There’s not a single guitar player who doesn’t know what a guitar strap is, and the vast majority also have at least one. If you ask a guitar player what a strap is made of, you’ll most likely hear answers like Cotton, Leather, Polyester, or other types of fabrics. Wood, though, is very rare in this product category.
Revo is making guitar straps out of different types of wood, and for this review, they sent me their Tigerwood Gordo strap. I have many things about it that I want to share with you, so let’s begin.
Table of Contents
The Dry Specs
Materials
The Gordo strap is made of wooden beads held by a very strong string. The string can hold up to 300lb, so it can hold even the heaviest guitars.
Actually, it’s more than capable of holding more than 10 of the heaviest guitars you have.
On one side, there’s a thick leather piece that is attached to the guitar, and another piece of leather is made to set the length of the strap as well as to attach it to the back of the guitar.
Assembly
The quality of assembly, to me, is just as important as the quality of the materials, if not more.
I found no flaws, not even a single piece of wire that was unnecessarily visible or anything that was out of place. Considering the insane amount of beads (159, if you’ve asked yourself) in different sizes, it’s an impressive accomplishment.
Measurements
The strap itself is 38 inches long (95 cm), and when the back strap connector is attached the way I connected mine, it adds 4-5 inches.
Packaging and What’s in The Box
The strap comes inside a nice wooden box containing the strap and a thick leather piece connecting the strap’s back to the guitar.
When I say ‘thick’, I mean it. Its gauge is just under 4mm, or 1/6 of an inch.
How to Put the Revo Strap (3 Ways)
You don’t put the Revo strap as you would other straps. First, you have to put it together.
1. Attach the leather piece to the back side of the strap
I’ll be honest with you: it took me a couple of minutes to figure it out. I ended up just trying a couple of ways and figured out the way I preferred.
The point where you start determines the strap’s overall length, but you still have room to adjust it later.
I went back and forth between a few methods:
I ended up choosing the third way, demonstrated in the images above
2. Attach it to the strap buttons
Choose one of the three holes to connect to the back side of the guitar and attach the front one.
My Impression
Appearance
I don’t think there’s a way to describe the looks of this strap in any other way other than breathtaking. This is, obviously, a very subjective manner, but still, there’s no denying that even if you’re not into wood grain, it is very aesthetically pleasing.
There are no inconsistent beveling or areas with too much wire visible.
Comfort
I was worried that wood might be too stiff to be comfortable as a guitar strap. To my surprise, its stiffness makes it superior to leather and other types of fabrics.
Because wood doesn’t bend, it spreads the guitar’s weight across the entire width of the strap rather than focusing it on its center.
Revo Strap Models
Revo has three different models of wooden straps. Two of them are 2″ wide, and one is 3″.
In addition to the types of wood listed below, there are occasional limited runs and special editions, so keep your eyes open if you’re interested.
Revo
Revo is a 2-inch wide strap made of wide wooden beads.
The Revo model is available from these types of wood: Black, Cocobolo (2-tone Rosewood), Mahogany, and Rosewood.
Solano
Solano is very similar to Revo, but the beads used are narrower than Revo’s. It is available in: Black, Cocobolo (2-tone Rosewood), Mahogany, Rosewood, and Tigerwood.
Gordo
Gordo is the strap I got. It is made of rounded beads in different sizes and shapes and is available in these colors: Black, Blonde (Tempisque), Mahogany, and Rosewood.
My Honest Opinion
It is an expensive guitar strap. There’s no denying that. Given that you’re most likely not buying a new strap every month, I think it’s a wise idea to invest in a comfortable strap, even if it’s more expensive.
Another cool thing about it is that because the leather pieces are so thick, they don’t twist like the back part of common straps tends to. The downside of it being so thick is that there’s not enough room to add a rubber strap lock, but you don’t really have to, either.
I absolutely love this strap, I really do. In fact, while writing this review, I bought 2 additional Revo straps (and a set of picks).
Pricing and Where to Buy it From
The price of each Revo Strap is determined by the model and type of wood it’s made from. The Revo and Solano straps cost between $99 to $199, and the Gordo is a bit more expensive.
You can buy the straps from their official site, as well as from their Etsy store. If this is the first time you try it, they have a ‘$10 off’ offer you can claim for your first purchase from their website.
Finishing Thoughts
Rarely do I find a product that changes the way I use my guitars. I say “use” rather than “play” because it affects how I expect to feel the strap on my shoulder rather than how I actually play.
The one downside of the Revo Straps is their pricing, but only when compared to cheap straps. When you put it next to most high-end straps, especially hand-made ones, it’s really not expensive at all.
Revo Guitar Strap Review
I really liked the Gordo model. It's comfortable, and it looks fantastic. The build quality is impressive, especially given the amount of beads that need to move freely while not showing the string. The main drawback is the price compared to a cheap strap, but Revo is well within range compared to most high-end ones.
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Comfort
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Looks
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Build Quality
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Price