I put dunlop straplocks on my P-bass a while a go and i didn't really know what i was doing when i put them so I got frustrated when the screws that came with locks were to small for my bass and the orginal screws wouldn't fit in the straplock, so i took the screw that came with it and i glued it in because thats what the guy at the store told me to do when i tried to return them, so i glued it in on the upper horn but on the lower horn for some reason the smaller screw fit and has stayed there until yesterday. Now I don't want to glue in the screw what alternatives do i have?

Brandon

I've always taken a small wooden dowel or a larger diameter toothpick and filled the hole with that.

find a dowel or toothpick that will fit in the hole- glue that sucker in there and let it dry for a few days- then screw you straplock in there.

I'm sure you'll get a few more refined options, but this has always worked for me. Just make sure you're using a quality wood glue so that you get a good bond between the bass and whatever you decide to fill the hole with.

Good luck.

Insert toothpicks and woodglue into the hole... wait 24 hours, trim the toothpicks flush to the bass and install the screw. Simple as pie.

Insert toothpicks and woodglue into the hole... wait 24 hours, trim the toothpicks flush to the bass and install the screw. Simple as pie.

i need to do this as my schallers ripped out of my stingray...wow never buying scallers again...dunlop is the way to go for me

i need to do this as my schallers ripped out of my stingray...wow never buying scallers again...dunlop is the way to go for me
I'm exactly the opposite- I've had Schallers for years with no problems, but had 2 sets of dunlops fail on me. Whatever floats 'yer boat.

do you guys wait with your tooth picks, i just screw mine in straight away....

do you guys wait with your tooth picks, i just screw mine in straight away....
I always wait for the glue to dry- i guess your way would work equally as well so long as you resist the temptation to strap up and play for a few days while the glue is still wet.

I always wait for the glue to dry- i guess your way would work equally as well so long as you resist the temptation to strap up and play for a few days while the glue is still wet.

hmm, nope :D i had to do it at a camp once, played 2 hours later....

i need to do this as my schallers ripped out of my stingray...wow never buying scallers again...dunlop is the way to go for me
May I add that I decided to put Carvin straplocks on all four of my axes several years ago. There were no modifications needed, and the screws that came with them fit the stock screw-holes fine. They were just perhaps 3mm longer.

The other thing I discovered was that the knob mounted on the instrument can also be used with any strap, just takes a little gentle manuvering to get the leather to fit over it.

hmm, nope :D i had to do it at a camp once, played 2 hours later....
was that at a band camp by any chance? :eek:

I think you probably got lucky on that one- letting the glue dry would seem to be an integral part of the process.

Something that has always worked well for me with wood is superglue. Yeah.. It wicks into wood very well and dries fast. Some thin s-glue can wick into wood threads and harden them, keeping them from stripping out. With some toothpicks, I'd probably use some medium or not-too-thick gel or something, but any of it will work.

Mag...

I use a medium gel superglue on my wood lathe. I know this is not about my bass, but I spin some unbalanced wood at like 2000rpms just 15 min. after using the super glue. I would think a bass and some toothpicks would be fine pretty fast.

BTW, my Schallers didn't fit either. The screw ole on the body was too big. I bought the next size larger wood screw (in black) and drilled out the hole on the knob to make the new screw fit. Worked great.

Basses like the avatar shown don't like hitting the floor.
Since some basses SEEM to have "less strong" wood than others....JB Weld gets put in the screw holes and a bit on the tips before screwing Dunlop Straploc screws in. Yes, the screws get put THROUGH the Straploc button BEFORE JB Weld is applied...


Ain't coming out and ain't no collector...buy 'em to play 'em or they go to eBay.

I have Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue at my house will that work sufficiently?

I have Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue at my house will that work sufficiently?

Yes.

The repair guy that I take my basses to (also a bass player) says he doesn't use straplocs anymore because the screws are always coming loose. I think it's because the strap pulls on the screw so far away from the bass body (about 1/2 inch for Schallers and 3/4 inch for Dunlops). He convinced me to go to a strap button with "wings" to prevent the strap from slipping off. I never disconnect the straplocs anyway so it won't make any differnce to me (except the screws won't come loose anymore :) )

The repair guy that I take my basses to (also a bass player) says he doesn't use straplocs anymore because the screws are always coming loose. I think it's because the strap pulls on the screw so far away from the bass body (about 1/2 inch for Schallers and 3/4 inch for Dunlops). He convinced me to go to a strap button with "wings" to prevent the strap from slipping off. I never disconnect the straplocs anyway so it won't make any differnce to me (except the screws won't come loose anymore :) )

I dunno about Dunlops, but my Schallers are the same distance from my bass's body as the stock strap buttons, so I don't really buy that argument. I think what is more likely is that either folks put 'em on way too tight, and strip the wood, or the screws are too small, and folks don't recognize that fact . . . .

- Tim

... He convinced me to go to a strap button with "wings" to prevent the strap from slipping off. I never disconnect the straplocs anyway so it won't make any differnce to me (except the screws won't come loose anymore :) )

Strap locks rule -- not just because you can snap a strap in/out quickly and securely --- but for me, I often double on another instrument (while looping) and simply sling my bass around behind my back. The bottom button could let go of your strap if it weren't a strap lock. - Mark

I dunno about Dunlops, but my Schallers are the same distance from my bass's body as the stock strap buttons, so I don't really buy that argument. I think what is more likely is that either folks put 'em on way too tight, and strip the wood, or the screws are too small, and folks don't recognize that fact . . . .

- Tim

Try measuring from the body to the strap. With a stock strap button the strap ends up only about 1/8" from the body. I can post pictures if your not getting my meaning...

