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What’s new at Zystrix? Read on… March 17, 2025 The Best Guitar Straps for the Metal Guitarist In the last issue we looked at impulse response loader pedals (click here for a refresher) and there was an impulse response free offer. In this issue we’re going to look at the most bang-for-the-buck guitar straps for the metal guitarist. There are a lot of straps available, but the best ones are a little harder to find. And there are a few bonus brands at the end. The subject of guitar straps is maybe a little boring, but some day a new strap may be in order for someone. And getting back to the topic of impulse responses, there’s a new free download of never before released Djammincabs Super Maxxx 4x12 impulse Responses version #02. These impulse responses are designed for the guitarist who has a pedal that only accepts short impulses (under 50ms), so they are easy to cut down (truncate) from 200ms and still retain their sonic integrity. And there are also 23 close mic’d type short burst stereo cabinet files included (if your impulse pedal utilizes stereo). So sit back and relax. Welcome to Zystrix, the heartbeat of the universe. Where creativity and free-thinking have more value than conformity. Background Artwork The colorful artwork that surrounds the edges of this website is invisible to many cell phone users. It’s included here for your enjoyment. Multiple copies are tiled together for a cohesive and seamless background seen all around this page. Enjoy. Guitar Strap Introduction If you play guitar standing up eventually you’re going to use some kind of guitar strap. And a strap even helps to stabilize your guitar while seated. And it’s a great way to make a fashion statement and customize your live presentation. Unfortunately there are many straps that either don’t hold up well, or twist, or bind, or are just generally useless over time. I’ve thrown away many of them, and usually they are of the nylon type. The second worse are generally the woven type. And although they do look cool with all the different woven patterns, they tend to split apart length-wise. So the point I’m trying to make is I would suggest spending a little more on a strap that has some longevity. It’s better to have a $40 strap that lasts than to have two $20 straps that later become useless. Leather has high durability and lasts a long time. It takes time to break- in but gets more comfortable over time. And if you’re guitar is a heavier solid body don’t forget that a wider strap is easier on the shoulder. Consider something 2.5 to 3 inches wide. There are some great durable straps to be had out there, it just takes a little shopping. And if the plain versions are purchased the strap can be adorned with your favorite square, diamond, chrome, brass, and dome shaped studs. Check out Etsy, Amazon, leather shops, and biker supplies for metal-through- leather adornments. Be careful not to put them in the shoulder area. Or go to a nearby biker shop and ask who does leather work. I hired a woman who stitched on snake skin for a reasonable price – a cool look. Or have your initials or name put on for a guitar strap (I did that too) for a strap that’s very individual and personal. Also please note that this list is about straps only, not strap-locks. That’s another discussion for another day. And I am not going to mention every brand of strap available because I’m not trying to be exhaustive. How ever you decide to go, a durable leather strap is usually a good choice because it lasts a long time. So let’s look at some guitar straps… THE FINE PRINT: We never use affiliate links to monetize this website. Unlike most music websites, Zystrix never receives any commission on any gear or software you may purchase via a link on this website. Ever. This keeps our reviews dead honest, removes financial conflicts of interest, and also helps keep your price of gear lower. Top Guitar Strap Picks Levy Guitar Straps If I had to choose only one brand of strap I’d choose Levy. Why? They’re a little pricey but they make some excellent straps that are very durable and come in various leather shades and styles. And you’ll never need to buy a strap again (except to add to your collection). I’d go with something plain and make my own changes (like snake skin), but that’s just me. Tooled leather also looks cool, but factory tooled means someone else has that design too. Anyway, there are enough Levy choices to go around. And the strap is made in Canada, so depending on the prevailing political winds (and whims) it may cost somewhat more in the USA because of the excessive border tax, that is, if it’s even available. Right now they are weighing in at $43.52 USA. Click here for more info or to order a Levy Guitar Strap. Fender Broken-In Leather Fender is another company that makes some durable straps. Their Broken-In Leather is especially nice, and surprise, it’s comfortable even when it’s brand new. The strap is made of a glossy cowhide leather and has a very soft feel. It comes in black, green, brown, and tan, it’s 2.5 inches wide, and it adjusts from 46” to 54.5 inches long. Like a lot of leather goods, they have a toned down look. Since it’s made of leather this is another strap that will last a long time. These are about $44.99 USA depending on the market. Click here for more info or to order a Fender Broken-In. Ernie Ball Neoprene This strap is made of neoprene and comes in widths of 2 or 3 inches, and it’s length adjustable from 46 to 54 inches long. Neoprene is durable, and this would make a nice choice for an extra strap, but I just haven’t been able to make friends with neoprene. Oh sure, it’s reasonably priced, and it comes with OK “strap locks” built in, but I’d rather buy some permanent metal strap locks that are not too esoteric or one- kind-only-fits-one-kind. But that’s just me, and it’s all a matter of what the strap has to do for you. These straps are about $34.99 for the 2-inch wide and about $39.99 for the 3-inch. Click here for more info or to order an Ernie Ball Neoprene. Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Festival I like the woven colors. I like the cool look. And so many choices. It takes me back to my youth when guitar straps of this type were sold at every mom-and-pop music store. Unfortunately though, every strap I ever bought of this type came apart lengthwise and eventually got thrown away. But this Dunlop Jimi Hendrix hippie- looking strap collection just seems to inspire. And they are relatively inexpensive, about $27.99 USA or thereabouts, so get one just to say you own one. Groovy, man. Click here for more info or to order a Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Festival. Guitar Strap Conclusion In this guitar strap listing I passed over many types and brands in favor of ones that last. I spent many decades buying fashionable and colorful guitar straps only to throw them all away. The junky ones are for playing at home on an equally junky guitar, but that’s if you want to bother. There are other excellent leather guitar strap brands you may also enjoy like Perri’s, Franklin, Walker and Williams, and the budget friendly P&P. All of these brands can be found at the Walmart online shopping website for a reasonable price -- they were last week anyway. There are also the high-priced made-to-spec straps available if you want to find something made just for you. Try buying from a local leather shop and save money and also be involved with the art. Also consider Leathersmith Designs for a personalized guitar strap, but they are also made in Canada, so here in the USA, at least at the time of this writing, there’s always the added Trump Tax to deal with. Good luck. Djammincabs Here’s a new free download of over 1400 never before released Djammincabs Super Maxxx 4x12 impulse Responses -- this is version #02. What makes them any different? These impulse responses are designed for the guitarist who has an impulse loader pedal that only accepts short impulses (under 50ms) like the Flamma Cab FS07, Mooer Radar, Joyo Cab Box, or the Engl Cabloader, so they are easy to cut down (truncate) from 200ms and still retain their sonic integrity. And there are also 23 close mic’d short burst stereo cabinet type files included (if your impulse pedal can utilize stereo). Try new Djammincabs Super Maxxx 4x12 vers 2. Don’t touch that dial… Stay tuned next time… Well, so much for guitar straps, it’s time to move on. Next time we are going to look at the best strap locks for metal guitar. And we’ll have a home-made strap lock recipe you may enjoy for the do-it-yourselfer. Maybe I’ll see you then. I was raised as an only child – which really annoyed my sister. 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ZYSTRIX POPULAR FREE DOWNLOADS The Best Free Synthesizers of 2024 It’s another epic issue, and there’s lots of FREE downloads here. And the Honorable Mention Synthesizer List might surprise you. This list is long, so prepare yourself. And if it seems like too much to take in, I warned you. Click here for the official list of The Best Free Synthesizers of 2024. The Best Free Mastering Plugins Your DAW (digital audio workstation) will be so happy. And so will you. Here are the best of the best for EQ, compression, limiting, tube and tape emulation, reverb, delay, and honorable mentions. This list is a must have with lots of downloads. Check out The Best FREE Plugins for Mastering 2024. Here’s a free download of almost one and a half hours of original neo-classical solo piano by Dangerous Neighbors. This full length album called Piano Top to Bottom consists of 18 original piano pieces with the final piece in two movements. There is a bonus track making 20 files total. This download comes in three format options: the first option is a single file MP3 containing all the tunes in one chunk similar to tape recordings. The second download option is a folder with all of the separate MP3 piano pieces named and arranged in album order similar to a CD or MP3 player. The third download option is similar to videos found on “ZooTube” with the names and times on the screen. There is also a fourth surprise version made only for “ZooTube” and it is edited down to less than 15 minutes long because of their telephone number required rule. Basically it just guides the listener here. To download any or all of these options simply click here. Enjoy. Free Guitar Cabinet Impulse Responses Introducing the next generation in guitar cabinet impulse responses. Try the new Djammincabs Maxxx 4x12. All of these cab IR files are based on old, new, and boutique 4x12 cab curves. All are recorded in beautiful 24-bit 48K mono and will work on most free and paid digital convolvers. Hear the guitar IR breathe fire with pure attitude. Don’t be suckered in with high-dollar sales pitches, there ain’t no guitar IR downloads better