Hey, i have a question about straplocks in a bass. I recently installed a pair in my new Marcus Miller, and every so often i have to tighten them, as the screw comes loose. Is this perhaps because i used the thin pad that came with the factory strap buttons as opposed to the thicker ones they came with? Is there anything recommended? Because i have no desire to drill a new hole like i had to for my starter bass. BTW, the straplocks are Fender, which are exactly like Schallers, just rebranded. Thankyou for any help.
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Straplocks Loosening; A Cure?
- Thread starter rapturebass
- Start date
Remove straplock from bass.
Tap in and break-off one or more wood toothpicks or matches (minus head), as required.
Re-install straplock.
Tap in and break-off one or more wood toothpicks or matches (minus head), as required.
Re-install straplock.
I usually totally stuff the hole with toothpicks covered it wood glue. After the glue dries I trim the toothpicks as needed, redrill the hole (make sure it's not too big), dab some wood glue on the straplock screw, reinstall the straplock, and allow a day for the glue on the straplock screw to dry.
Shoot be good to go after that.
Shoot be good to go after that.
you can go toothpicks and wood glue on it if you want. I'm guessing though that since you're using a Marcus Miller, you don't want to just ghetto rig your strap knobs back in.
If you have some know how, I'm suggest grabbing some hard wood dowels, like oak or maple, drilling some pilot holes, gluing the dowels in, and redrill the strap knobs in those. Ash is a decently hard wood, but not the hardest really.
You could even look into metal inserts and using machine screws if you're super worried about the screws popping out on you. Once you stuck those inserts in, you could just loc-tite the machine screws in and never have to worry about them coming loose again.
If you have some know how, I'm suggest grabbing some hard wood dowels, like oak or maple, drilling some pilot holes, gluing the dowels in, and redrill the strap knobs in those. Ash is a decently hard wood, but not the hardest really.
You could even look into metal inserts and using machine screws if you're super worried about the screws popping out on you. Once you stuck those inserts in, you could just loc-tite the machine screws in and never have to worry about them coming loose again.
I believe I used Marine epoxy with my Jazz when this issue happened to me... That straplock hasn't budged yet....
Gotta wonder why Fender will use straplocks with screws that don't it the original hole. Ernie Ball's locks dropped right into the factory hole ofmy SR5. That's the difference between SLO and Corona I guess.
Back to the OP: Stuff it with toothpicks or filler to give the screw something to bite into. You don't even have to redrill the hole, just let the screw retap its own way in.
The strap end of Schallers acts like a little ratchet and with small movements as you play, tend to loosen the button screws.
In lieu of locking down the screw, you could also apply wax (or other lubricant) on the strap button where the strap end "cradles" the button which will stop the "ratcheting" for a while...
At least that is how it is on my bass with Schallers, Dunlops spin freely on the others.
=wr=
In lieu of locking down the screw, you could also apply wax (or other lubricant) on the strap button where the strap end "cradles" the button which will stop the "ratcheting" for a while...
At least that is how it is on my bass with Schallers, Dunlops spin freely on the others.
=wr=
I use 8x1 1/4" or 8x1 1/2" screws, grind the head down (to fit into the strap button), and NEVER have a single issue afterwards. No toothpicks, glue, filler ever.
+1
Usually I always use the original screws for the straplocks if I can. That always seems to work better than the smaller screws that come with the straplocks. But some basses STILL have them coming loose. For those I use the Sobie18 method. ALWAYS works, never comes loose, but you haven't glued anything in so if you do need to take the locks off, they do unscrew without a huge effort. Let me tell you, you DO NOT want to snap off a straplock screw down in the wood either putting it on or taking it off.
The point is that you can buy screws in just about any length so no matter how soft the wood or how chewed out the hole you simply buy a screw long enough to bypass the stripped part.
This is what I did with my Jazz when I had the same problem - it's easy, it takes a few seconds to do, and if the problem reoccurs later, you just repeat the steps.
I always kept a pack of matches in my gig bag for this reason, I had to stuff one or two in there about 3 times over a few years, and after that I never had a problem again.
Yeah, I bought a bass that had straplocks installed and they're working loose too. It seems to be a pretty common problem, which makes me wonder if straplocks are really a net benefit. Reamed out strap button holes jammed with toothpicks and wood glue are pretty uncool. Meanwhile I've never had a guitar hit the floor from not having strap locks. But, I guess they're like an insurance policy, sparing you from that one nasty drop that trashes the instrument or disrupts a gig.
Use Dunlop straplocks instead of the Schaller ones. The Dual Design ones allow you to use a regular strap without locks, the mechanism of the release mechanism is more reliable and less prone to jamming, and the screws they ship with them have a lot more bite than the ones Schaller uses. The Dunlop screws are about the same depth, but if you look at the size of the threads beyond the shank, there's a lot more metal biting into the wood. They hold and don't come loose.
I started with Dunlops in the '70s, went to Schallers when they came out (because I really liked Schaller's other products) but within a few years went back to Dunlops and have been there since at least 1990.
John
I started with Dunlops in the '70s, went to Schallers when they came out (because I really liked Schaller's other products) but within a few years went back to Dunlops and have been there since at least 1990.
John
I was just thinking about this as this happens alot on my Ric. I have the Schallers, which I like and work great on my other basses, but on the Ric, the screw is constantly coming loose. At one gig it came all the way out, luckily I had a good hold on the bass. I dont want to glue anything into a $2K bass if I can get away with it. Maybe Ill try the toothpicks.
Agree.
The first thing i do with a new bass/guitar is add the locks. I have had guitars drop to the floor without the locks.
I had trouble with the nut that holds the lock mechanism to the strap with Shallaers. Never an issue with Dunlops. I switched all of my basses to Dunlops.
My Peavy TL-Five came from the factory with Dunlops, they've been reliable for over 20 years now.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
The only issue with using dowels is that you're putting the screw on an end grain of wood, that won't hold as well. Any time I've had this issue, I ran CA glue inside the hole, to narrow the threads made made by the screw.
I use a drop of wood glue and half a toothpick and screw it back in while the glue is wet. I have never had one come loose or "ghetto" up my bass. You never see it.
