Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The strap button (schaller locking type - tailpiece side) keeps coming loose on my 330. By the end of rehearsal the bolt has worked half way out. It would be a shock if it came all the way out during a set!

In the past I've used the toothpick and white glue trick but I'm having trouble getting that to work because there's no hole bottom, the toothpick just keeps falling into the inside of the guitar.

There's probably a very easy way to fix this, if anyone can point out the obvious I'd appreciate it!

IIRC, Paul W's solution is to first try distilled water on the inside surfaces of the threaded hole to get the wood to swell up; the wood should swell up, and once dry, grip the threads of the strap button.

The next is the dowel or toothpick fix with glue.

I suppose one could also try teflon/plumber's pipe tape around the threads of the strap button for a quick fix, but I just though of this, and it's not an "authorized" forum fix...in fact, I expect a reply post or PM from Paul W at any moment telling me I'm nuts/giving bad advice...

paologregorio wrote:IIRC, Paul W's solution is to first try distilled water on the inside surfaces of the threaded hole to get the wood to swell up;

Thanks for your reply. Just a few drops of water? Does it have to be distilled?

Here's a very strong solution:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#92105a660/=4msgtr

The only issue is they only come in boxes of 100.

The good news is that a whole box is $12.24--cheap insurance, in my book.

Then, you can use the rest for necklaces, fishing weights, or ???

jingle_jangle wrote:Here's a very strong solution:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#92105a660/=4msgtr

The only issue is they only come in boxes of 100.

The good news is that a whole box is $12.24--cheap insurance, in my book.

Then, you can use the rest for necklaces, fishing weights, or ???

Or offer them for sale to your fellow forumites with loose strap buttons; sell them for $1/pair, plus shipping, and you'll clean up!

Or, you could just buy 49 more Rickenbackers to use them on...

I like the idea of 49 more Rickenbackers, but maybe I'll try the water trick first....

I have bought those in a single quantity in both brass and steel at my local hardware store. Woodcraft stores also carry them.

Don't use Teflon tape...it's a lubricant.

jingle_jangle wrote:Don't use Teflon tape...it's a lubricant.

somehow I knew I was going to get corrected on that one!

Dave --- did you make good progress in fixing it ?

paologregorio wrote: I suppose one could also try teflon/plumber's pipe tape around the threads of the strap button for a quick fix, but I just though of this, and it's not an "authorized" forum fix...in fact, I expect a reply post or PM from Paul W at any moment telling me I'm nuts/giving bad advice...

meh. I've done that before, with great results. Easy fix too.

It's kind of a bummer that the threads are so loose, compared to the bolt....but then again, it is threading into wood, which is pretty soft.

The piece of hardware above that is sold in packs of 100 by McMaster-Carr is available in packs of four at my local Home Depot.

But I would not resort to that. I'd use the water trick. If you can figure it out somehow, inject steam. I steamed the bridge off of a Charvel 625c-12 recently to reglue it and with as much steam as I used, I had to re-ream the bridge pin holes significantly. This was weeks later. So the swelling was definitely permanent.

Another +1 for plumbers tape here, I've used it on my 4003 which used to loosen the horn bolt every gig, it's never budged since.

Just keep putting more and more toothpicks in. Sooner or later, you'll have a solid body and they'll grip just fine. Personally, I generally fill the hole with a mix of epoxy resin and wood flour (really fine sander dust) stick the fastener in and let it cure. If you ever need to remove it, you heat the fastener up with a soldering iron, which will soften the epoxy bond enough to unscrew it. That's how we do it on boats.

8mileshigher wrote:Dave --- did you make good progress in fixing it ?

For some reason I'm not always notified of replies to my posts! Sorry for the delay. I tried the distilled water idea but it didn't really work. I ended up putting some crazy glue on the strap button and screwing it in. Not ideal I'm sure but I can't think of any reason why I'd want to remove it...fingers crossed