Advice needed re: strap lock screws

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The hole that the strap nut (?) screws into in the butt end of my guitar has become big enough that the screw slips out, which means i now can't use it standing up.

in a normal piece of wood you'd just put in a bigger screw or use a rawl plug, but obviously this isn't an option in an instrument.

Whats the best course of action here?
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Comments

  • Fill the hole with cut-down toothpicks (you can use matches at a pinch but toothpicks are better as they're hardwood) and wood glue. Screw in the strap button, wipe away any glue squeeze-out with a damp cloth and allow to dry (usually 24 hours - read the glue instructions). That should be totally solid.
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  • BGGBGG Frets: 688
    Toothpick
    #thebatesmotelband
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  • boogiemanboogieman Frets: 12314
    Use a cocktail stick or two, glued in with wood glue. Let the glue dry overnight and then trim the sticks flush with the body. Then drill a small pilot hole and re-use the original screw. Job done. 
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    This all might sound messy and weird - but the advice above works 100%
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  • So - two bits of advice here - toothpicks glue AND screw all at the same time, or toothpicks, glue - let it dry - THEN screw. Is there a preferred option?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    What steamabacus said.

    Wood glue in the hole first, as many cut-down toothpicks as you can get in tightly, then put the screw and button back straight away. It's much better to put the screw in immediately with the glue wet - that way you will compress the wood fibres and glue around the remains of the old thread, which will then set into a cast-in thread. If you let it dry and drill you're just threading the screw into the toothpicks and dried glue, which are fairly weak.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • fretfinderfretfinder Frets: 4978
    I've done this many times and have always let the glue dry first, and I've never had further problems with the offending screws. I don't see why it wouldn't work just as well though, putting the screw back in while the glue is still wet.
    250+ positive trading feedbacks: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57830/
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30826
    Drink more Grolsch.

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    ICBM said:
    What steamabacus said.

    Wood glue in the hole first, as many cut-down toothpicks as you can get in tightly, then put the screw and button back straight away. It's much better to put the screw in immediately with the glue wet - that way you will compress the wood fibres and glue around the remains of the old thread, which will then set into a cast-in thread. If you let it dry and drill you're just threading the screw into the toothpicks and dried glue, which are fairly weak.
    Yup, this.

    Eventually you may find it will get weak again at which point you can decide whether to repeat the process or fit a small dowel in there.

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Admittedly there's a lot more force and larger diameter screws, but I tested the various methods of doing this for neck bolts on a scrap Strat neck.

    The interesting result was that the 'bodge' method of packing with toothpicks and putting the screw in with the glue wet was the strongest, and the 'proper' method of drilling the hole out, dowelling and redrilling was the weakest. The toothpicks/dried glue method was somewhere in the middle.

    Not very scientific since I only did it once, but the difference was enough to convince me that the easiest and quickest way was also the best way.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • I pack in matches
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