Strap Button Screw Pulled Out

[guy n. cognito]

One of these days, we need 202dy to identify himself. It would be interesting to know if he truly has the credentials to go along with the attitude.

Sitting in my lap is a bass which, 4 years ago, had the toothpick and glue method performed to cure stripped screw holes. Since that time, its seen hundreds, if not thousands of hours hanging from a strap and the screws haven't loosened an inch. Now, I suppose I could have spent about $100 to pay a tech to do it "right", if only to satisfy some personal sense of superiority, but my method seems to be holding just fine.

[walterw]

dude, try reading the whole thread!

202dy graciously "conceded the point" about toothpicks and wood glue being a strong and valid method.

[tastybasslines]

Can someone suggest how many toothpicks is about right for a standard size hole? I'm about to do it and don't want to over stuff them. Is there a specific method to tell if I have enough?

After searching, all I see is "stuff as many in as possible" for the most part.

[erigod23]

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

After searching, all I see is "stuff as many in as possible" for the most part.

That's about right.

[tastybasslines]

Originally Posted by erigod23

That's about right.

I was worried, because on the horn, the #6 screw still fit OK in the #8 factory hole and held on fine, but I didn't trust it. I didn't want to do any damage. Same with the bottom lock, which was a little looser. I used very thin tooth picks and got about 4 max in the bottom and 3 in the top, stuffing them in. I filled both holes with Locktite wood glue, dipped the picks in the glue as well, and screwed the strap lock buttons back in and they both seemed to grab VERY tight. I'm going to let it dry overnight before strapping it back up.

I'm guessing it will be VERY reliable.

[HypersoulRocks]

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

After searching, all I see is "stuff as many in as possible" for the most part.

... that's what she said....

[Kerry_King]

It sounds like you won't have any more issues.

[DwaynieAD]

every time i put strap locks on a new bass the first thing I do is stuff the holes full of tooth picks, put some gorilla glue on the screw and send her on home. you will not be getting those strap buttons back if you use gorilla glue btw.

[kedo]

I went the toothpicks and wood glue route with a Strat one time. It worked great.

That "one time" was in 1990. Lotsa shows and rehearsals and jams and whatnot in those years, and not one time has there been an issue with strap peg screws.

Every bass or guitar I take ownership of gets this treatment now.

[walterw]

gorilla glue is not indicated here either!

it foams up, wrecks finish, and still isn't as strong as plain ol' wood glue.

(unless we're talking about gorilla-brand aliphatic wood glue; gorilla is making all sorts of different things these days besides their traditional foaming glue for decks or whatever. even then, their wood glue is the indoor/outdoor type, which is not what you want on guitars.)

[walterw]

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

Can someone suggest how many toothpicks is about right for a standard size hole? I'm about to do it and don't want to over stuff them. Is there a specific method to tell if I have enough?

After searching, all I see is "stuff as many in as possible" for the most part.

slather and stuff enough wood that the screw still goes in without major force, but "stops" solidly tight at the end.

if the screw still turns once it's bottomed out you didn't use enough wood, and if no glue squeezes out while you run the screw in there you didn't use enough glue (which is why you don't want anything but wood glue, so there's no risk to the surrounding finish).

[Johnny Crab]

JB Weld here since it became available. When you catch a 1964 Gibson Thunderbird just before it hits the stage floor(early 1970's, the old leatherstrap-screw straplocks pulled out at the neck heal), you tend to want to NEVER experience that again. As a rule, NO bass gets onstage without Straplocs.

For bolt necks, the rear button gets JB Weld but the front button goes into the neckplate with the threads it makes(no JB Weld needed)...in case you need to take the neck off in the future. This is done by drilling with a slightly smaller drill bit and working the screw and bit until you get "just enough" for the screw to go in. BE CAREFUL. I have sheared Dunlop Straplocs screwheads off before getting a very good feel for "how much torque" the heads take(big forearms and all that, roadies called me Popeye when we had roadies).

For set necks or neck-through, both buttons get JB Weld.

This method has worked since the early 1970's when spandex and long hair were had by many.

[96tbird]

Here comes Walter!

[Steve Dallman]

Flush mount straplocks.

[megafiddle]

I've used toothpicks and wood glue for all sorts of things including door hinges.
None ever failed. Nothing special either, just pushed in by hand as many as would
fit. Let it dry and redrilled pilot if needed.

Also this came up somewhere here - acoustic guitar bridges are glued on but do not
support the full string tension. The ball ends of the strings grab a maple bridge plate
on the underside of the top. There is full tension on the top though, and that is glued
on. Glue is plenty strong.

[micgtr71]

I used the toothpick method on my jazz and it came out after a while...like 6 years or so. My tech used some insanely long screws and the bass has been fine ever since.