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Post by kc on Mar 7, 2007 16:11:17 GMT -7
On my Les Paul, the screw securing one of the strap buttons to the guitar easily slips out of the hole in the guitar. I went to Home Depot to get a dowel to glue into the hole and re-drill it, but the smallest dowel is 1/4" and the hole is 1/8". I guess I could sand the dowel down to size, but thought I'd first seek other ideas. I use a Schaller locking system, btw. Any suggestions for addressing this problem?
kc
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Post by Lefty on Mar 7, 2007 16:14:24 GMT -7
Try a tooth pick and/or Elmers white glue. Had the same issue with my Schaller locks with my strat, a little glue on the threads and a tooth pick in the hole...fixed.
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Post by yinielin on Mar 7, 2007 16:49:45 GMT -7
I just always put toothpicks in the hole to fill it up. Dont have to make a bigger hole and it works. Just put in there and screw.
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Post by tjstrat on Mar 7, 2007 17:28:39 GMT -7
Minor variation: Put some white or carpenters glue in the hole, pound some toothpicks in, let them set over night and then snap off the ends sticking out. Redrill a hole slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw, put a little Dawn or soap on the threads, and voila!
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Post by kc on Mar 7, 2007 18:14:32 GMT -7
Thanks to all who responded. I thought about the toothpick method and actually used a bit of toothpick as a temporary measure when it let loose at a gig about a week ago. Since a Les Paul is relatively heavy, I figured there might be a more robust method -- but the way you guys describe the 'toothpick & glue method', maybe that's the ticket.
kc
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Post by lowwatt on Mar 9, 2007 13:04:54 GMT -7
Thanks to all who responded. I thought about the toothpick method and actually used a bit of toothpick as a temporary measure when it let loose at a gig about a week ago. Since a Les Paul is relatively heavy, I figured there might be a more robust method -- but the way you guys describe the 'toothpick & glue method', maybe that's the ticket. kc I didn't use glue either. I just filled the hole with toothpicks, broke them off to be flush with the body and used some elbow grease to screw everything back together. 10 years later, you still can't move the strap button on that '61 Melody Maker no matter what you do. And I beat the hell out of my guitars.
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Post by jcv on Mar 9, 2007 13:23:58 GMT -7
I have a Tele that laughs at toothpicks... I usually get a week out of the toothpick method. I was thinking of trying one of these: INSERTSHas anyone tried something like this?
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Post by Hohn on Mar 12, 2007 0:36:05 GMT -7
I wouldn't try to thread anything into a Tele, as swamp ash and less so Alder can be pretty soft. Hence, they don't take threads well.
Toothpicks are soft wood, and I wouldn't recommend them. You want a harder wood for screws. That's why the hardwood dowels are the way to go.
You can split them along the grain quite easily. Just cut of a short piece and split it lengthwise in half, and then in quarters and use as described above for toothpicks.
jmo
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Post by mudskipper on Mar 12, 2007 6:16:12 GMT -7
if you go to a craftshop like Michael's or AC Moore, you'll find dowels that are really thin. if you don't have a craftshop nearby, use a chopstick and shape it to size and use some carpenter's glue. it should be a tight enough fit to require a gentle taps from a small hammer (i use a plastic/nylon head). toothpicks may not have enough "substance" even when they are used with some carpenter's glue.
hope this helps
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Post by billyguitar on Mar 12, 2007 7:50:56 GMT -7
A good hardware store will have small dowel rods of maple.
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Post by kc on Mar 12, 2007 8:16:21 GMT -7
Thanks Hohn, mudskipper and billyguitar, I'll look for a smaller dowel at a craft or hardware store, there's plenty in the area. I think a hardwood dowel done up correctly will last a good long while. I don't use my LP all that often, so I haven't yet fixed it.
kc
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Post by billyguitar on Mar 12, 2007 9:57:15 GMT -7
Well, there's always duct tape!
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Post by jcv on Mar 12, 2007 10:37:04 GMT -7
Isn't the screw that holds the strap button "threaded in"? The bigger the thread, the better it holds - that's the point of those inserts. I do agree that a hardwood dowel is probably the best bet though.
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Post by iggs on Mar 12, 2007 11:11:59 GMT -7
I had the same problem on pretty much all of my guitars and the last one I ended up using plastic anchors as nothing else would do. Had to drill a larger hole to fit in the anchor, but it seems to hold pretty good so far.
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Post by garyh on Mar 14, 2007 8:54:17 GMT -7
I mix sawdust with wood glue and use it as a filler. When dry, re-drill.
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Post by kc on Mar 16, 2007 7:45:38 GMT -7
Thanks to all for the suggestions. I finally went with a 3/16" hardwood dowel that I purchased at a craft shop for 29 cents. I had to drill into the guitar a little bit to expand the hole so the dowel fit snuggly, then I roughed up the dowel a little so the wood glue would hold and ... done. With a little luck, it'll last another 38 years ... and I'll be around to play it!
kc
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Post by tele1962 on Mar 17, 2007 20:55:40 GMT -7
More robust would be the same theory and principles, just using heavier materials. Instead of tooth picks, stick a wooden meat skewer into the hole and break it off. Repeat if you still think there's too much play. Back fill with 5 minute epoxy...install the strap screw immediately after adding the epoxy, and let it dry for 10 minutes. Done!
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Post by Hohn on Mar 17, 2007 22:16:58 GMT -7
Isn't the screw that holds the strap button "threaded in"? The bigger the thread, the better it holds - that's the point of those inserts. I do agree that a hardwood dowel is probably the best bet though. Well, the inserts appeared to have very fine threads, which led me to believe the softwood wouldn't work well with them. Softer wood needs coarser threads. Harder wood needs finer threads, and such. The threads of factory buttons are coarse, and small diameter-- both of which help with softer woods. jmo
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Post by mward on Mar 18, 2007 9:19:00 GMT -7
You guys are making this way more complicated than it needs to be. Toothpicks are made from hardwood. Jam a bunch in with some white glue and screw your strap in while the glue is still wet.
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Post by (8^D) on Mar 18, 2007 13:12:38 GMT -7
Toothpicks + woodglue/elmers glue.
Lots of touring, lots of abuse, lots of guitars and that 1 minute repair has never failed.
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Post by T-R☼CK ♫ on Mar 18, 2007 14:08:38 GMT -7
Toothpicks + woodglue/elmers glue. Lots of touring, lots of abuse, lots of guitars and that 1 minute repair has never failed. Amen brutha !!!.. ;D
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dave
New Member
Posts: 7
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Post by dave on Mar 30, 2007 2:19:34 GMT -7
Wow, a lot of suggestions for a simple job. Here's another, sorry. My experience working on wooden boats where wood softens and screws pull out, is to fill the hole with a few drops of epoxy resin and redrill a pilot hole. This soaks in and hardens the wood and the fitting is utterly bombproof. I did this to a couple of guitars and the button is rock solid.
I once learnt the hard way that dodgy strap button can be a very traumatic experience....
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Post by tele1962 on Apr 4, 2007 21:03:17 GMT -7
You guys are making this way more complicated than it needs to be. Toothpicks are made from hardwood. Jam a bunch in with some white glue and screw your strap in while the glue is still wet. Absolutely. I suggested a more robust type of the same solution earlier. If they came to my shop years ago, and I'd done that, they have thanked me and paid me. Now I ( and you) gave the same advice for free and we're still yipping about screws and threads, etc. Just hand me the damn thing, I'll fix it and invoice ya'll! No ones happy till they get a bill it seems.
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