For over 15 years, artist and
designer Jodi Head has been
producing high-quality hand-
beaded products, including guitar straps, and her client list reads like the guest list to the Grammys.
Head’s beaded straps, ranging in price from $400 to $1,000, are used by top musicians like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Richie Sambora, Les Paul, Dickey Betts, Steve Vai, Kid Rock, Melissa Etheridge, Emmylou Harris, Paul Stanley, Sheryl Crow, Merle Haggard, and many more. For us Grammy guestlist wannabes, she makes a less-expensive series of straps called the Wholesale line, which range in retail price from $30 to $120. We checked out seven of them.
Most of the straps have the standard 21/4″ wide high-quality leather base, but are overlayed with cloth, leather or simulated snake skin and machine stitched. The ultra-cool materials include a purple oriental dragon pattern, glossy black, and red alligator, a horseshoe-and-cowboy pajama flannel, a flock of cranes in a midnight sky, a matt black snakeskin, and a natural snakeskin with red leather piping.
All the straps have the standard loop-through length adjustment and two strap button holes on one end for quick adjustments. Each is very comfortable, of the highest quality, and had its own unique “personality” with lots of cool New York City vibe. If you’re looking for a little flash and flare to set you and instrument apart from the crowd, check out Jodi Head straps.
(Ed note: At this month’s NAMM show, Jodi is giving away of one of her straps, hand-beaded with Austrian and Chezch crystal sewn into leather. Check it out at booth 4853.)

Jodi Head Straps
Type of Strap: 21/4″ leather.
Features: Machine stitching, overlays of custom cloth, leather, or simulated snake-skin.
Price: $30 to $120.
Contact: Jodi Head Guitar Wear, 104 E. 4th St. #G-4, New York, NY 10003, (212) 995-5116, jodihead.com.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s Mar. ’02 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.