My beloved Tele+ has these little nubby buttons to hold the strap on. I've always kindof liked the way they look - minimal, refined - but they're kindof crappy about actually holding a strap.

I've had the body side of the strap slip off the button dozens of times, but I've always coincidentally had my left hand on the neck at the same time, so it's never actually fallen to the floor. (i shudder at the mere thought)

It's always puzzled me that that such an otherwise fine guitar would have such crappy strap buttons.

On the other hand, my adequate Mexican-made Strat has these conical strap buttons that don't look as nice (crappy-looking chrome plating), but will hold a strap pretty much perfectly.

Last week a little Googling alerted me to something I wish I knew 24 years ago. The buttons on my Tele are just half of a system. They're designed to work with Fender Strap Locks.

The other part of the system is a metal clasp with a nut and a big-ass chrome-plated metal washer to hold the strap! Put that on the strap and then it clips on the buttons.

$12

Duh.