Bill Silverman is a guy with a dream. Just what the guitar world needs, right? Always the perfectionist, Bill is a guitar lover who spent five years searching for the perfect leather strap for his Thinline Tele™, only to find straps that were too thin, made from poor materials, or suffered from bad workmanship. Finally, the solution: he made his own!

El Dorado Accessories was born out of necessity, and Bill is now marketing some of the sturdiest straps around, all designed with the working musician in mind.

"These are for guys who have to gig all night and want a strap that looks good, compliments their guitar, and feels comfortable all night long," Bill said.

Made from the highest quality stitched leather, these Western-style straps feature work by skilled artists who utilize the  traditional methods of saddlery, and

with time the patina and suppleness just keep getting better. Besides the fine leather quality, featuring hand-tooled designs, the straps use engraved metalwork and a wide, fleece-backed pad, creating a really striking product.

"I'm quite impressed." Lyle (Workman) drawled in his best Western twang. "These things are made so solidly."

Colors include tan, black, and brown. My personal favorite is the tan, which shows off the beautiful leatherwork. The German silver tips and buckles are a striking addition, and the traditional designs (acorn & oakleaf, and flower & leaf) are intricately executed and pleasingly Americana. At a list price of around $150, these babies are not cheap, but they're worth every penny - and you wouldn't want to wear a crappy $5 strap with your $2,000 guitar, now, would you?