strap buttons

[dbw]

My strap buttons keep coming loose... I can tighten them back up with a screwdriver but I want a more permanent solution.  The body wood is korina (very soft).  Any ideas?

 

[blue313]

Glue in a tight fitting hardwood dowel with a few channels in the sides so the glue can escape.  Then just redrill for the strap button.  It shouldn't go anywhere after that. 

 

[bpmorton777]

is anybody else having this problem? What size drill bit did you use for the holes?

Brian

 

[jackthehack]

It sounds like you drilled the pilot hole too large. You can dowel the hole as Blue313 suggested, but for strap buttons you might be able to get a slightly larger or longer screw that would dig further into the wood and accomplish the same thing. I have multiple Black Korina builds and never had an issue with screws staying put.

 

[jmohil]

Here's an easy fix I've used on SOLID bodies that seems to work pretty well...put a piece of a toothpick in the hole, along with a little wood glue.  I've done it on two guitars, and the buttons have stayed secure for years.

Unfortunately, I'm having the same problem with a Gibson ES-135 semi-hollow body.  The toothpick trick or a longer screw aren't going to cut it since the button is screwed through only about a 1/4" of wood.  Anyone have suggestions for this scenario?

 

[line6man]

when i was working on my squier jazz bass body, i had to fill in the control plate holes and redrill them because they were stripped...
i would imagine that all you have to do is just put in wood filler.

take some plastic wood and just push it down with your finger a million times, and push it in with a toothpick every so often.
once you have as much as you can get in the hole, let it dry and then redrill it.

you need to tape all around the hole, otherwise your going to have crap all over your finish...
i taped around the holes with 6 strips of electrical tape in a hexagon type arrangement.

 

[dbw]

All good ideas, thanks!  I'll think about it and let you guys know what I go with.