| With soft bodywoods this will be a problem.
The screw that the manufacturer used is just long enough and just thick enough to get the job done. The narrow short screw that is used will hold up fine with a sedentary bass player. But if you jump about like a monkey on fire, the screw does not absorb the shock of the bass bouncing about, the soft body wood does. Over time you end up with a loose screw.
A longer and larger diameter screw to anchor the strap buttons will make a big difference. Use a screw that is about 2 inches longer and maybe one size thicker. Be sure to pre-drill a pilot hole,do not force a larger longer screw into the body wood. The thicker screw may need to have the hole in th strap button drilled out. If you are unsure about any of this, get someone else to help...local guitar tech or Luthier.
If the screw holes on your bass are too worn out, Drill out the strap button holes with a drill bit about the same diameter as the base of the strap button. Use some good strong woodworkers glue and a hardwood dowel.
Cut the dowel just long enough to be flush when you pound it in. Pound the dowel into the screw hole and wipe away any excess glue. Do not use so much glue that you cannot get the dowel all the way in. Wait 24 hours or so. Now all you need to do is to re drill your pilot hole and reinstall the strap buttons.
If you did it right, the strap button will cover the dowel completely. If you had to re drill a little bigger, a larger felt washer will hide the dowel nicely.
Sadly I do not have pics, as the 2 times I did this, one bas was mine and it has long been sold, the other was a guitar done for a friends band. The bass repair has held up for over 20 years...
__________________  Don't ask me, I'm still trying to find the #@$#& "trust rod" on a bass! I would hesitate to use the phrase "very good bassist" in any association with my name
Last edited by ProfGumby : 03-23-2008 at 09:45 AM.
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