your strap onto the Schaller strap lock button and be done with it since the button is designed to also work as a non-locking strap pin. This works ok, but honestly doesn’t give the most secure fit. We recommend that if you’re using your Acousti-Lok this way, choose a replacement button that has a wider top that’ll make it more difficult for the strap to accidentally slip through. The D’Addario Elliptical button has been a popular choice with our customers for this conversion. Just like replacing the button with a different brand strap lock, you want to use a screw that is long enough to securely attach but it can’t be so long that it protrudes past the bottom surface of the Acousti-Lok at all. If it sticks out even a tiny bit, it WILL scratch your guitar, so check carefully when converting.
Q. Do I have to buy Schaller brand strap locks to be compatible with Acousti-Lok?
A. No. You can use Schaller brand strap locks, or one of the many copies of their original design that are readily available. Here are several options:
Grover Strap Locks
https://grotro.com/product/strap-locks/
Available in four colors: Black - GP800B, Nickel - GP800N, Chrome - GP800C, Gold - GP800G
Fender Strap Locks
https://shop.fender.com/en-US/parts/strap-locks-buttons/fender-strap-locks/0990690006.html
Available in three colors: Black - Model #: 0990690006, Chrome - Model #: 0990690000, Gold - Model #: 0022043049
Note: “Fender ‘F’ Strap Locks” are a completely different design and not compatible.
Guitar Center’s Proline Brand Strap Locks
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Proline/Strap-Lock.gc#productDetail
Available in three colors: Black - Item #1275860129318, Nickel - Item #1275860129329, Gold - Item #1275860129634
Framus & Warwick - S-Style Security Lock System
https://shop.warwick.de/en/Parts+for+Instruments/Strap+buttons+/+Straplocks/Framus+and+Warwick+-+S-Style+Security+Lock+System+-+Black
Available in five colors: Black - SP 30315 SB, Gold - SP 30316 SG, Chrome - SP 30318 SC, Satin Chrome - SP 30317 SS, Nickel - SP 30319 SN
TAYLOR®, EXPRESSION SYSTEM®, FISHMAN®, SCHALLER®, DUNLOP®, K&K SOUND® and all other third party brand names are trademarks of their respective owners. Music Nomad LLC is not affiliated with those owners, nor claims ownership of those marks.