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Thunderbird Club

#18,561
GBassNorth said:
I use Schaller locks on all my basses. However, I rarely use the Schaller supplied screw since it's always smaller than the stock strap button screw and will eventually pull out or bend. I just drill out the hole on the Schaller button to fit the stock guitar screw shaft and then chuck the shaft end of my stock screw into my hand drill and grind the head down a bit so the stock screw head fits into the Schaller button recess. You can use a grinding stone or sandpaper if you want but I find that just a quick touch of the head against a concrete patio is enough to reduce the head diameter adequately.

I also find that many of my leather straps are too thick for the nut to get a good bite of threads on the Schaller saddle. To solve that problem I take the strap out back onto the concrete patio along with a ball peen hammer and give the leather a few hard whacks where the strap lock will be mounted. This temporarily compresses the leather enough to get at least three good threads through the nut. Also remember it's critical to position the open end of the Schaller saddle such that it faces straight up while the bass is in the playing position. Once you get everything where you want it just put a drop of clear fingernail polish on the threads protruding from the nut, that will keep it from ever getting loose on its own.
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Couple excellent pieces of info thank you! The ball peen hammer never occurred to me, I usually try to widen the hole in the strap with leather scissors and an exact-o knife, when I have it wide enough, push the washer and nut down far enough to catch a thread then tighten with pliers, it's a struggle. The nail polish is a good idea too but I'm wondering if Lock-tite might also do the trick? Anyway, thank you for the ideas!
 
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#18,562
marko57 said:
Couple excellent pieces of info thank you? The ball peen hammer never occurred to me, I usually try to widen the hole in the strap with leather scissors and an exact-o knife, when I have it wide enough, push the washer and nut down far enough to catch a thread then tighten with pliers, it's a struggle. The nail polish is a good idea too but I'm wondering if Lock-tite might also do the trick? Anyway, thank you for the ideas!
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Yes, locktite would be the proper method but I have so few things around the house that I could use it for I don't find it worth buying. But the wife always has a fresh supply of fingernail polish so that works best for me. Remember, only a drop. Too much and it'll be a bear to get off if you ever need to.

FWIW - I also use clear nail polish on my Fender POS self adjusting bridge set screws and my Squier POS auto dethreading output jacks. ;)
 
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#18,563
GBassNorth said:
Yes, locktite would be the proper method but I have so few things around the house that I could use it for I don't find it worth buying. But the wife always has a fresh supply of fingernail polish so that works best for me. Remember, only a drop. Too much and it'll be a bear to get off if you ever need to.

FWIW - I also use clear nail polish on my Fender POS self adjusting bridge set screws and my Squier POS auto dethreading output jacks. ;)
Click to expand...

I'd have to agree on the Locktite necessity until our clothes hanger, uh, I mean treadmill had a couple screws that had to be tightened continuously, then the light bulb went off in my head and problem solved.
Except for that Locktite stain on the carpet.... Shhhhh! She hasn't noticed it yet! ;)
 
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#18,565
marko57 said:
Haven't noticed that, I have some older straps that I setup with Schallers back in the 80's but for SOME reason, those straps appear to have ummm, SHRUNK over the years? ;) So I have been setting up new straps with new Schallers over the coarse of the past 3 years, they seem to work ok with the old buttons still on the basses, at least I haven't encountered an issue with them... yet? :) I would like to see Schaller make the threaded section of the strap lock taller/longer. It's a bugger to get a new leather strap fitted on the lock and then put the washer and nut on it, probably the main reason why they tend to loosen as time goes on.
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I've never had one come loose. Probably because I put them on with the force of a silverback gorilla on a rampage (Terms of Enrampagement. It's a working title) with a bit of threadlocking compound on em.
 
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#18,566
GBassNorth said:
Yes, locktite would be the proper method but I have so few things around the house that I could use it for I don't find it worth buying. But the wife always has a fresh supply of fingernail polish so that works best for me. Remember, only a drop. Too much and it'll be a bear to get off if you ever need to.

FWIW - I also use clear nail polish on my Fender POS self adjusting bridge set screws and my Squier POS auto dethreading output jacks. ;)
Click to expand...


Well, someone has to ask... What is the best nail polish for metal?
 
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#18,568
Haji said:
I've never had one come loose. Probably because I put them on with the force of a silverback gorilla on a rampage (Terms of Enrampagement. It's a working title) with a bit of threadlocking compound on em.
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LOL - I hear ya on the gorilla twist front. When it comes to tightening the Schaller locks on my leather strap I typically put the saddle side in a wood lined vice and use a socket wrench to tighten the nut down. Never measured the foot pounds torque applied but I know it's enough to shear the bolt off or break the saddle (both of which I've done on occasion). I guess there's just something about using a $20 item to protect a $10,000 bass that makes me want to over compensate.
 
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#18,569
Rocker47 said:
All my basses have them as well. I have two straps for the Thunderbirds as the front strap gets the lock put on opposite direction as normal do the strap isn't twisted. Anyone else do this?
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I use Schallers on everything. I reverse them on the strap for the upper pin at the base of the neck for my TBirds, RDs and my Flying V. So I have specific straps for them and others for every thing else. No mishaps thus far.
 
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#18,571
PillO said:
Well, someone has to ask... What is the best nail polish for metal?
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Depends - Stoner Doom Metal requires Black polish, Cookie Monster Metal requires Blue polish and all other Metal requires Silver polish. It's a well known fact that Clear nail polish won't color the tone of your bass, all other colors will have varying degrees of impact on your tone. :whistle:
 
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#18,574
D.M.N. said:
I think I've asked before, but what would be a fair price for a Greco Thunderbird II? Some chips in the finish, OG case?
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If it's the one I'm thinking of my gut instinct says the BIN price, shipping included max. There is a nice 2 pickup version in the classifieds here for $800. No affiliation with the seller but it looks like a nice bass.
 
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#18,579
Nocturnal said:
The one on eBay has sold but it was $850 plus $50 for shipping. I would have offered $850 shipped tops because of the finish.
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Yeah, it was on eBay a moment ago but I just put in and it instantly accepted my offer of $700. So I guess I'm getting a Greco bird. Anyone want to buy a P-bass?
 
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