Straplock screws too small. (or, holes too big)

[dukaruk]

I see the opposite question posted on the first page here.

I have some Dunlop straplocks I purchased to put in my Squier VM fretless, but the previous button holes are too big.

Is there a standard way to fill these holes to size?

[Ramanujan]

I had this problem too. I just filled the holes with a few toothpicks. Worked fine

[cb56]

toothpicks. Works great.

[BlackLake]

This has been covered a few times in the past...If I recall, 3 of the answers were:

1) bigger screws
2) insert a piece of toothpick and wood glue, and use the Dunlop screws
3) longer screws

There's probably a few other methods though.

[detracti]

I've used toothpicks with some wood glue on them.

[CapnSev]

Take the screw out of your old strap buttons and put them through the straplock buttons. Works for me every time.

[cnltb]

Bigger Screws perhaps?

[Mixmasta J]

You could return those locks and use the money to purchase some rubber washers? They work just as well and they don't ruin the strap!

[JTE]

The screws are pulling out of the wood? Longer screws might help, but they're not the real solution. Fill the holes, re-drill new pilot holes, and insert the screws again into new wood. Toothpicks and wood glue works OK, but after a while they'll probably come out again. Toothpicks without wood glue WILL come out again eventually. That's becasue the toothpicks are so thin the screw's threads will cut into them. You need to give the treads something to bite into that's not going away.

I use Dunlop strap buttons becasue the threads are bigger than the Schaller ones, and bigger than most factory strap buttons. Not the shaft, but the actual amount of thread sticking past the shaft. It bites in and holds. Don't over-tighten either. After the screw has pulled the strap button flush with the wood, tightening more only tears up the threads in the wood. If you take screws out and are re-installing the same screws, use an old cabinet-makers' trick. TUrne the screw gently BACKWARDS until the threads on the screw drop into the threads in the wood. Then tighten it up. That way you're not cutting new threads in the wood and the screw will hold longer.

A better fix is to fill the hole about a third of the way with baking powder (liek Arm & Hammer), and drop some CA (Super Glue) into the hole. It'll probably "puff" when the glue hits the powder. Give it a few minutes to set up, then fill the next third the same way, etc. After the hole is filled let it sit for a day, re-drill and install. I got this from John Carruther's old Guitar Player Magazine columns (probably around 1981) and it's a great permanent repair.

jte