I need to extend my strap button

[davec629]

I need to extend my strap button (Upper horn) by about 3 inches. Any ideas would be wonderful! Maybe extending the present screw and enclosing it in a metal tube. If I can make it work it will make a great bass an outstanding bass.
Thanks in advance.

[pbasswil]

If some company doesn't make the hardware/kit for this fix, they oughta. There are so many cool looking and playing basses that neck dive.

[davec629]

Originally Posted by pbasswil

If some company doesn't make the hardware/kit for this fix, they oughta. There are so many cool looking and playing basses that neck dive.

You would think there would be a market for it. Balance is my number one priority even above weight.

[scotch]

Maybe adding weight at the other end of the body? A weighted strap, perhaps?

[davec629]

Originally Posted by scotch

Maybe adding weight at the other end of the body? A weighted strap, perhaps?

I really like the weight of the bass as it is but, I can keep that idea and try it out. I did try moving the rear strap location, well sorta. I ran my output cord thru the strap opening and plugged it in. It felt like the balance shifted a bit but I wont really know until band practice tomorrow.

[crustychef]

I tried adding weight to my Thumb bo5. I put model train weights with adhesive backs in the electronics cavity. It helped but on that bass it just wasn't enough, for me. I ended up selling it even though I love the tone.

[davec629]

Originally Posted by crustychef

I tried adding weight to my Thumb bo5. I put model train weights with adhesive backs in the electronics cavity. It helped but on that bass it just wasn't enough, for me. I ended up selling it even though I love the tone.

I would love to find a fix for that. I understand how you feel about giving up a bass you love because of neck dive. I love Thumb basses but have shyed away from them for just that reason. Alembic basses too.

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by davec629

I need to extend my strap button (Upper horn) by about 3 inches. Any ideas would be wonderful! Maybe extending the present screw and enclosing it in a metal tube. If I can make it work it will make a great bass an outstanding bass.
Thanks in advance.

Compliments on taking mesures. Many don't, while they should.

I can hardly imagine you write three inches. Are you sure you need that much?

Don't be afraid to drill. Find a piece of stiff metal tube (steel or aluminium, no brass) of about 8 mm diameter wide and 5cm long, with rather thick material (tube is stiffer compared to massive material).

About 2 inches of the tube should go into the body of the bass, leaving 3 inch to stick out. Take care to not having to use force when you insert the tube into the hole - that may split the wood.

Through the tube you put a long and thin screw that will just fit in. You need about 1,5 inch of screw length beyond the tube hole. To find that may not be easy. Ask your hardware shop for options.

Fit the tube into the bass, put the screw through the strap button and stick in/adjust through the tube.

Good luck.

[davec629]

Originally Posted by Chris K

Compliments on taking mesures. Many don't, while they should.

I can hardly imagine you write three inches. Are you sure you need that much?

Don't be afraid to drill. Find a piece of stiff metal tube (steel or aluminium, no brass) of about 8 mm diameter wide and 5cm long, with rather thick material (tube is stiffer compared to massive material).

About 2 inches of the tube should go into the body of the bass, leaving 3 inch to stick out. Take care to not having to use force when you insert the tube into the hole - that may split the wood.

Through the tube you put a long and thin screw that will just fit in. You need about 1,5 inch of screw length beyond the tube hole. To find that may not be easy. Ask your hardware shop for options.

Fit the tube into the bass, put the screw through the strap button and stick in/adjust through the tube.

Good luck.

How about a wooden dowel? I'm thinking of 1" x 3" dowel and inserting a 5" screw through the strap button into the dowel then into the screw hole. I can contour the end to match the horn shape and have a better weight support. Add a piece of felt to protect the finish.

[plangentmusic]

I use an extension on ALL my basses. (It makes sense to me that the horn should go to the 11th fret, but they don't). Balance is a HUGE issue with me.

The solution is simple. Just get a longer screw and stack 2 buttons on top of each other. You can also add a few washers, using the felt washer underneath in the original way. That'll give you another 2 inches. (3 inches is a little impractical).

You can also improve balance by moving the back button upward about an inch.

Doing both will VASTLY improve the balance.

[davec629]

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

I use an extension on ALL my basses. (It makes sense to me that the horn should go to the 11th fret, but they don't). Balance is a HUGE issue with me.

Exactly! Nothing feels better then a bass thats balanced. I've had some MPG basses that balanced so well. My spector is sooooooooooo close to that. I'm heading to the hardware store in the morning and will make that my project.

[gumbystuff]

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you the answer to your woes:

[anonymous122511]

Originally Posted by gumbystuff

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you the answer to your woes:

I used something like this I made out of threaded lamp rod and a long screw. I remember having to grind the head of the screw to fit in the strap button. Even then the bass while not nose diving anymore still didn't feel right.

This is the solution I ended up going with and even though it's ugly it makes the bass MUCH more comfortable than a horn extension. Keep in mind that back in 83 when I did my tuner retrofit Sperzels were the only lightweight tuners available. With the range of Hipshot Ultralites you might find something that you can get on yer bass with out doing the plug and re-drill I had to. Balancing by taking weight off the headstock isn't the cheapest or easiest solution but in my case it was the best.

[Nic.]

Some guy here did it on his thunderbirds. Can't remember who but it was pretty awesome.

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by gumbystuff

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you the answer to your woes:

Looks good, if the material is hard enough. But it does not look three inches long as the OP requested.
The technical problem is to prevent the extension from bending/breaking at the point where it comes out of the bass' body.

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by gumbystuff

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you the answer to your woes:

Is that an Url along the side of the package? What does it read?

[anonymous122511]

Originally Posted by Chris K

Is that an Url along the side of the package? What does it read?

www.bassbalancer.com but the link is dead.
A piece of stainless tubing and a long screw would do the same thing though and you could make it custom lengths.

[comet9]

try a strap button on the back of headstock, hootenanny style

[Jimbob Jones]

I've seen it done, the problem with just extending the button is that it puts a lot of extra strain on the screw. Chris K's solution would definitely work, but it's quite a drastic alteration to your bass!

I don't think you'd get a screw all the way down the middle of a dowell, it would just twist and split. I guess you could drill it, but IME stuff like that just comes loose all the time.

I'm guessing it's the Spector that has the issue? If so, there's a lot of wood to play around with on that upper horn!

I think a multi-pronged attack is best.

The dowell idea may well work with something shorter than 3": how about a 1.5 or 2" dowell and slightly weighting your pickup cavity/strap?

As far as installing the dowell, I would use a nice, long wood screw, maybe 3.5 or 4 inches.

This would decrease weight/pressure on the joint and hopefully give you the balance you desire.

Just my £0.02.

[gumbystuff]

Originally Posted by Chris K

Looks good, if the material is hard enough. But it does not look three inches long as the OP requested.
The technical problem is to prevent the extension from bending/breaking at the point where it comes out of the bass' body.

It is 2-9/16" long and looks to be thick enough to hold up well. I can't find any working link to buy a new one though.

I have had it for about 9 years and never used it as I was going to put it on my ASAT that I have since sold.