i just the to borrow the strap lock button off my sun burst and when i went to unscrew the screw the head broke off and now i have just the screw shaft left and its about a 1/16 of an inch below the body on the horn i was thinking about drilling it out but would rather try something else any ideas made a "screw out" driver any suggestions would be helpful

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Stratohawk Guitar Works Custom Handwound Pickups-
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Either that or vice grips. Good luck!

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

Ouch !! That is very unfortunate that happened. Your big problem will be the fact that the screw is a heck of alot harder than the wood. Trying to drill it out by hand and you will probably slip off the screw and drill through the wood or waller out an ugly hole. If the guitar was clamped down securely and used a drill press very gently, there might be a possibility of being sucessfull. Anything you do is taking a chance on further damage if not done very cautiously. If it was my guitar and not a highly sought after rare collectable, I would probably try and drill a new hole close enough to the old one to mount the strap button, hoping it is close enough that the button will cover and hide the old hole, possibly using a little large felt washer underneath it if neccasary. It would still nag at me even though noone else would ever know, but a least I would not cause worse damage.

Just My 2 cents even though I don't have a nickle in that quarter.

If it's a poly finish that sucks because it will definitely crack...

Yikes.
If this in an instrument you want to keep in A1 shape, take that bad boy to a tech! They'll have the the right tools to remove it without hurting the finish or damaging the body itself. I've had this happen, and though I do almost all my own work, I didn't want to touch this one.
Also, if it's still under warranty, having a certified tech do it will insure that if it does get damaged, it will be taken care without penalty to you.

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I grew up in the "Dark Ages" of gear, when a '63 Strat was just an old guitar!

The tool that Jay is referring to here is typically called an "Easy Out" and they are very common in regards to automotive repair. That said, I would -NOT- under any circumstance try this method on a guitar for the reasons that redneck stated...you will end up doing even more damage to the wood...possibly considerably more! Using an Easy Out on a metal screw or bolt in a metal engine block is one thing but trying to do this on a tiny little screw on a -wood- guitar body...I wouldn't even do this on a bet! I'm not trying to start a debate with Jay here but that's simply very bad advice!

I too would simply re-drill a new hole for the new strap button. If the hole from the old screw really bothers you that much, use a little bit of wood putty, sand if flush then use just a little dab of touch up paint and buff it out. Otherwise, I would simply consider this as a "battle scar" the same way you would about the occasional paint chip or scratch, etc....adds to the character and history of the instrument.

BTW...do drill a hole for the new strap button screw...-don't- just try and drive the new screw into the wood as you can split the wood!

Peace,
Jim

get an easy out

thanks for the input everyone unfortunately the head broke off with some of the shaft so all that is left is the shalt below the finish so there is no getting any kind of pliers on it . i think I'm just going to pilot a new hole just to the side and put my schaller strap lock button back on and never mess with it again. i set the button on the horn were i could pilot a new hole and with the felt bushing you shouldn't be able to see the old hole and even if i can see some of it thats all right she my number 1 and already has battle wounds form giging. man this sucks i hope it never happens again
thanks Chris

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I'd try to drill out the broken screw.

Then plug the hole and remount the button into the plug.

That'd be the best way to cover the damage.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

This should work just fine. Same thing happened to a buddies guitar, we drilled a pilot right along side of the broken screw. Once the new button was in you couldn't tell what had happened.

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Hey, Boy Blue is back!

Hi Stratohawk: I had exactly the same problem occur with a tuner screw - metal sheered off below the level of the wood, so impossible to grab it with pliers. I ran a thread on the subject to seek suggestions, tried several methods but finally had to drill the screw out, plug and refinish the hole. There's before, during and after photos on this thread:

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... hp?t=13129

In the course of that I found that the Easy Out and similar tools wouldn't work on a screw as small as mine. You strap button screw is a little larger: I don't hold out much hope but you could give it a try...

BTW: if you decide after all to drill it out Forum user cvilleira had a really neat method of doing that in the tidiest possible way. Third post down the first page of the thread. I went and bought some of the tubing he recommended: it turned out to be a little large for my job, but I've saved it away and am itching for an occasion to give it a try...

Good luck - C

Good Grief guys! Just take that to a guitar tech, and it'll be done, it won't cost much to do it, and the yammering about this will come to a merciful end.

Oh yeah, that was a very good idea (and this was your 3000th post here). Here is cvilleira's idea directly:

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.