Advice on securing strap pin?

[Karl Clews (karl)]

I seem to get this problem with every bass I ever own . . .
 
The screw securing the strap pin on the top horn of my bass has gradually worked itself loose, such that I can't actually tighten it at all now - it's presumably moved around in its hole so much that it's chewed away at the wood, meaning the hole's now too big for the screw. So the strap pin is loose, and is in real danger of coming off altogether whenever I wear the bass . . .
 
Does anyone out there have any advice on the best way to repair this? I've considered filling the hole with either superglue or that plastic wood stuff, then re-inserting the screw while it's still wet, or re-drilling the hole when the filler has dried (although the thought of holding a drill anywhere near my Alembic kind of puts my teeth on edge . . .).
 
Anyway, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
 
Cheers guys,
 
K.

[Alfredo (kayo)]

karl,
 
I have the same problem with my custom Rogue, and have just been enduring it for the very same reasons  you noted.  Maybe we'll get some good feedback on the thread.....

[mica]

What you're noticing is the compression of the wood under the strain of the screw and strap pin. If you check out your tuning keys, you'll find the nuts compress the headstock and the keys will dip slightly upward as the compression progresses.  
 
You can fill the hole with toohpicks (we make Maple ones, but you can use store-bought ones just fine) and wood glue, allow the glue to dry then drill a pilot hole and install the strap pin. If you can get a slightly longer wood screw, you may get better performance, just make sure it isn't so long it comes out the other side of the horn.
 
Superglue makes a pretty brittle bond, so it's not good for strap holders. If you use wet wood glue, the screw probably won't come out, but if it does fail it will likely shear off without warning.

[Michael Delacerda (dela217)]

I have done the toothpick and matchstick thing in the past myself.  I did not want to mention that here in fear of humiliation.  But now that I hear that Alembic makes maple ones for this procedure, I don't feel so bad.  
 
I have also used the toothpick idea on the control cavity screw holes that strip out easily.  This of course is on the earlier basses that don't have the machined inserts.

[David Fung (dfung60)]

An even better solution to this would be to look at mounting the straplock with a machine screw going into a threaded insert in the body.  If you install the strap button with a drop of blue loctite when you screw the center screw in, you'll never have to worry about it coming loose.
 
There are two things that are bad about making this change.  First, you'll have to drill an oversize hole in the bass to mount the insert.  Not for the queasy.  Second, if you use the standard Dunlop-style straplocks, you'll have to find a replacement for the wood screw that attaches it into the body.  That's challenging, as they have an oddly small head so they can fit securely down the barrel of the straplock.  The pull-type Schaller straplocks have a more normal mounting screw, so it shouldn't be an issue.  Schaller vs. Dunlop straplocks are quite a big religious issue, which I won't touch on.
 
I have a couple of basses that are constructed like this, with Schaller locks and inserts and it seems pretty nice (they're German and start with W, but their name will not be spoken in this kingdom).  I'm suprised that Alembic didn't use a system like this, given that this is probably the most stressed screws on the instrument.
 
David Fung

[Bob Bell (kipknee)]

Just thought I'd add my 2 cents worth here.
 
I've found that the toothpick method works great IF you add a little grommet between the strap button and the body.  I had a recurring problem with the button coming loose on my Alembic Spoiler and on my Gibson Les Paul.  The moment I added this extra little grommet, the problem stopped.  I have not had to tighten the strap button on the Spoiler for over 15 years.  New strap buttons come with a cotton cloth grommet, which seem to work well, but on my Alembic and other instruments, I've actually made the grommets using leather.
 
Don't ask me why this works, I have no idea.
 
Bob