Straplock compatibliity

[vulcan_creedler]

Would you like the Schaller contact info so you can apply for a license under their patent and send the royalty they'll no doubt require?

Good advice always well received.

As my post suggested, I was trying to gauge interest if anybody else, like me was concerned with the threading into older instruments, as potentially I would have to have bought minimum quantities, and I really don't want to end up with 100s of the damned things! Thank you for pointing out patent/royalty information - I hadn't considered that aspect, so it's definitely not worth it, unless I can source a few genuine Schaller buttons. We can't be involved in procuring counterfeit goods, can we! It seems that "Allparts" have Schaller-fit buttons readily available to the UK and also in US. Am I to believe that these are not "licensed"? If so, I'll definately be avoiding Allparts. Anyhow - good to know that we can reply on a drop of water to swell-out the timber.

This opens a wider question - what if the end user prefers another strap-lock system? Grover, Dunlop, Planet Waves, or even (Lord forbid!) a Fender system?

Luckily I prefer Schaller, and I have just seen that Rosetti have complete Schaller strap-lock sets for £13.69 (inc VAT) so with 52 pennies for a pair of 10-24 1" bolts, and a wee bit of engineering, not only do I get Schaller strap bolts with exactly the right thread, I also get the complete Schaller strap locks too, for significantly less than a pair or metric threaded bolts from the Rossetti spares section. With no disrespect intended, this is an obvious choice to make.

[johnhall]

[quote="vulcan_creedler]It seems that "Allparts" have Schaller-fit buttons readily available to the UK and also in US. Am I to believe that these are not "licensed"? If so, I'll definately be avoiding Allparts.[/quote]

Allparts is a Schaller distributor and the components are actually made by Schaller.

[vulcan_creedler]

[quote="vulcan_creedler]It seems that "Allparts" have Schaller-fit buttons readily available to the UK and also in US. Am I to believe that these are not "licensed"? If so, I'll definately be avoiding Allparts.

Allparts is a Schaller distributor and the components are actually made by Schaller.[/quote][/quote]

Mr. Hall,

Thanks again for that information. I always wondered if Allparts were operating "on the edge", so to speak, more to do with the fact they supply/used to supply a Ric clone 4003 bridge, which looked like downright copyright infringement! The integrity of those components in particular have been discussed in the forums!

http://www.allparts.com/BB-0316-010-Ric ... p_542.html

Regards from London.

[vulcan_creedler]

What I've done in the past when I did not want the strap button to ever come loose again, is use larger than stock wood screw. I drill the standard Schaller button out for the slightly larger diameter screw, then turn down the head of the screw so it fits in the Schaller button.

Well - I found some 10-24 machine screws, here in the UK - yippee!! So - a simple grind down of the heads to fit inside the Schaller buttons, and a slight drill-out of the the Schaller buttons - literally the next size drill bit up, followed! But because my wood threads were so beaten up (probably due to the old style strap buttons coming loose virtually every time I played my 88 4003), the 10-24's wouldn't grip - probably because with a screw driver, a lot more torque is available than finger tightening the old bolts ..boohoo...

The 10-24's do fit exceptionally well though into my '98 4003 - but I've already got the factory fitted buttons!

Anyhow - I reverted to Dane's idea on the old 88 4003, and used oversize wood screws. I've a box of stainless steel screws, (raised countersunk Phillips 1 3/4" x #8), that are intended as neck screws for Fenduff bolt-on necks, and having already enlarged the holes in the buttons, these were perfect, again having ground down the heads slightly.

I noticed that they went straight past the body wood threads, and surprisingly deep into the body before I had to use the screw driver for about the last 3/4". For a bit more stability, i simply inserted 1" of cocktail stick into the hole, to force the screws to bite on one side before the fresh wood was encountered, and the resulting fit is absolutely rock solid! I intentionally did not fill/re-drill and left the cocktail stick unglued, purely so that I could revert back to the original Rickenbacker pre-schaller strap bolts! (I keep all my old bits, and like to be able to reverse any surgery!)

Anyhow - I've now got a box of 50 1" 10-24's if anybody wants some.(I couldn't buy a sensible quantity!), especially on the European side of the pond! I'm happy to grind them down if you want! Down to my last 500 of neck-bolt screws too!!

This HAS to get the geek-of-the-week-post award!!!!!!!

[aceonbass]

And the "Geek-of-the-Week-Post Award" goes to....Guy Thomas!

[vulcan_creedler]

And the "Geek-of-the-Week-Post Award" goes to....Guy Thomas!

Sorry Dane - I missed that - I was out train spotting!

[aceonbass]

You Brits are so cheeky

[vulcan_creedler]

You Brits are so cheeky

Oi! I'm Welsh! not a mere "Brit"

[ricnbacker]

I got a bit sick of all the noise and resonance from the Schaller straplocks so I tried to find some Grolsch beer in the old style bottles, hoping I could use the rubber gaskets as straplocks... no luck finding anything sadly. The guys working at that liquor store said they were no longer sold like that, and it's probably the biggest liquor store in Denver.

That is not true...I actually got a couple of Grolsch beer bottles last year just to use the rubber gaskets....got them on my Steinberger. got a pair in my Ric's case as well.

not sure right now but I think it was a PITA to get it on the Ric's strap button.

I will be in Denver in June and can drop off a pair at Wildwood in an envelope with your name on it if you like....

[paologregorio]

Anybody know the machine screw thread specifications?

I now feel a need to convert some regular Schaller staplocks, without paying 20 bucks a strap button, here in the Uk, for "Ric" ones, without having to resort to toothpicks and glue!

VC

1. Take a RIC straplock, go to the hardware store, and find a nut that threads on to the screw.
2. Buy two screws with that thread size, and match the threaded length of the RIC straplock.
3. shape/taper the screw with a metal file or on a grinder wheel to fit the straplock.
* you can also buy two nuts for the screw, screw them both on the nut together, place the end of the screw in a drill bit, and use the drill to spin the screw head on a file or metal sandpaper until the screw head is of the right dimensions.
4. Install.

....Yes, I've done this.