Need a little help with a fix

[Citrus]

First off Hello. im new to these forums.

Hope to have nice conversations.

 

now to the heart of the matter.

awhile back I got my hands on an Epi LP Standard and have been loving it.

 

but when I got home from work and pulled it out of the case the strap screw came RIGHT OUT of the guitar

I popped the screw back in and tried to screw it in tighter. but it just keeps popping back out.

 

sorry if this wasnt too clear or just went in circles.

but im wondering what my options are.

 

would appreciate help.

[TheX]

Stick a piece of toothpick in there then screw it back in. Works great You can also glue oieces in there and re-drill the hole if you like.

[Citrus]

Toothpick?

how does that work?

[TheX]

Adds wood, makes the hole smaller again.

[Citrus]

hm. Thanks for the advice.

Im trying spackle right now.

 

I hope thats not a bad idea. and if it doesnt work Ill try a toothpick >.>

[jcwillow777]

hm. Thanks for the advice.

Im trying spackle right now.

 

I hope thats not a bad idea. and if it doesnt work Ill try a toothpick >.>

 

I would use wood filler instead of spakle. I had the same happen to a Gibson Les Paul and filled it with wood filler and re-drilled the hole. I have never had a problem since.

[ricach]

You can also use put a drop of white (carpenters) glue and put the screw back in. Let it dry a few hours. When it dries its very secure, but will break free if you decide to unscrew it at a later date.

[yosoybay]

In those types of situations, toothpicks have always worked perfectly for me, although I admit I feel very unsophisticated and always think, "Maybe I should use wood filler this time." But if it works...

[shartom]

I had the same thing happen to my Gretch Anniversary. I used a wooden match stick. Be sure to remove the smoking end. I covered it with wood glue and pushed it into the opening. The screw went in and I never had the problem after that.

[bluesstringer]

I'm probably too late but please don't use spackle. It's a plaster type material and will not work on wood. Even if it initially seems to, it will quickly come out. Use a toothpick or wooden matchstick with some wood glue, make sure you let it dry and you will never have the same problem.

 

I have also used a larger screw with great sucess in the past. Good luck and welcome !

[theevilblacknarc]

All the above suggestions are right on the money. Instead of toothpicks, you could also use matchsticks, I've even used twigs once. Dip 'em in wood glue or filler and stick 'em in. I've also used wood filler to coat the screw before, but I like the toothpick method better, it's a classic.

[Vic Flick]

Toothpick and a drop of TITEN glue by Loctite. TITEN is designed to fill the gaps and solidify loose screws. To make triple sure, you can get a slightly longer screw.

[Ricochet]

All the above suggestions are right on the money. Instead of toothpicks' date=' you could also use matchsticks, I've even used twigs once. Dip 'em in wood glue or filler and stick 'em in. I've also used wood filler to coat the screw before, but I like the toothpick method better, it's a classic.[/quote']

 

Also, between twigs, matchsticks and toothpicks, the latter has the best tone-mojo.

[RotcanX]

Im trying spackle right now.

 

It's a guitar, mon, not a wall. Spackle probably won't hold over the long haul. A flat toothpick or two, with some carpenter's glue, will, once set, be like the original wood. In really bad cases the trick is to drill out the hole and glue in a length of wooden dowel.

[Ron G]

In those types of situations' date=' toothpicks have always worked perfectly for me, although I admit I feel very unsophisticated and always think, "Maybe I should use wood filler this time." But if it works...[/quote']

 

Not "unsophisticated" at all - it's a very common practice with professional woodworkers.

[pohatu771]

Won't spackle just break up when the screw is put back?

[TWANG]

all this talk.

toothpicks are hardwood. otherwise they'd splinter into your gums.

use flat toothpicks.. break them off to be flat at the outside of the hole..

line the hole with at least four.. going by how easy your strap button is coming out..

 

when you put the toothpicks in.. you smear them through a glob of elmers white glue..

that's all it takes for glue.

 

when you put the screw in. while it's all wet.. the toothpicks will be bitten into by the screw and at the same time pressurized against the

interior wall of the hole.. with glue seeping.. use very little! not enough to seep out of the hole.. into the screw threads and filling the cracks.

the end result is a hardwood filler, which will beat the crap out of spackle any day of the week.

 

Another thing you can do, and which I like to do, is get off my can and go to the hardware store (I have stock *s*) and get a screw that's about 1/4" longer or so.

 

But honestly, toothpicks and elmers fix this well and for a long long time.

let it dry for an hour or two.. strap it on and play.

 

wood filler can crumble, too, by the way.. it's the movement at the strap button that wears it away.

hardwood is good!

toothpicks are hardwood. your guitar isn't made of spackle or wood filler.

 

my two cents anyway.

 

good luck

[jcwillow777]

...your guitar isn't made of wood filler.

 

True, but I fixed my LP like this 4 years ago and my locking strap button hasn't loosened up once since then, and I use that guitar a lot. I will have to say that I did have a fairly large hole, not big enough for a dowl, but big enough that I was able to fill the hole with filler. I had a smaller hole in an Epi that I couldn't get enough wood filler in, so I used the toothpick and glue trick and that has worked as well.

[Ron G]

Wood filler is definitely too weak for this type of repair. Here's an excellent product I recently discovered that's amazingly strong and dries very quickly. It's a little pricey but worth it. Click===> Minwax High Performance Wood Filler

[Citrus]

Thanks for the advice folks. appreciate it.

 

I guess I just gotta find some toothpicks.....and elmers glue....

[layboomo]

Then theres the drunken EVH approach to guitar repair....he used a huge eyebolt and those guitars are selling for what....25K now But in principle he was correct....a larger longer screw solves the problem.

[Citrus]

welp. I found a longer screw luckily.

but this thing was friggen huge compared too the normal screw. I just hope it didnt go in too deep and hit anything.

 

but yeah. I dont think this thing is ever coming back out.

not without pliers or divine intervention or something. >.>

[Biff]

You should still check the screws every once in a while. I just noticed the screws on my LP were almost coming off on their own. Strap locks will not help if the screws are loose...

[Dave]

Woodworkers and carpenters have been using the shim (toothpick) method for centuries. I had to do my Epi LP the week I bought it. They are drilling the pilot holes a little too large and the screw doesn't get the bite it needs. A little glue and a toothpick or two is a good fix. There's nothing wrong with mixing sawdust and wood glue to fill the hole, but you have run the screw in immediately or drill it afterwards.

 

A longer screw works but you still need to insert a toothpick to make the original threads bite. Otherwise, you have 1/4" of newly tapped threads holding and the original depth of the hole is loose.

 

I have a plug cutter bit for my drill press. I countersink the screw holes on my projects so that the screw is recessed and insert a wooden plug to fill the hole and sand it. It makes for a clean look on areas that otherwise would have exposed fasteners. The plug is so strong that you can drill out a new hole, insert a plug with wood glue applied, re-drill the screw hole in the plug and insert a screw that holds as well as the original if you so desire. I have repaired chairs and other furniture where the screw just wouldn't tighten. Wood glued parts are stronger than the original wood, believe it or not.