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History: Singer-songwriter Cara Jean Wahlers started making guitar straps in September 2019, following more than 20 years of work as an illustrator and graphic designer. She said the pandemic lockdown year of 2020 allowed her a chance to find resources and refine creations for her Tremolo Hand Built business. Wahlers specializes in cloth straps accented by vintage fabric and painted leather straps.
Groovy gear: Wahlers sews vintage patterns of paisley, flowers, animals and geometric shapes to backings of repurposed seatbelt material. “Everybody asks me where I get stuff,” she said. “It’s like any vintage: at a garage sale, in the attic of someone’s grandma, on eBay.”
Brushing up: Wahlers punches holes along the edges of leather guitar straps and stitches each border by hand. What’s painted on the straps is up to the customer. “People order them almost like tattoos,” she said. “And you never can tell what they’re going to want.” Past selections include images of roosters and strawberries.
High-profile customers: Bruno Mars, Walk the Moon guitarist Eli Maiman and Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan have purchased Tremolo Hand Built guitar straps. Breezy Peyton of the Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, a globetrotting trio based in Brown County, sports a Tremolo Hand Built strap on her washboard.
What’s in a name: Wahlers’ background as a musician influenced the name of her business. “Tremolo” is defined as a rhythmic change in volume that creates a wavering sonic effect, and Wahlers said she’s guided by what musician Buddy Miller told Premier Guitar magazine about his amplifiers in 2019: “I have not turned my tremolo off since ’81 or ’82. I mean, why would I?’”
Finding an audience: Wahlers said she’s sold more than 3,000 pieces of “bespoke rock ’n’ roll stuff.” Social media helps spread the word, and customers frequently mention her work in videos and photo captions. “Musicians love small makers, and I didn’t realize that when I went into it,” she said. “I did not realize how well I would be treated and how supportive everybody would be.”
Shopping guide: Prices for Tremolo Hand Built guitar straps start at $65.
Website: etsy.com/shop/tremololeatherco
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