What Guitar Strap Does Slash Use? Inside His Custom Red Monkey Slasher (2026 Guide)
Strap Lab • Artist Gear
Inside Slash’s custom Red Monkey Slasher guitar straps and a partnership that began in 2006.
Slash performing at the Sunset Strip Music Festival on August 28, 2010, wearing a custom Red Monkey Slasher featuring a one-of-a-kind sterling silver Monkey emblem.
Photo by Torry Pendergrass.
Quick Answer
Slash has used custom Red Monkey Designs guitar straps since 2006, when Dunlop Manufacturing introduced him to Red Monkey.
His primary Red Monkey strap is the Slasher, a narrow-profile handcrafted leather guitar strap built around the way he already played.
Over the years, Red Monkey has created numerous custom variations for him, including early Round Monkey versions, the now-standard Cut-Out Monkey emblem, wider Custom Shop straps for his double-neck guitars, and a one-of-a-kind sterling silver Monkey created for the 2010 Sunset Strip Music Festival.
Verified Slasher Reviews From Red Monkey Customers
Jessica Les Paul / Comfort
“I recently purchased a "Jessica" Les Paul and wanted to try the Slasher guitar strap.... ordered with pre-cut strap lock holes. It fit the strap locks perfectly and is super comfortable.”
Scott HayesLes Pauls / High-Quality Leather
“I bought two of these for my Les Pauls and I love them. Ample room to adjust to your body. And they are more comfortable than I expected. The leather is of high quality which you would see for horse reins. Try one out for yourself.”
Eric S.Three Slasher Straps
“I have three Slasher straps, one for each Les Paul. Funny thing is I used to think that heavy guitar require thin straps. Well I was very wrong. The straps are a bit stiff, when new, but just roll them around with just your hands for a few minutes and they become supple enough.”
Gary SmeltzerSlash & Red Monkey: A Quick Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Dunlop Manufacturing introduces Slash to Red Monkey Designs. |
| Circa 2007 | Red Monkey builds a wider 2-inch Custom Shop strap for Slash’s double-neck guitars. |
| 2010 | Slash appears in Guitar Center’s Your Next Record with Slash campaign wearing an early Red Monkey Slasher. |
| August 28, 2010 | Slash performs at the Sunset Strip Music Festival wearing a custom Slasher featuring a one-of-a-kind sterling silver Monkey emblem. |
| October 10, 2010 | Slash performs at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip wearing a Red Monkey Slasher. |
When Did Slash Start Using Red Monkey Guitar Straps?
In 2006, Dunlop Manufacturing introduced Slash to Red Monkey Designs.
By that point, Slash had already spent years developing his own preferences on stage and had used many different styles of guitar straps throughout his career.
Red Monkey wasn’t brought in to reinvent Slash’s setup. The goal was to build handcrafted leather straps around the feel, movement, and thin-profile style he already preferred.
The result was the Red Monkey Slasher, which became the foundation of his Red Monkey collection.
Over the years, the Slasher has evolved through numerous custom builds while remaining faithful to the narrow-profile design Slash has long preferred.
Slash performing circa 2007 wearing an early Red Monkey Slasher.
Photo by Scott Uchida.
Red Monkey didn’t change Slash’s setup.
We built around the way he already played.
The Slasher: Slash’s Signature Red Monkey Guitar Strap
The strap most closely associated with Slash is the Red Monkey Slasher.
Designed around the playing style he had already developed long before Red Monkey entered the picture, the Slasher features a clean, narrow profile that allows freedom of movement while maintaining the handcrafted quality Red Monkey is known for.
Although many players assume a heavier guitar automatically requires a much wider strap, Slash has consistently preferred the feel of a narrower leather strap throughout his career.
His setup is a reminder that comfort is ultimately personal. The best guitar strap is the one that complements the way you actually play.
Slash’s Typical Red Monkey Strap Setup
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Model | Slasher |
| Profile | Narrow |
| Material | Premium top-grain and full-grain leathers |
| Construction | Hand-built by Red Monkey Designs |
| Primary Use | Recording, live performance, and touring |
The Slasher Strap Exception
On paper, narrow straps shouldn't work well with heavy guitars.
Most players assume a Les Paul or bass always needs a wider strap for comfort and support.
The Slasher proves there are exceptions.
At 3/4" wide, the Slasher is narrow, fast, and unmistakably rock-and-roll. But because it is built from premium leather with balanced construction, it performs far beyond what its width suggests.
That is why players looking for a classic narrow strap still choose the Slasher for serious instruments.
