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Some tips for a messed up strap button would be extremely helpful

Kylo88

Kylo88

Guest
Jan 23, 2018
20
16
#1
So I bought this SR500 as my first bass, I bought it knowing there were some things that needing touched up, I got told in another thread this is the place I should come to so here I am :)
40E7ECF5-3A62-4269-8742-77348D935508.jpeg

Basically the hole for the screw looks like it’s been bored out for some reason into some daft oval shape, any ideas on a fix for it? It doesn’t need to be pretty, the rest of the bass isn’t the prettiest anyway, just functional, I’ve heard jamming matches or dowels in it might make it more snug but I’m not sure, any ideas? Thanks
 
#8
I’m a believer in matchsticks and white glue. The pine sticks are soft enough to mush around the screw and “reform” the threads in the wood. Have done it many times without a failure. Toothpicks are usually maple and are a bit too hard for the job, IMO.
 
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#9
Just roll a toothpick in wood glue, stick it in the hole, beak it off flush, repeat until you can't fit anymore toothpicks (You can tap em in with the butt of your screwdriver as the hole gets full). Then screw the strap button in while the glue is still wet. The soft toothpicks and glue kind mush all together around the threads of the screw. Don't hang it from a strap for 24 hours to make sure it is setup. Use yellow glue not white glue (not strong enough), crazy glue, or epoxy (both are overkill, sticky and messy).
 
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#10
TomB said:
I’m a believer in matchsticks and white glue. The pine sticks are soft enough to mush around the screw and “reform” the threads in the wood. Have done it many times without a failure. Toothpicks are usually maple and are a bit too hard for the job, IMO.
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It never occurred to me to use match sticks. I like the cheaper, squared toothpicks cuz they are softer than the larger, round ones.
 
#11
Reedt2000 said:
Just roll a toothpick in wood glue, stick it in the hole, beak it off flush, repeat until you can't fit anymore toothpicks (You can tap em in with the butt of your screwdriver as the hole gets full). Then screw the strap button in while the glue is still wet. The soft toothpicks and glue kind mush all together around the threads of the screw. Don't hang it from a strap for 24 hours to make sure it is setup. Use yellow glue not white glue (not strong enough), crazy glue, or epoxy (both are overkill, sticky and messy).
Click to expand...

This is the correct answer and costs dinkus. Use yellow carpenter's glue or TiteBond. Once dried / cured, you can even remove the screw and apply thin super glue onto the wood threads. This wicks into the surrounding wood and strengthens the structure. This is more commonly used as a preventative measure with softer woods.

Riis
 
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#13
I've repaired stripped strap button holes with toothpicks, match sticks and dowels. They all work fine.
But there are limits. That one looks big enough that I'd fill it with whatever you like and then find a new location for the strap button an inch or two away in solid wood.
 
#15
Beej said:
Yes and no to a glued in dowel. You need to cut your own plug to go in there rather than a store-bought dowel - the key is that you don't want to open up and glue in a chunk of end grain from a dowel. The easiest solution really is just some toothpicks and glue. :)
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This is a case where a plug is not a good idea - a dowel would be correct. You want the grain of the insert to be running the same way as the grain in the body- so a dowel is correct. A plug would have the mating surfaces having the grain at right angles, and the end grain on the plug would not bond well to the long grain in the body.
 
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#18
hrodbert696 said:
My usual solution is drill it out, fill with dowel and gorilla glue, then redrill a smaller hole to guide the strap button screw in with.
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This is exactly what I do. I install Dunlop strap locks on all my basses and they almost always wind up stripping out within a few days of playing. I use 1/4” poplar dowels from Home Depot. They’re about a buck each and the perfect softness. Once it’s done, it’s good for a lifetime.
 
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#19
petrus61 said:
This is exactly what I do. I install Dunlop strap locks on all my basses and they almost always wind up stripping out within a few days of playing. I use 1/4” poplar dowels from Home Depot. They’re about a buck each and the perfect softness. Once it’s done, it’s good for a lifetime.
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You can do this, or use JB Weld...guaranteed to not get loose, again, ever. :D
 
#20
petrus61 said:
This is exactly what I do. I install Dunlop strap locks on all my basses and they almost always wind up stripping out within a few days of playing. I use 1/4” poplar dowels from Home Depot. They’re about a buck each and the perfect softness. Once it’s done, it’s good for a lifetime.
Click to expand...

It's funny because I far prefer Dunlop Straploks on a gig to others I've tried, but the design tends to pull on the button with too much lateral leverage, and they don't make a long enough screw with a narrow enough head to let you really sink it deep in the wood. So too much use of the straplock is enough to pull it loose after a while. My way of dealing with that has been to only use the strap with the locks on gigs, and when practicing at home or band rehearsal, when I'm not moving around so much, just use a regular strap.
 

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