Squier VM Precision stripped screw holes

shadewind · #1 03-07-2010, 08:16 AM

I was checking out a friends VM Precision that I'm thinking of buying but when looking under the pickguard and then screwing it back, I noticed that ALL of the screw holes for the pickguard was stripped! I soon noticed that one of the screws for the bridge was a bit loose... because it was stripped.

Is agathis really THAT soft? Seem weird...

rumblethump · #2 03-07-2010, 10:36 AM

Your friend obviously doesn't have a clue, or find where he took his bass for repair and never go there.

Easy fix. Put a drop of wood glue in the hole, cram it full of tooth pics, snip off the excess, let dry, carefully replace screws until finger tight.

shadewind · #3 03-07-2010, 10:48 AM

That's exactly what I did

shadewind · #4 03-07-2010, 06:14 PM

Question still stands though... is Agathis really that soft? Is it softer than basswood? Softer than pine?

Or like this... rate Agathis, Basswood and Pine from the softest to the hardest, anyone?

Bevo1995 · #5 03-07-2010, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadewind

Question still stands though... is Agathis really that soft? Is it softer than basswood? Softer than pine?

Or like this... rate Agathis, Basswood and Pine from the softest to the hardest, anyone?

Who cares? Play the thing!

shadewind · #6 03-07-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bevo1995

Who cares? Play the thing!

I'm not gonna buy that bass anyway. But I'm wondering if the problem is caused by the softness of agathis or if it's cause by something else? It would be nice to know so I could keep it in mind for the the future if I want to buy an agathis bass.

walterw · #7 03-07-2010, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rumblethump

Easy fix. Put a drop of wood glue in the hole, cram it full of tooth pics, snip off the excess, let dry, carefully replace screws until finger tight.

almost right. do exactly as above, but slather the toothpick pieces in wood glue as well, and crank the screw in right away, while the glue is still wet.

the idea is to use the screw to provide the clamping pressure that wood glue needs to dry strong. this also lets the wood dry in the shape of the screw threads, making for a stronger hole.

also, you should stuff enough wood in there so that you can crank the screw in reasonably tight right away.

if done right, this method will leave you a hole that's at least as strong as the original unstripped hole.

Pilgrim · #8 03-07-2010, 09:23 PM

The problem isn't the wood...it's the loose nut who ran the screwdriver.

lonote · #9 03-08-2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

The problem isn't the wood...it's the loose nut who ran the screwdriver.

Bingo!!

mongo2 · #10 03-08-2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadewind

Question still stands though... is Agathis really that soft? Is it softer than basswood? Softer than pine?

Or like this... rate Agathis, Basswood and Pine from the softest to the hardest, anyone?

Agathis: the pieces I've had are quite hard, and rather heavy.

Basswood: hardness and weight is all over the place some hard and heavy some very soft and lighter.

Pine: white pine...soft (lighter), yellow pine...harder (heavier).

Perhaps you'll notice a pattern there.

I worked a piece of maple for a solidbody and the hardness varied quite a bit in different areas of the piece. Some sections are harder and more difficult to drill, sand and screw into, and other sections are very easy. Same with cutting on the bandsaw, some areas are hard and the others cut like butter. Sounds good though.