than these. Choose from many cab sound recording styles: cone, edge, angled, arm away, inside cab, back of cab, or back of room. Djammincabs is the world leader in guitar cab IR invention -- no other guitar IR company can imitate these. Djammincabs Maxxx 4x12 makes it easier for you to design your own personalized sound -- even your own Metal IR pack. If you can’t find a cabinet or combination you like here, then you don’t like 4x12 cabinets. This guitar IR download also includes a Tactical Munitions Manual with suggested uses and detailed cab combinations. This is the best free guitar impulse download available anywhere. Djammincabs Maxxx 4x12 “Murder Your Competition.” I feel brave. I want to try them now. Here’s my email... Djammincabs for Guitar Free Guitar Impulse Responses This is the original Djammincabs guitar cabinet impulse response collection that started it all. Click here to download over 200 Free Guitar Cabinet Impulse Responses. Djammincabs for Bass Guitar Download Free Bass Impulse Responses Click here to download over 200 Free Bass Guitar Cabinet Impulse Responses. Best Free Guitar Impulses. The Top 11 Best Free Guitar and Bass Cabinet Impulse Responses for 2022 (in alphabetical order…) Find, download, and test the best free guitar cabinet impulse responses for 2022. FREE BASS LOOPS SAMPLES DOWNLOAD ROYALTY FREE BASS LOOP SAMPLES FREE BASS LOOPS Over 200 samples are included in the collection Download the complete collection of 24-bit bass loops here. NOTE: This download size is approximately 369 Megs. Free Pendulate Synthesizer Presets Original Newfangled Audio Pendulate synth patches/presets Click here to download over 240 Free Pendulate Synth Presets (patches) Synapse Audio Dune Synthesizer Download Over 200 Free Synapse Audio Dune 2 and Dune 3 Synthesizer Patches and Presets Click here to download over 200 FREE Synapse Audio Dune 2 or Dune 3 synthesizer patches or presets. NOTE: This synth patch download is slightly over 1 Meg in size. Free Reverb Impulse Responses This is our most popular download page. Choose from hundreds available in 48K 24 bit WAV format including many new original reverbs. CabSpace Over 400 Guitar Isolation Booth Reverbs Download over 400 Free Zystrix Original Reverb Impulse Responses, and over 200 Free Zystrix Original BONUS Reverb Impulse Responses. Download all the Alesis MIDIVerb 4 reverb impulse responses. Download all the Lexicon MPX-1 reverb impulse responses. Download all the Alesis Wedge reverb impulse responses. Download over 50 Reverb Relics from the past including oil cans. Click here to download free reverb impulse responses. Free Drum Samples Only Available from Zystrix Free Gong Samples and Sounds Free Snare Drum Samples and Sounds Free Bass Drum Samples and Sounds Free Oriental Cymbal Samples and Sounds Free Oriental Bells Samples and Sounds The Ultimate Original Drum Sounds List Download over 2000 original slammin’ rock bass drums. Download original Gongs, Cymbals, Broken Cymbals, and Bells. Download Over 200 Free Original Bass Drum Sounds and Samples. Download over 200 Original Free snare drum sounds. Click here to download Drum Kit Sounds. Dangerous Neighbors The SW Michigan Rock Band Power Trio. Free Rockin’ Music Downloads Download tunes from the 80s to today. Use the special codes on the Embalmed for Life page (see the DOWNLOAD FREE AUDIO BOOKS link below) and get free downloads for the complete album and the free horror audio book The Fluid - Embalmed for Life. Click here to download various music from the rock band Dangerous Neighbors. Download Free Synth Samples for Intros, Interludes, and Endings Listen to example #01 by clicking here (MP3 Sample) Download FREE professional quality stereo sample packs that slowly evolve over time. All samples are in 48K 24 bit WAV format and are about 20 seconds long or more. If you like suspense, psycho, outer space, or terror then this collection is for you. These range from paranoia to sci-fi, cinematic gore to strange industrial horror, and creepy creatures to insane laboratories. Click here to download all the synth Intros, Interludes, and Endings. DOWNLOAD FREE AUDIO BOOKS The Fluid, Embalmed for Life There are Free Audio Book codes for Audible downloads (must sign up). There are also free sample downloads of the book reading. There are free downloads of music samples. There is a free “Look Inside” download of the paperback. There is a free glossary of the largest list of mortuary slang in the world. The Free Dangerous Neighbors Album The Fluid, Embalmed for Life comes included as part of the audio book and parts are available here as a free download. The paperback book is available for sale at Amazon dot com. I have no control over these sales; because of the Amazon agreement I cannot offer complete paperback or complete audio books here. And for some reason most book sales go to Japan. Who would have thunk it? Click here for free audio books, book reading samples, music samples, etc. Take me back to the top of the page. Zystrix Privacy Policy THE FINE PRINT: Zystrix is a world leader in personal privacy and we take your privacy very seriously. We do not store, sell, give away, or barter with any of your personal or private information including your email, IP address, links clicked, location, habits, tastes, online activities and behaviors, or anything else considered personal or private information. 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