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Strap Pegs--Screw perpetually comes loose!

Z

zzzoooaaarrr

Jan 17, 2009
3
0
New York
#1
So the screw that connects my bass' strap peg to its body has been coming loose from its hole lately (the one located at the back of the area where the neck meets the body). No matter how tightly I screw it back in it continues to pull away from the body and fall all over the place, especially when I play whilst sitting down. It's pretty freakin annoying, and not to mention potentially hazardous to both the bass and my toes!

My guess is that, since my bass is pretty old and made from mediocre materials, the diameter of the screw's hole has been enlarged from years of screwing and unscrewing. The question is, how do I remediate this? Maybe the way I have the two strap pegs positioned is inefficiently balancing the weight?? (It's an explorer-shaped bass) Maybe I need a different screw? I don't want to modify the bass unless I really have to.

Thanks for taking the time to read over my gripes, by the way. This is my first post here, and it's nice to meet you all ;)
 
#4
I always glue my strap peg screws in using yellow carpenter's wood glue. I put a drop on the end of a toothpick, and get it down in the hole. Wipe away any excess right away. They never come out unless I unscrew them, and I play hard and move around a LOT when I play, both on stage and at practice.

Cheers!
 
#10
Welcome to the original poster - and a gentle reminder to use the search function, as there are probably 100+ threads on this question.

Most people use toothpicks and wood glue to fill the hole and provide a better grip. I agree with others that glues like Gorilla glue and super glue should not be used, as you don't want any fastener to be permanently fixed in place on a bass.
 
#11
In a non vintage instrument Gorilla Glue works great....the glue expands when it drys...that is what forms the bond. Hey if you don't want the button to keep popping out use this method....superglue and toothpicks isn't exactly piece of mind ...you should be able to glue it and forget it.
 
#13
redstrand said:
In a non vintage instrument Gorilla Glue works great....the glue expands when it drys...that is what forms the bond. Hey if you don't want the button to keep popping out use this method....superglue and toothpicks isn't exactly piece of mind ...you should be able to glue it and forget it.
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone is questioning that Gorilla Glue works & works well. My issue is that it will work too well.

Have you had bad experiences with wood glue & toothpicks?

I know toothpicks sound flimsy; they are. Individually. But they are good, cheap, readily available hardwood. And wood glue is designed for wood-to-wood gluing.

Small bits of wood glued together. Do you have any cabs made from MDF?
 
#14
I tried the glue, though I don't remember on which instrument so it might have worked. . . all but one of my guitars has had this issue. toothpicks don't seem to work, or at least not in the long run. I recently just tried a bamboo skewer. . .
nothing sucks more than taking my bass outta the bag and having to check those damned locks every time! I wish I had the balls to just screw in a lag bolt!

I know tone woods (bodies anyway) are typically soft - you think it would alter the tone of an instrument to bore out a little section where the pegs go and stuff it w/ a really strong wood, or composite and then paint/finish over it? just a thought if this can get nipped in the bud during the manufacturing process?

edit - or what about those fillers that are reverse metal threads to prevent a hole from stripping that the screw actually screws into (there is probably a name for these . . . I'm the ass in Home Depot wandering around w/ a question mark over my head!!)
 
#15
pasta4lnch said:
I tried the glue, though I don't remember on which instrument so it might have worked. . . all but one of my guitars has had this issue. toothpicks don't seem to work, or at least not in the long run. I recently just tried a bamboo skewer. . .
nothing sucks more than taking my bass outta the bag and having to check those damned locks every time! I wish I had the balls to just screw in a lag bolt!

I know tone woods (bodies anyway) are typically soft - you think it would alter the tone of an instrument to bore out a little section where the pegs go and stuff it w/ a really strong wood, or composite and then paint/finish over it? just a thought if this can get nipped in the bud during the manufacturing process?
Click to expand...

Filling the hole with tooth picks covered in wood glue (wiping excess glue, trimming excess toothpicks) didn't hold the original screw?

The manufacturing mod is a neat idea! I'd go with a threaded insert though, & a dab of Loctite on the button.
 
#16
JustDavid said:
Filling the hole with tooth picks covered in wood glue (wiping excess glue, trimming excess toothpicks) didn't hold the original screw?
Click to expand...

It was the strongest epoxy the guy at depot told me they had. but it was like the toothpicks dissolved. i'm hoping the bamboo skewers will do the trick . . . maybe I have odd toothpicks made from some REALLY soft wood. but it's consistantly not worked. though I've only tried the glue once. rather epoxy(is there a difference?). I will try actual glue next . . .
 
#17
I've never had any come loose when either using just Toothpicks or Toothpicks with elmers (wood glue) or super glue.

I'd never use anything as permanent as Gorilla Glue though. As soon as you do something will happen and you'll actually NEED that screw out and you'll be... well... screwed.


.


.
 
#18
pasta4lnch said:
It was the strongest epoxy the guy at depot told me they had. but it was like the toothpicks dissolved. i'm hoping the bamboo skewers will do the trick . . . maybe I have odd toothpicks made from some REALLY soft wood. but it's consistantly not worked. though I've only tried the glue once. rather epoxy(is there a difference?). I will try actual glue next . . .
Click to expand...

I don't know enough about epoxy but if the label says it's fine for wood-to-wood that shouldn't have happened. Some chemical reaction perhaps (guessing).

I'd be comfortable with the toothpick & wood glue. I wasn't until I stopped thinking of them as toothpicks & viewed them as many slim hardwood dowels.
 
#19
pasta4lnch said:
edit - or what about those fillers that are reverse metal threads to prevent a hole from stripping that the screw actually screws into (there is probably a name for these . . . I'm the ass in Home Depot wandering around w/ a question mark over my head!!)
Click to expand...

Those are called helicoils (pronounced he - la - coil), but I wouldn't recommend them for this job.
 
#20
pasta4lnch said:
I've only tried the glue once. rather epoxy(is there a difference?).
Click to expand...

Epoxy is different from wood glue. Wood glue is designed specifically for bonding wood to wood, whilst most commercial epoxies are for general use (including wood).

Wood glue is not strong in thick bond lines, so you need to ensure that a majority of the hole is filled with toothpicks with only a light film of glue between/around them.
 

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