Strap button repair on Stratocaster?

electrogrimey

The top strap button is broken on my stratocaster, looks like the screw is missing. I'm thinking of taking the screw out of the strap button on my squire and using that to fix the Strat. Anyone have any advice/think this will work?

Alanstrainor

Sounds like a plan anyway. Although if the screw broke, there could be the end of the screw still inside the guitar, which could be annoying.

electrogrimey

It doesn't look like it, the whole button was quite loose at a gig last week, and now the strap is hanging off, with the screw missing, but the rest of the button is attached to the strap. I'm assuming it came out of the guitar and the screw flew out in the case or something like that, although the screw isn't in the case. It's a mystery altogether. I can't see how screwing it back in wouldn't work, that's assuming the strap button is the same on strats and squires?

CianRyan

Match sticks and super glue, before you put it in.

Basically, Put a bit of super glue in the hole, break some match sticks in half, put them in the hole, put another bit of super glue in over the matchsticks.
Leave over night to set/harden, shave away and lumps of matchsticks then are sticking out of hole, screw the screw back in and that should hold.
For now at least.

I'd say 75% of the guitars in the world are held together like this. :rolleyes:

electrogrimey

Don't really have time for that, I'm playing Button Factory tonight so I need it fixed tonight. The whole doesn't look bad, so just screwing it straight in should be ok. Fingers crossed anyway...

CianRyan

Well for now, throw some ducktape over the screw, it will more than likely fall out on you.
When you get home, clean off the duck tape gunk and to the match stick trick.

electrogrimey

CianRyan wrote: »

Well for now, throw some ducktape over the screw, it will more than likely fall out on you.
When you get home, clean off the duck tape gunk and to the match stick trick.

How can I throw duct-tape over it if I have to get the strap over the button? I'll try the matchstick thing tomorrow though alright.

68 lost souls

CianRyan wrote: »

Well for now, throw some ducktape over the screw, it will more than likely fall out on you.
When you get home, clean off the duck tape gunk and to the match stick trick.

Whatever you do tonight take it home and match stick it. You need to give the screw something to grab onto. If the screw pulled out then more then likely it stripped the wood a bit so the hole will now be bigger then before. I would look at sticking a set of strap locks on it aswell maybe, the advantage being that the screw on the strap locks are generally bigger then on the regular strap button.

CianRyan

You put the strap on first, and secure EVERYTHING in with the duck tape. haha

fguihen

dont use match sticks, use toothpicks. much more dense than matchsticks. And i still dont recommend using toothpicks either, its just better than matchsticks.

What will happen if you dont fix this properly is:
you will fix with matchsticks/ducttape/toothpicks.
It will hold fine for 1, maby more performances.
You will forget about it and carry on as normal.
Some night you will be playing and the strap will come off, your axe hit the deck hard and you will do a lot of damage.


Fix it properly now, drill out the hole, put in some wood glue and fill the hole wtih the correct size dowell rod. Once dry, redrill hole and insert strap button. Problem solved permanently.

Organeer

The cocktail stick or matchstick fix should be ok, but do not use Superglue. It may be fast but is very brittle when it dries & when you go to put a new screw in, it may well come adrift. Use a PVA wood glue instead, it is a much better job. As regards drilling out the hole & fitting a length of dowel, this is not really the best idea because you would be fixing into endgrain which is always fraught with danger. If you feel you must drill out the hole & plug it, then get a "Plug cutter" & make a plug from a wood similar to the body & use wood glue. This is the best possible solution as recommended by guitar repairers worldwide. Hope this helps.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

the match sticks will work perfect.

Just another idea, I use dunlop strap locks, they come with a new strap button and screw. The screw is a lot thicker than the screw that would be in your strat. I had the same problem with my strat with the screw coming out, the hole was too big for it, but the screw that came with the strap locks fitted it perfectly! Its been in since may and is still perfect.

electrogrimey

Johan Shapely Stampede wrote: »

Just another idea, I use dunlop strap locks, they come with a new strap button and screw. The screw is a lot thicker than the screw that would be in your strat. I had the same problem with my strat with the screw coming out, the hole was too big for it, but the screw that came with the strap locks fitted it perfectly! Its been in since may and is still perfect.

This sounds the least invasive, so I think I'll try this, can you get them in guitar shops or where?

P.S The strap held fine at the gig last night, but I did have to tighten the screw between the soundcheck and the performance, so I doubt it'll hold very much longer.

Demeyes

I've used the matchstick/cocktail stick trick on a few guitars, but I've never used any glue. Some of these guitars have held the strap pin in for a few years and are still going strong. It is a fairly good solution to the problem, even a few weeks ago I saw a guy do it when his guitar strap came off on stage! The sound tech knew the trick and sorted him out.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

electrogrimey wrote: »

This sounds the least invasive, so I think I'll try this, can you get them in guitar shops or where?

You should be able to get them in any guitar shop. I think i payed 20 euro for them. Have them in my strat and les paul, you push a button and the strap comes off the button.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/dunlop_straploknickel.htm

rcaz

I've done the matchstick thing to a few guitars, and I'd never heard of adding super glue or that toothpicks are more advisable or anything up till now. Matchsticks seem to work fine.

68 lost souls

Ive done it with the sticks for cocktail sausages and some wood glue, this worked for a screw on the trem claw also. Ive used match sticks on a few guitars as well.

The strap locks are 12.50 in some Irish shops just check with them. Pretty advisable to use strap locks anyway.