Straplock screw broken off in bass, advice needed to repair

thumpybum

Strap lock screw broke off in the bass over the weekend, any ideas on how to fix manually or would I be better dropping off to a luthier (repair center) in which case Im looking for recommendations in dublin area.... the broken screw is at least .5 inch in so I dunno how Id get it out. Ive mailed schaller who manufactured the strap locks and ernie ball (who recommended I get on to schaller) but need advice quick.

The long screw in the below pic is the full one from the other lock so it gives you an indication of how far in the broken one is. I cant even imagine how much tension would have to had been on this thing for it to break, Im thinking it must have unscrewed a bit over time but I tightened the locks no more then 3-4 weeks ago (about 6-7 gigs). Ive read Schaller test to 800lbs.

The screws
The hole
The bass

Karl Hungus

Jesus! :eek:

That is just nasty... I would take it to a luthier asap. I hear Derrick Nelson is the man to call in Dublin, you can find his contact details in the instruments resource sticky. Hope that gets sorted for you soon, lovely bass.

Doctor J

As above. Get in in to Derrick Nelson. Apart from getting the old screw out, there's gonna be a bit of work in filling that hole and making it sturdy enough to put a new screw in there.

Was the hole there before the screw broke? That might explain how it broke, just getting bent around all the time.

Either way, this is the sort of thing where, if you're not 100% sure of what you're doing, you're just going to make a bad situation worse. Get it to Derrick Nelson and let him sort it out.

thumpybum

Nelson isnt available for at least 2-3 weeks due to urgent work.

Spoke with another guy who recommended going down the side or above with a new hole.

I bought the bass SH 3-4 years ago and the locks were already in it. MM dont ship with the locks so it was a custom job but according to MM the majority of straplock screws should fit shop fitted strap screw holes. May have gone a bit deeper Id say but either way, bit disappointed in the way that its gone though, went in the middle of a gig an all, had to do another hour with my leg up on a y-frame stand.

I have a set of dunlop locks on a warwick i gigged for years, never a problem.

Karl Hungus

thumpybum wrote: »

Nelson isnt available for at least 2-3 weeks due to urgent work.

Then it might be worth waiting it out tbh.

Doctor J

The hole needs to be addressed before another screw goes in. Adding another hole will knock value off the bass should you ever decide to sell it in the future. Definitley wait and get it sorted properly, short term pain for long term gain. You'll regret it for a long, long time if you gouge another hole into it.

Dord

JEBUS! :eek:

Definitely wait it out and get Derrick to do it. Seriously, he knows his ****. A screw broke off in the headstock of one of my basses before and he drilled it out and fixed it up nicely.
Not as bad as yours but he would be able to sort it out for ya.

In future I'd use Dunlop Straploks. I haven't had any issues with mine. I've heard some nasty things about the Schallers alright. :eek:


As for being busy at the moment.... <_<
He's currently working on putting together my new bass, and I'm sure a lot of other work too.

Karl Hungus

Unless you've got an urgent gig, then do as the good Doctor orders.

If you do have a gig coming up where you'll need the bass and have absolutely no alternative, then here's a little trick I learned from BC Rich players. As the guitars would often have some neck dive, it was very common for players to replace the strap button from the upper horn, to where the neck was bolted to the body in order to balance it. You'd unscrew the most forward screw, and stick it back with the strap button attatched. It's not ideal, and it's usually something reserved solely for pointy metal guitars, but it's tried and tested and it'll do the trick for you no bother.

If you don't need the bass for a gig in short order, then I seriously recommend waiting for Derrick Nelson's time to free up, and get it repaired properly.

Johnny Storm

You could try using a screw extractor which is presumably what a luthier will be using anyway.



Linky Best of luck :eek:

Gaspode

Johnny Storm wrote: »

You could try using a screw extractor which is presumably what a luthier will be using anyway.



Linky Best of luck :eek:

I wouldnt go with that option tbh, I'd be afraid of doing more damage!

Karl Hungus

deswalsh wrote: »

I wouldnt go with that option tbh, I'd be afraid of doing more damage!

Agreed. Just seriously, wait for Derrick Nelson.

Voodu Child

Using a screw-extractor is going to be near impossible on that size of screw, and with the head fully broken off. I wouldn't even entertain the idea unless you've done it before.

Unless you're seriously handy (and you wouldn't be asking for advice here if you were), leave it to someone like Derrick.

thumpybum

Ah yeah, I have a couple of replacements sitting at home. Got out my 4 string warwick last night, havent played it in months, felt damn good...

Have a gig coming up where I needed the 5er for some low stuff but sure I'll get away with it, the masses will have to suffer. :cool:

Karl,
I actually did that loop thing with the strap near the end of the gig last week as I couldnt stand on one leg any more, I was looking at the thing for over an hour thinking of what I could do to fix it and it was like 3-4 songs from the end I figgered out the reverse strap solution. Just reverse the strap and the slip through bit that determines the length of it slips over the head, worked a treat as long as I played at a bit of an angle with it pointing forward. Would be sh*tting it though in case it slipped off in the middle of a gig so ill just leave that as a last resort if I needed to use it. thanks for suggestions guys, I'll wait til Derrick frees up.

edit: I'll try and remember to post back pics of repair job and details on solution when complete. Shoulders of giants and all that.