Try measuring from the body to the strap. With a stock strap button the strap ends up only about 1/8" from the body. I can post pictures if your not getting my meaning...
I flushmount my straplocks. They're closer to the body than any buttons can dream to be...

post a link on those straplocks you use,RAY?

post a link on those straplocks you use,RAY?

Part AP_6583-001 from allparts.com

I flushmount my straplocks. They're closer to the body than any buttons can dream to be...

Then I would suggest that you've fixed the problem that causes the screws to loosen.

Then I would suggest that you've fixed the problem that causes the screws to loosen.
Actually, I didn't have that problem to do it. What got me to do it was Warwick. I saw how nice their basses looked with flushmounts on them. It's neat not having that button stick out. Does it make a big difference? No. But one I notice :).

Nothing like seeing your baby swinging away from you with only the tenuous grip of your index finger and thumb keeping it from swatting one of your fans square in the forehead.

I replaced the screws that came with the Schaller locks with 1/2" longer stainless steel screws, and a couple of drops of Chair Loc in the hole to swell the wood snug.

Just removed my Schaller and glued in a toothpick with Elmer's Carpenter glue. Waiting till tomorrow to put the screw back in.

i need to do this as my schallers ripped out of my stingray...wow never buying scallers again...dunlop is the way to go for me

i wouldnt say this is a schaller problem, id just assume that the schaller screws were too small for the holes currently in your bass...the toothpick trick wouldve taken care of that.

i wouldnt say this is a schaller problem, id just assume that the schaller screws were too small for the holes currently in your bass...the toothpick trick wouldve taken care of that.

It did for me. Just put my Schaller back in and it is set like concrete.

was that at a band camp by any chance? :eek:

I think you probably got lucky on that one- letting the glue dry would seem to be an integral part of the process.

It is, but standard wood glue dries in a few hours. Besides, the pressure of the screws keeps everything in place.

I flushmount my straplocks. They're closer to the body than any buttons can dream to be...

I've always wanted to do this as well, as I'm also a big fan of the über-clean look as well as taking out the "ripping screw from body wood" factor out of the Strap Lock equation and pretty much leaving it up to pure mechanical failure on the locking mechanism (not that I've had a single Dunlop StrapLok fail on me in 17 years and 6 basses ;) ).

Can I ask what your personal trick is to installing them in a bass that's already been clear-coated? Do you simply go very slow with an electric drill to avoid cracking the poly, or is there something more technical (or easy) that I'm missing?

I personally have the best luck with matchsticks, and without using any glue. When I've had to do this in the past it's usually been to one of my bandmate's guitars and right in the middle of our set - haven't had much time or resources to glue anything anywhere. I just keep a few matchstick ends in my gigbag and a screwdriver.

I've never had a problem yet, although reading this thread is making me a bit sick in the stomach.

Oh well... if it falls, it falls. I always hold my basses firmly by the neck, it's not the end of the world if the body dents, as long as the thing stays in one piece :hmm:

I know this is an old thread, but could anyone answer this question for me?: After you have your toothpicks trimmed and your glue dried, do you just screw right in, or do you drill a new hole?

Screw them right in to the same hole.

do you guys wait with your tooth picks, i just screw mine in straight away....

Me too. usually don't use glue either.

I've always wanted to do this as well, as I'm also a big fan of the über-clean look as well as taking out the "ripping screw from body wood" factor out of the Strap Lock equation and pretty much leaving it up to pure mechanical failure on the locking mechanism (not that I've had a single Dunlop StrapLok fail on me in 17 years and 6 basses ;) ).

Can I ask what your personal trick is to installing them in a bass that's already been clear-coated? Do you simply go very slow with an electric drill to avoid cracking the poly, or is there something more technical (or easy) that I'm missing?

This is a bit time consuming but the safest way is to overbore the hole repeatedly. Start with a drill bit that is just a bit larger. Rebore the hole. Then move up another step.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Some caveats:

When stepping up drill bit sizes, care should be taken to make small steps, not more than a thirty second of an inch. A sixty-fourth per increase is even better. Riffler files can be used to thin the finish over the existing hole to thin the finish to minimize the risk of cracking.

A cone shaped stone bit like those sold by Dremel or virtually every machine shop supplier can be used to thin the surface without fear of cracking the finish. Simply use the existing hole to pilot the grinding surface into the finish. This procedure will have to be repeated as the hole becomes larger and discontinued prior to achieving maximum diameter.

If the guitar is immobilized accuracy will be easier to achieve.
The body should be chucked up in a padded vise. This allows two hands to be used on the drill. Electric or hand driven drills can be used.

Gracias, 202dy. Unfortunately I don't have the physical equipment to do so on my own (Apartment-dwellers ;) ) but perhaps when I visit my folks or Grandparents I'll bring my basses to convert to flush-mount. :D

The repair guy that I take my basses to (also a bass player) says he doesn't use straplocs anymore because the screws are always coming loose. I think it's because the strap pulls on the screw so far away from the bass body (about 1/2 inch for Schallers and 3/4 inch for Dunlops). He convinced me to go to a strap button with "wings" to prevent the strap from slipping off. I never disconnect the straplocs anyway so it won't make any differnce to me (except the screws won't come loose anymore :) )


If a repair guy can't figure out how to keep a straplock installed.... :D

Ask him how he gets a strap button screw to stay in but can't get a straplock screw to stay put.


They're both screws.
:D

If a repair guy can't figure out how to keep a straplock installed.... :D

Ask him how he gets a strap button screw to stay in but can't get a straplock screw to stay put.


They're both screws.
:D

Something's screwed alright.