Built to Break In, Not Break Down
Some of the clearest evidence of how these straps are used can be seen in Slash’s own stage-worn Red Monkey Slashers. Years of touring, rehearsals, and performances create natural patina, softened leather, and visible wear while the straps continue doing the job they were built to do.
Stage-worn Red Monkey Slasher guitar straps showing the natural patina, softened leather, and break-in that develop through years of touring and performance.
Why Does Slash Use Such a Narrow Guitar Strap?
There is no single guitar strap width that works for every player.
A wider strap can help distribute the weight of a heavy guitar across more of the shoulder, which is why many Les Paul and bass players prefer 2-inch or 3-inch straps.
But comfort also depends on playing style, body position, movement, muscle memory, leather feel, and what a player has become accustomed to over years of performing.
Slash has long favored a thin-profile strap, and the Slasher preserves that feel rather than forcing him into a wider format simply because of the weight of his guitar.
The best strap is not the one someone else tells you to use.
It is the one that works for the way you play.
For more on choosing a strap for a heavier Gibson, read our Best Guitar Straps for Les Paul guide.
2007: A 2-Inch Custom Shop Strap for Slash’s Double-Neck Guitars
Slash already had double-neck guitars as part of his live rig before Red Monkey entered the picture.
Around 2007, Red Monkey expanded the collection by building a 2-inch Custom Shop strap for those heavier double-neck instruments.
The wider format provided additional support for the extra weight while keeping the build visually connected to the Red Monkey straps Slash was already using.
It did not replace the Slasher. It was simply another tool built for a specific instrument and purpose.
Slash performing with a double-neck guitar wearing a wider Red Monkey Custom Shop strap built for the added weight of the instrument.
The Evolution of the Red Monkey Emblem
One of the easiest ways to spot different generations of Slash’s Red Monkey straps is by looking at the Monkey emblem.
The Original Round Monkey
Early Red Monkey Slasher straps built for Slash featured the original Round Monkey snap-head.
Another detail found on many of these early builds is the vertical Custom Shop stamp positioned below the Monkey snap. Together, the Round Monkey and Custom Shop stamp are two of the easiest visual details to identify on early-era Slash Red Monkey straps.
That Round Monkey version was later retired from Slash’s regular strap rotation.
The Cut-Out Monkey
Slash later moved to the Cut-Out Monkey emblem, which became the standard design used across his modern Red Monkey straps.
His collection includes numerous variations. In different photographs you may see the Monkey positioned toward the front, the buckle positioned prominently toward the front, or different combinations of buckle and Monkey hardware.
The details change from strap to strap, but the Cut-Out Monkey has become the defining modern Red Monkey emblem across Slash’s collection.
The Original Round Monkey Lives On
Although Slash eventually transitioned to the Cut-Out Monkey emblem, the original Round Monkey design did not disappear.
Today, Joe Perry of Aerosmith continues to wear a Red Monkey Slasher featuring the original Round Monkey snap-head, keeping one of the earliest Red Monkey design elements alive on stage.
While Slash’s collection evolved, the original Round Monkey design found a new home with Joe Perry, becoming part of another legendary stage rig.
The evolution reflects how Red Monkey builds around each artist’s personal preferences rather than forcing every player into the same design.
Joe Perry of Aerosmith wearing a Red Monkey Slasher featuring the original Round Monkey snap-head, a design originally used on Slash’s early Red Monkey straps.
2010: Slash and the Guitar Center “Your Next Record” Campaign
By 2010, the Red Monkey Slasher was appearing with Slash not only on stage, but also in major promotional advertising.
Guitar Center’s “Your Next Record with Slash” promotion featured Slash wearing one of his custom Red Monkey Slasher guitar straps.
The campaign offered aspiring musicians the opportunity to record and perform with Slash, while the promotional artwork also captured one of the early Red Monkey strap configurations clearly: the Round Monkey snap-head with the vertical Custom Shop stamp beneath it.
For Red Monkey, the image provides a clear visual snapshot of the Slasher during this period and documents how the strap had become part of Slash’s recognizable public look.
Slash featured in Guitar Center’s Your Next Record with Slash campaign wearing an early Red Monkey Slasher with the original Round Monkey snap-head and vertical Custom Shop stamp.
August 28, 2010: The Sunset Strip Music Festival Strap
For Slash’s performance at the Sunset Strip Music Festival on August 28, 2010, Red Monkey created one of the most distinctive versions of the Slasher.