Karl Hungus

thumpybum wrote: »

Karl,
I actually did that loop thing with the strap near the end of the gig last week as I couldnt stand on one leg any more, I was looking at the thing for over an hour thinking of what I could do to fix it and it was like 3-4 songs from the end I figgered out the reverse strap solution. Just reverse the strap and the slip through bit that determines the length of it slips over the head, worked a treat as long as I played at a bit of an angle with it pointing forward. Would be sh*tting it though in case it slipped off in the middle of a gig so ill just leave that as a last resort if I needed to use it. thanks for suggestions guys, I'll wait til Derrick frees up.

Loop thing? That wasn't what I was suggesting at all...

Look at this picture, you unscrew the top bolt, put the strap button on there, and then screw it back in. Attatch your strap normally to the button that is now on the heel of your guitar. No looping, or fear of anything slipping off.

Voodu Child

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Loop thing? That wasn't what I was suggesting at all...

Look at this picture, you unscrew the top bolt, put the strap button on there, and then screw it back in. Attatch your strap normally to the button that is now on the heel of your guitar. No looping, or fear of anything slipping off.

I have to say, that doesnt sound like such a good idea (imo;)).

The neck screws are much much shorter than a typical strap button screw, and if you put the button on the end, theres going to be even less of the screw biting into the neck. Less threads biting = more stress per thread....... just doesnt seem like a great situation at all imo. Stripping the threads on a body hole is one thing, but you really don't want to be stripping the threads on the neck heel.

thumpybum

Loop thing? That wasn't what I was suggesting at all...

Look at this picture, you unscrew the top bolt, put the strap button on there, and then screw it back in. Attatch your strap normally to the button that is now on the heel of your guitar. No looping, or fear of anything slipping off.

ah, get you now Decent suggestion, I'll look at that later on but as voodoo says, I wouldnt have thought the strap button screw would be the same size as the neck screws.
Maybe it is though , I'll readily admit that I just play the things and other then a brief foray into messing with intonation 20 years ago, I never got into the whole tech side of guitars. This is the first time anything ever gone wrong though as Ive always bought quality and never been let down before so might not be a bad time to reread some of the manuals.

Karl Hungus

voodoo_child wrote: »

I have to say, that doesnt sound like such a good idea (imo;)).

The neck screws are much much shorter than a typical strap button screw, and if you put the button on the end, theres going to be even less of the screw biting into the neck. Less threads biting = more stress per thread....... just doesnt seem like a great situation at all imo. Stripping the threads on a body hole is one thing, but you really don't want to be stripping the threads on the neck heel.

Not the best idea, that's why I suggest it only in case of emergency. You'd generally get a slightly longer screw if you were to do that in the long term.

But it is a very common thing to do for people who'd use the likes of BC Rich, Jackson or any other kind of pointy metal guitar where the neck tends to dive. This will give you an idea of the kind of problem that it sorts out. See at the bottom of the page for the 'Alternative tip', which is what I'm talking about. I've had 2 BC Rich guitars that used to neck dive like that, and this was how I fixed the problem, it's extremely common practice for those kinds of guitars, and I've never heard of an issue with it.

thumpybum wrote: »

I never got into the whole tech side of guitars. This is the first time anything ever gone wrong though as Ive always bought quality and never been let down before so might not be a bad time to reread some of the manuals.

Honestly, I think basic maintance should be on the cards for any musician, so it's definitely worth educating yourself.

Voodu Child

Yeah I know what you mean, and im not saying im definitely right or anything, just didn't much like the look of it. As you say, for emergencies

Doctor J

You boys need a dose of roadie school.

In emergencies, always:



:pac:

thumpybum

doctor J, Ye Olde Gaffe Tape was the first thing on my mind and would have been used except it was sitting in an equipment case being weighed down by 2 in used amps!!! You never need it til you need it, but when you need it, you better have it, coz boy do you need it.

Notes for next band meeting.
1. Amp placement arrangements
2. Accessibility to gaffe tape.

I could have really improvised...

georgelowden

if you get a piece of stainless steel tubing [brio-size] that the screw will fit into , and cut some teeth [rough will do ] across the top . stick this in a cordless drill - and drill out the offending screw
then you have to tidy op the hole .. fill the hole with some balsa [sacrificial] and re-drill the hole .

---

make some dowel and glue up with some aliphatic glue <dap wood glue> 'yellow colored
'
you could do a 2 dowel thing ,,,that's 1 straight grain ,,goes in first and left short my 1/4in and ''topped'' with a cross grain dowel

when fitting screws to any thing drill a pilot hole ...
regards george second fixer ---