I put on a strap lock months ago and this past weekend the part that was connected to the bass pulled out -- right in the middle of a song, of course! I do not know how to repair this. The only idea I have is to drill out the hole large enough to fit a dowel, glue the dowel in place, then drill a pilot hole and reattach the strap lock. As you can see from the picture, I do not have a lot of room to work with. Any ideas? Thanks, Michael
No need for all that. Fill the hole with Elmers glue & toothpicks. then re-install the strap button. No drilling required.
That's often how it's done. But first, you ought to snap a toothpick in half and stick one or both halves in the hole; it's quick and painless.
I once fixed a strap button hole on the butt end of a bass with a golf tee & Elmers glue. Now that did require an ever so tiny pilot hole.
That looks like an Ibanez bass. I would plug the hole up with JB Weld. http://jbweld.net/products/jbweld.php Only $3.50
I've been fixing my pulled out strap buttons with toothpicks and Elmers or Titebond for 35 years. Make sure the toothpick is broken off at a length they don't stick out of the body. Coat the toothpicks with glue and push a little in the hole, Screw the strap button/lock screw in while the glue is wet and leave the bass alone for several hours, recheck the screws for tightness and you are done. If the screw didn't tighten up you need more toothpicks and glue...
If you can get ahold of rubber straplock washers instead of those felt washers you'll be farther ahead once your glue's set. less chance for the screw to wiggle out when it's under more pressure.
yeah, but (aside from one "JB weld" response), everybody's had the right answer, wood toothpicks thickly slathered in titebond-type wood glue. this, word for word.
Use a straplock that lets the screw tighten down as close as possible to the wood. The further it sticks out the more it will stretch the hole due to leverage. The Bandstand leather ones work for me: Bandstand leather strap locks Check and tighten every couple of months.
I would just mix up some two part epoxy glue and fill the hole....then push that screw back in, turn it a bit, .......clean any excess,.. and wait 24 hrs. It'll be there for good.
I suggested the JB Weld because after it cures you can sand it, drill it, tap it, and then paint it. It's harder than the wood. Tapping it will let you unscrew the strap locks if you needed to. It has a Tensile Strength of 3960 psi.
I used those before Schallers were ever made, and they worked well - but for my needs/wants, Schallers work better... Fact is, if the hole is properly repaired in the 1st place, it won't "stretch", regarless of what type of straplock you use... - georgestrings
The problem with using JB Weld is that it's easy to get some on the finish - which doesn't clean off easily like a wood glue does... and, it's much easier to shear off a screw into than a wood/glue repair... This is one of those things that the repair method is SO easy that it doesn't seem right and proper - but it truly is the best option for these situations, and if done well is 100% effective... - georgestrings
To do it properly (IMO, IME), the hole looks much bigger than the screw now, I would widen the area and use a dowel, preferably oak or something of equal or more hardness..... To me, using toothpicks is much like keeping a "donut" spare on a car and not replacing the tire. JB weld would be a good temporary solution, I have not seen JB weld hold good for more than a few years on things that are constantly stressed. But then again, if a temp fix works for you, then there is no right or wrong.... All i'm saying is do it good the first time, less worries down the road, I have seen it many times, doing customer repairs........Absolutely no return customers, by drilling and gluing a dowel in place.
Then you wouldn't want an end-grain dowel but a cross-grain plug. A lot more work when (done properly) the wood slivers/glue method is every bit as strong.