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Post subject: Brand new 60's relic strat needs your help
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:05 pm
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I recently purchased a 60's relic strat about a month ago and decided to put straplocks on it to protect my investment. I was putting on the straplocks usings the original screws that came on guitar. When the screw was 3/4 of the way in, the screw broke off leaving almost only the head of the screw out of the guitar and the rest is still stuck in the strat (when they mean "reliced" they mean the screws are even old I gues haha). How can I get the broke off piece out of my guitar? I know, take it to a luither, but I was wondering if I could do it easily without "injuring" my guitar. Thanks


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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:17 pm
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If you can,t grab the screw with pliers or something take it to a luther. Getting a broken screw out is either very easy or very hard so be careful.


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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:34 pm
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Since the screw is broken inside the body you have two options.

(1st) You can remove the broken screw shaft with what we (carpenters) call an easy out screw remover, it looks like a beveled drill bit, but the threads are reversed, so that it functions as a drill bit, drills into the screw shaft in the reverse direction which inserted the screw into the body, when it grips the shaft, it will bring it back out. One problem here is that the straplock screw shaft is about 3/16th of an inch in diameter. Even if you can find an easy out of that size, you risk enlarging the original screwhole and having a worst mess to deal with.

(2nd) Easier option would be to fill in the hole above the broken shaft with wood putty, sand smooth with 600+ grit sandpaper, use matching color touch up paint over the filled in hole.
Redrill a new hole below the filled in hole, match the drill bit to the same shaft size as the new strap-lock screw. When held side by side, the drill bit diameter should be smaller than the screw threads and the hole drilled as deep as the screw is long.

Patience is key, as well as being careful, if you feel that this is going to be too difficult, have someone (luthier) or cabinet maker perform the surgery. A small expense is better than to risk a disaster.

Good luck!


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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:43 pm
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Since the screw is broken inside the body you have two options.

(1st) You can remove the broken screw shaft with what we (carpenters) call an easy out screw remover, it looks like a beveled drill bit, but the threads are reversed, so that it functions as a drill bit, drills into the screw shaft in the reverse direction which inserted the screw into the body, when it grips the shaft, it will bring it back out. One problem here is that the straplock screw shaft is about 3/16th of an inch in diameter. Even if you can find an easy out of that size, you risk enlarging the original screwhole and having a worst mess to deal with.

(2nd) Easier option would be to fill in the hole above the broken shaft with wood putty, sand smooth with 600+ grit sandpaper, use matching color touch up paint over the filled in hole.
Redrill a new hole below the filled in hole, match the drill bit to the same shaft size as the new strap-lock screw. When held side by side, the drill bit diameter should be smaller than the screw threads and the hole drilled as deep as the screw is long.

Patience is key, as well as being careful, if you feel that this is going to be too difficult, have someone (luthier) or cabinet maker perform the surgery. A small expense is better than to risk a disaster.

Good luck!


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:16 am
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Is this common? Will it affect the sound? Having it being only a month old, its very upsetting


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:19 am
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When i asked about affecting the sound, I was referring to if I have to drill a hole in my new guitar, I say have cause this is definitely a last resort :(


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:29 am
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Just happened to me on an amp; the screw broke and then again when my tech wished to pull it out, it broke again just at the surface.
So he expertly drilled with a thinner drill into the screw until all the core was off and then inserted another screw of the same size which took away the remaining surrounding parts of metal .
And then he could screw again another screw of the exact specs of the original one.
You need to have a very precise hand.

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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:44 am
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Common? Yes and No sorry to be vague, but whenever replacing parts, you must make sure that the new screw's threads going into the hole are not longer than the hole itself. Maple is extremely dense, and it will shear off screws if you are forcing a screw without being predrilled to the correct lenght and size.

As far as change of tone from one screw, No you'll never be able to hear a difference, it's an infinitely minute change.
If you cannot remove the broken screw shaft, you really don't have another choice but to drill a new hole, As in my last post if well completed, you should not be able to see the repair.

I appreciate your concern and anxiety, back in the late 70's I had a 59-61 black 2 pickup Les Paul Custom, which i tripped on the cord to answer the door, tipped the guitar off it's stand and the neck snapped at the heel when it hit the ground, to add insult to injury the amp was on and that was a sound I could have done without.
I just bought a 56 NOS Custom Shop Strat, it is perfect, has been in it's case since 2001, so yeah I'm careful with it, but these are instruments meant to be played "NOT" stuck in a glass case to be admired.
You will ding your guitar and that's life...


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:57 pm
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53magnatone wrote:
As far as change of tone from one screw, No you'll never be able to hear a difference, it's an infinitely minute change.


The tone WILL NOT change becuse you chaned the screw in the strap pins.

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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:16 am
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Mole grips are best if you can get them on the broken part


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