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I've got a '69 P-bass and the upper strap button screw keeps coming loose as the threads in the hole are pretty worn. What's the best way to fix this so that the screw threads will hold solidly? Wood filler? Epoxy or cyano and sawdust? Drill and dowel insert?

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Hi Jon,
I would always use a dowel and drill out just a hair larger then the original hole. Use a long bit and make sure you are not going to drill through the side. If you do not have a long (aircraft style bit) it may be easier to take the neck off so you get the proper angle.
Hope this helps,
Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

Evan's fix is best, but for a temporary fix just remove the screw, and drop in a sliver of soft wood mabe from a wooden match, or scrap from a top, then replace the screw.

AlA Peebels38964.4073958333

Maybe I'm crazy but I would lean towards filling it with epoxy and then, when dry, re-inserting the screw.
CA is probably too brittle for this application. And,unless epoxy based, wood filler will just crumble away.

Is there any way to adapt a slightly larger or longer screw to the button? Maybe you will have to drill out the strap button to accomodate it. Just thought I would offer another alternative to these already thoughtful ones.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

baking soda and ca...wet hole with ca, fill with baking soda. empty out excess soda. rescrew the strap pin.crazymanmichael38964.4544212963

I've used the toothpick and wood glue method with great success. Just fill the hole with Titebond add a bunch of toothpicks (2 or 3 really), break them off and screw in hte button. Mine's held steady for 12 years now.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

[QUOTE=JBreault] I've used the toothpick and wood glue method with great success. Just fill the hole with Titebond add a bunch of toothpicks (2 or 3 really), break them off and screw in hte button. Mine's held steady for 12 years now.[/QUOTE] That's what I would do.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

I second the toothpick and titebond method - works great, been done many a time, no failures, way easy.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I'm with Joe. I've been using the old toothpick routine for years to fix stripped threads in wood.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

I'd advise you to build a new body, and probably a new neck, too. Also, I think your electronics could use an upgrade. Attach your existing strap button to the upgraded unit, without using CA, or dowels or Titebond. Remember to drill the correct-sized pilot hole. This is definitely the best fix. C'mon over, I probably have some wood you can use, and you can leave the defective P-bass here (trace it for templates before you come).

Chris

Well, everyone likes the toothpick idea, I just have done so many repairs for people who have done that previously I never trusted it myself. The true fix would be to construct a time machine and travel back in time before it was stripped then..... well you get the idea
Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

I own an old muzzle loading rifle that was made @ 1850. One of the lockscrews was repaired at some time in the past by inserting a sliver into the hole and reinstalling the screw. It's still holding fine after all these years.

Al

I've used the toothpick/titebond method for years now without any failures that I am aware of.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Thanks for all the advice fellas, except Chris, who better stay away from my bass from now on. :) I'll probably go with the toothpick method, though I think Evan's fix is the best. I can always do that later if I have the neck off sometime.

Funny thing, tonight I was putting together a new O'Sullivan desk made of genuine MDF, and I had a little mishap while putting it together and knocked out some chunks of mdf where a thing was supposed to screw in. I drilled it out and used the dowel method with epoxy, will have to see how it works out when the epoxy's cured.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR