Drill Schaller strap lock buttons for bigger screw...?

[mightyjoeyoungxnj]

Dudes,

Has anyone ever done this?? I have used Schaller locks for a while, but was always disappointed with the size of the screw that they provide. It holds, but is quite wimpy compared to a stock Gibson screw or the like.

Anyone ever drilled the strap lock button to accept a stock guitar screw? I'm guessing it will work...

-Joe

 

[Digital Jams]

You can tap the wood for a larger screw or take a toothpick and some wood glue and place the toothpick in the hole and use the same screw. Just be careful that the new hole you make is smaller than the screw.

 

[mightyjoeyoungxnj]

You can tap the wood for a larger screw or take a toothpick and some wood glue and place the toothpick in the hole and use the same screw. Just be careful that the new hole you make is smaller than the screw.

No no, I'm not looking to drill the guitar. I'm curious about making the hole on the actual strap lock button bigger. I want to be able to use the stock guitar screw rather than the small screw that comes with the Schallers. I've done the tooth pick thing before though on previous guitars.

-Joe

 

[Copperhead]

I use PC-11 epoxy in the hole. Just make sure you like what you got, because it is almost permanent. I did not like the fill the hole or bigger screw method when I was playing JEMs because they had a nasty tendency to crack when you had a screw that was the proper fit for the pilot hole. I had one that I over-drilled the hole, glued in a dowel, drilled the dowel for the new screw, and it cracked the freakin' body anyway! So now I use a semi-snug but not super tight screw, fill the hole with epoxy, and screw in the strap lock. Clean off the excess and leave it sit over night.

 

[mightyjoeyoungxnj]

I use PC-11 epoxy in the hole. Just make sure you like what you got, because it is almost permanent. I did not like the fill the hole or bigger screw method when I was playing JEMs because they had a nasty tendency to crack when you had a screw that was the proper fit for the pilot hole. I had one that I over-drilled the hole, glued in a dowel, drilled the dowel for the new screw, and it cracked the freakin' body anyway! So now I use a semi-snug but not super tight screw, fill the hole with epoxy, and screw in the strap lock. Clean off the excess and leave it sit over night.

Hmmm...

Just to clarify, have you tried drilling the button hole on the strap lock?? Maybe I'm misunderstanding your post, but I'm not looking to modify the hole in the guitar at all.

-Joe

 

[mightyjoeyoungxnj]

I just realized my post was misleading...I edited it.

-Joe

 

[Copperhead]

No, I just use the screw that comes with the button. I really don't want to drop any of my guitars, and I think that weakening the button by drilling a bigger hole would be counter productive to what I'm trying to accomplish. On the Dunlops, the screw head is small and has a shape to it that fits with the taper drilled in the bottom of the button. The screw itself is usually a bit shorter and smaller dia. than the OEM screw that was in the original strap lug, but it will catch good enough to get snug.
This has worked for me well for the past 15+ years. My GMW is the first guitar I've had that the straplock screw actually was tight in the hole, and I didn't need to epoxy it.

 

[blackba]

On my LP studio I used the stock screw in the schaller strap locks, it was too large so I used a grinder and made the head smaller so it fit in the strap lock.

The screw that came with the gold strap locks was black and I wanted to use a gold screw, so that is what I did...

 

[donkers]

i use the toothpick and elmers glue method.

 

[mightyjoeyoungxnj]

Cool, thanks guys. I just want to make sure that the button won't fail if I make the hole slightly larger.

-Joe

 

[again with this]

Dudes,

Has anyone ever done this?? I have used Schaller locks for a while, but was always disappointed with the size of the screw that they provide. It holds, but is quite wimpy compared to a stock Gibson screw or the like.

Anyone ever drilled the strap lock button to accept a stock guitar screw? I'm guessing it will work...

-Joe

Yup. done it. Also have done digijamz, "toothpick" thing.

I like to use a little longer screw too, to grab more of the wood, in addition to a slightly wider screw. I put a couple drops of super clue in there too. I am a (hack) player not a collector, so I don't care about returning them to stock.

 

[mightyjoeyoungxnj]

Dudes,

Has anyone ever done this?? I have used Schaller locks for a while, but was always disappointed with the size of the screw that they provide. It holds, but is quite wimpy compared to a stock Gibson screw or the like.

Anyone ever drilled the strap lock button to accept a stock guitar screw? I'm guessing it will work...

-Joe

Yup. done it. Also have done digijamz, "toothpick" thing.

I like to use a little longer screw too, to grab more of the wood, in addition to a slightly wider screw. I put a couple drops of super clue in there too. I am a (hack) player not a collector, so I don't care about returning them to stock.

Cool man...I'm thinking of modifying the button when I buy my new axe.

-Joe