Instead of the standard Monkey hardware, the strap featured a custom sterling silver Monkey emblem.
The sterling silver Monkey was made thinner than the standard version specifically for this custom strap and performance.
Slash wore the piece during the Sunset Strip Music Festival performance in which Fergie joined him on stage.
The photograph at the top of this article was captured during that performance and shows the custom sterling silver Monkey on the Slasher.
October 10, 2010: House of Blues Sunset Strip
Just weeks later, Slash was photographed performing at the legendary House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles wearing another Red Monkey Slasher.
Slash performing at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles on October 10, 2010, wearing a Red Monkey Slasher guitar strap. The legendary venue closed on August 7, 2015, and the building was later demolished.
Photo by Torry Pendergrass.
Where Have You Seen Slash Wearing Red Monkey?
Slash performing live at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles on October 10, 2010, during the early years of the Red Monkey partnership.
Photo by Torry Pendergrass.
Since the partnership began in 2006, Slash’s Red Monkey straps have appeared in far more places than concert stages.
Depending on the era and strap, fans have seen Slash wearing Red Monkey during:
- Guns N’ Roses performances and tours
- Slash solo performances
- Guitar Center advertising and promotions
- American Idol
- A Capital One commercial
- Books and published features
- Television appearances
- Special performances and music events
Across different guitars, outfits, stages, television appearances, and eras, the Red Monkey strap has remained a familiar part of Slash’s setup.
Over nearly two decades, the Slasher has evolved through multiple custom builds while maintaining the same narrow-profile philosophy that defined the relationship from the beginning.
Can You Buy the Guitar Strap Slash Uses?
Slash’s personal Red Monkey straps include custom details and variations built specifically for him.
The Red Monkey Slasher, however, carries the same narrow-profile concept, handcrafted leather construction, and unmistakable rock-and-roll attitude associated with the straps Red Monkey has built for Slash since 2006.
His personal collection has evolved over many years, so there is no single Slash strap configuration. Different builds have featured different Monkey emblems, buckle placements, hardware combinations, and custom details.
If you’re choosing a strap for your own guitar, start with our Best Guitar Straps Guide or explore Red Monkey’s custom options below.
Related Strap Lab Guides
- Best Guitar Straps Guide 2026
- Best Guitar Straps for Les Paul
- Best Guitar Straps for Heavy Guitars
- Leather vs Nylon Guitar Straps
Frequently Asked Questions
What guitar strap does Slash use?
Slash has used custom Red Monkey Designs leather guitar straps since 2006. His primary Red Monkey strap is the Slasher, a handcrafted narrow-profile leather guitar strap that has been part of his stage setup since the partnership began.
How wide is Slash’s guitar strap?
The Slasher is approximately 3/4 inch wide, reflecting Slash’s long-standing preference for a thinner-profile leather strap. Red Monkey has also built wider custom versions for specific instruments, including a 2-inch Custom Shop strap for his double-neck guitars.
Does Slash use a leather guitar strap?
Yes. Red Monkey builds Slash’s straps from premium leather, with exact materials and details varying across his different custom versions.
Why does Slash use a narrow guitar strap with a Les Paul?
Slash has long preferred thin-profile guitar straps. While wider straps can improve weight distribution for many players, strap width is personal and depends on playing style, comfort, movement, and years of muscle memory.
Are Slash’s Red Monkey straps custom made?
Yes. Red Monkey has built numerous custom variations for Slash since the partnership began in 2006, including different Monkey emblems, buckle configurations, wider double-neck straps, and one-off pieces for special performances.
When did Slash start using Red Monkey guitar straps?
Slash began working with Red Monkey Designs in 2006 after an introduction from Dunlop Manufacturing.
What is the sterling silver Monkey strap Slash wore in 2010?
For the Sunset Strip Music Festival on August 28, 2010, Red Monkey created a custom Slasher featuring a one-of-a-kind sterling silver Monkey emblem. The Monkey was made thinner than the standard version specifically for the strap and performance.
Can I buy Slash’s guitar strap?
Slash’s personal straps contain custom details built specifically for him, but Red Monkey offers the Slasher and other handcrafted leather guitar straps built around the same narrow-profile design philosophy and construction standards.
Final Word
Slash had his own playing style long before Red Monkey entered the picture.
The job was never to change it.
Since 2006, Red Monkey has focused on building handcrafted leather guitar straps that fit the way Slash already plays, from the Slasher to wider Custom Shop builds for his double-neck guitars and one-off pieces created for specific performances.
Build it right. Build it by hand. Build it for the player.