I'm curious about others opinions on the DeJacques saxophone straps. I've been using them since the late 1990's and love them. I don't know how long they've been around but I would guess since the 1970's anyway. I love the feel of the thinner soft cloth-like weaved strap on my neck. The clasp is ingenious and has never failed me. I like being able to hold my sax up with the neck over my shoulder where the strap kind of hangs loosely without having to worry if the hook has fallen off when I go back to play. Its also great for quick changes when doing pit orchestra work or in other doubling situations. I'm also a big fan of the slider mechanism which seems to never slip.

Am I just biased because I've used this strap exclusively for so many years or have I just missed the boat by not trying other straps?

Cheers,
Mark Overton
saxquest.com
saxophone.org
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* Last updated by: MarkOverton on 4/4/2012 @ 8:19 PM *

I used to like very much the DeJacques strap, particularly because of the non-slipping adjusting mechanism. In fact, I own two, the black version and a classy fully white one.
Until I noticed how quickly and horribly was it wearing out the hook ring on my Reference alto.
Then, I inmediately change to a Cebulla strap with a plastic snap hook, which is very safe and soft with my hook rings. Also, its slider mechanism doesn't slip at all.
* Last updated by: QuiniMoreno on 4/5/2012 @ 3:53 AM *

Quini is correct about the Dejacques strap quickly wearing out the strap ring. Too much pressure is concentrated in too small an area.

I know many players who use the DeJacques Ultra Saxophone Strap. It looks comfortable, but it's not at all for me. That thing makes me nervous for so many different reasons. I also do not like bare-uncoated steel directly on the brass ring...it will wear out the brass ring fairly quickly on some makes of horns. I think plastic or a plastic coated hook is easier on the instrument - long term.

Saxgourmet has a nice one with a leather back pad that is comfortable if you are in a tux or a t-shirt.

BG has a very robust line of high quality straps in all kinds of different styles and hook options. There adjustment lariat is 2nd to none. It will stay put even with a big bari or bass sax.

Neotech finally came out with a new strap with a non-streatchable back-pad that doesn't "bounce" like the old ones did. Man, I hated those things. The heaver the horn the more it bounced. I suppose you can get use to it, but I am glad they finally gave us another option. I guess they finally got tired of hearing me complain about it every year at NAMM.
* Last updated by: jim_scimonetti_sr on 4/5/2012 @ 9:36 AM *

Dr. Overton,
I very much do like the DeJacques' straps, but I am unfortunately one of the two people I know who has had the clasp break. It broke while I was playing, nonetheless, in or around 1998. It was absolutely the ideal strap until that happened. I tried to go back to it in 2005/2006, but there is a psychological barrier for me at this stage. I like BG Yoke straps the best now followed by the Cebulla strap; the only drawback is these straps are bulky. I wish the engineering and/or metallurgy on the DeJacques' straps could be improved, if it has not already in recent years.