Saving Your Neck: A Review of Just Joe’s Gel Strap

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Introduction

Over the past few years, I have tried many neck straps in an effort to find one that offers the perfect balance of comfort, ease of adjustment, and durability. Most importantly, I needed a strap that alleviated the pressure put on my neck, whether I was playing tenor or alto saxophone.

Recently, I visited Tim Lin, owner of The Bebop Sax Shop, while he was in the Bay Area playing gigs and providing repair services. While Tim was working on my tenor, he showed me a few Just Joe’s Sax Gel Straps and suggested I check them out. After using the strap for practicing and gigging over the past few weeks, I wanted to share my experience.

Selecting the right neck strap is a deeply personal choice that can save your neck and back in the long run (I certainly wish I had invested in a quality strap much earlier in my saxophone journey). Here is a quick background on Joe and why he designed this specific strap.

Background: The Story Behind the Strap

Joe started playing clarinet at an early age but switched to the saxophone in 7th grade. For the past 30 years, he has worked in the band and orchestra retail business. As the owner of Just Joe’s Music, he enjoys working with musicians of all skill levels, from students and hobbyists to professionals.

In 2001, Joe was diagnosed with a ruptured disc in the middle of his cervical column. Since he hadn’t suffered any other physical trauma, his doctors concluded that years of having saxophones hanging from his neck was the most likely cause. Following surgery, Joe went on a search for the perfect neck strap.

Prior to his diagnosis, Joe had used a classic Ray Hyman strap since the late 70s. Post-surgery, he tried various straps and harnesses. With the exception of full harnesses, he found that standard straps still concentrated the majority of the saxophone’s weight directly on the middle of his cervical column—the exact location of his spinal fusion.

Joe began experimenting by adding padding to the sides and back of his Ray Hyman strap. His goal was to displace the weight onto the neck muscles and away from the spine. This experiment led to the signature design feature of his product: the separation of the gel pads on the back of the neck. Based on these findings, Joe decided to manufacture his own solution, leading to the creation of the Just Joe’s Sax Gel Strap.

The Review

I have accumulated a vast collection of straps over the years from brands such as Neotech, BG, Oleg, Marmaduke, Boston Sax Shop, Kölbl (My Smooth Moose), Roberto’s Winds, JL Woodwinds, and SaxLabs. My goal has always been to find a strap that removes as much pressure as humanly possible so I can simply practice and play longer.

Options & Customization

The specific model I reviewed is the Original, featuring black leather, a black anodized slider, and a standard brass hook. Joe also offers:

  • The Deluxe: Tan leather (slightly thicker) with a gold anodized slider.
  • The Formal: White leather with a black anodized slider.

Joe also offers a “build your own” option if you want to select a specific combination of leather, slider, and hook.

Build Quality

Joe states that his strap leverages premium-grade leather and a viscoelastic polymer. Here is what I found regarding the construction:

  • Materials: The leather is soft and comfortable against the neck, but the built-in viscoelastic polymer is what sets this strap apart from others on the market.
  • Hardware: It features a high-grade, black anodized aluminum slider. I liked that the sides of the slider were textured, providing a better grip for easy, one-handed adjustment.
  • Connections: Industrial-grade eyelets and crimps generally secure the strings to the leather very well.
  • The Hook: The strap comes with several options: brass, 24k gold plated, thermoplastic-coated metal, or traditional nylon fiber plastic. While all are viable, I prefer the standard brass hook with the plastic cover. It prevents wear on the saxophone’s strap ring, offering the best balance of longevity and simplicity. It is also thick enough to resist bending—we all know a bent hook can lead to a disastrous trip to the repair shop.

In terms of feel, this strap reminds me most of my old “My Smooth Moose” strap by Kölbl (which I picked up from Roberto’s Winds years ago) regarding the high-quality soft leather and adjustment bar. However, I found the Kölbl leather to be a bit thicker than the Just Joe’s.

Comfort & Pressure

I found the Just Joe’s Sax Gel Strap to feel very comfortable around the neck. The padding was the “Goldilocks” thickness—not too thick, not too thin.

In terms of pressure, this strap alleviated the weight of my alto and tenor significantly better than other standard neck straps I own. That being said, I still alternate between the Just Joe’s and my Saxholder.

  • The Comparison: The Saxholder distributes weight to the shoulders rather than the neck, which objectively makes the horn feel lighter. However, the Saxholder can be cumbersome.
  • The Verdict: When it comes to aesthetics, ease of use, and traditional comfort, the Just Joe’s strap wins. While the Saxholder may alleviate more pure weight, the Just Joe’s Sax Gel Strap offers a superior balance of support, style, and convenience.

In addition to my own experience, I reached out to other players who have used the strap, and Joe was kind enough to answer a few questions regarding their feedback.

Q&A

Zach: I have spoken to players who enjoy the Just Joe’s neck strap, but some mention that the leather can stain their shirt collars over time. Is this a known issue?

Joe: A few players have reached out about staining. It usually occurs when sweat is part of the equation. Leather and moisture can be a challenge. I have recently been experimenting with some leather sealers. My straps are real top grain leather from whole hides, not a bonded leather product. So, the leather goes through a tanning process. That tanning process is what probably gets broken down by moisture. The sealer should solve this occasional concern in the near future.

Zach: Regarding the Deluxe model, why is the brown leather thicker than the black leather?

Joe: Leather thickness is a balancing act. I want it thick enough to hold its form but thin enough to feel luxurious. You’ll notice that the neck side of my strap is thinner than the back side. I want the gel to “work” on the neck side. If the leather is too thick on the neck side it can lessen the effectiveness of the split gel pads. There is still an absolute advantage, just to a lesser degree. The tan and white leather do not have an accompanying thin leather for the neck side. It’s just the nature of things when dealing with those colors. Not everything is available to me at the same thickness as the black leather.

Final Thoughts

I want to thank Tim for giving me the opportunity to test drive the Just Joe’s Sax Gel Strap and compare it against the many others I’ve collected over the years.

When it comes to traditional, high-quality neck straps, I can easily see why so many players choose Just Joe’s. The premium materials—from the leather, string, slider, and hook to the built-in viscoelastic polymer—ensure this is a piece of gear that will hold up to years of wear and tear, whether in the practice room or on the bandstand.

The Just Joe’s Sax Gel Strap ranges from $99 to $114. The higher price point includes the wide “enhanced” slider bar (similar to what I have seen on Boston Sax Shop, Vandoren, and Pro-Tec offerings) as well as the large brass hook.

Another excellent feature is the customizable string length. Joe offers various lengths so you can find the perfect fit, whether you are doubling on soprano, alto, tenor, or baritone.

If you are looking to purchase or find out more about Just Joe’s neck straps, you can visit Joe’s website here.

Alternatively, you can buy directly through Tim Lin, the exclusive US distributor, at bebopsaxshop.com or via email at bebopsaxshop@gmail.com.