Right out of the box, my Strat had a couple of rough screws on the pick guard. (the flatter screws, not the rounder, more bulbous ones near the pickups.) A couple aren't so bad and never get in my way but one near the bottom of the guard always snags my clothes when I play sitting down.

I'm kinda surprised they send them out with lousy screws like this. Anybody have this experience? Can I just buy replacement screws and change it myself? I'm sure there's nothing dangerous about doing this myself right? It's just a screw.

I've seen this happen once in a while but I can't say its chronic. Yes, Fender does sell replacement screw kits. Check out the numerous Fender Dealerships on the web for them. Yes, you can replace them yourself with ordinary care.

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You know, that's not what I was thinking when I read the title of this post....

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+1

But I was hesitant to go down that slippery incline! Being a biker... well... I have stories.

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Me neither. I was expecting at least a cursurory reference to a G-string related problem. Something like "Last night, I was going to play my guitar, but a really rough screw broke my G-string."

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2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam

I gotta say, I'm thrown for a loop now. I went to Sam Ash and two things happened. First, they only had some generic replacement screws. Not the Fender brand. I should really use the Fender brand correct?

Second, the guy's like I wouldn't do this until you talk to you our guitar tech (who's out). You could damage the guitar. I mean, it's just unscrewing one screw and putting a new one in. I am very sensitive about the guitar and don't want to do anything if there's even the slightest chance I could hurt it. But is that possible here? How big of a deal is this?

There is nothing mystical, magical nor unique about Fender pickguard screws. They are simply size #4-40 x 1/2" phillips oval head wood screws, READILY available at MANY hardware supply houses. They come in various finishes such as chrome, nickel, stainless steel, etc. Naturally, you'd probably pay double for half this amount if you bought them packaged under a musical brand name labeled as, "pickguard screws". Besides, I honestly believe all the musical instrument manufacturers buy them in HUGE quantities from some Asian factory just like all the hardware supply houses do and once they arrive at their various American destinations, these screws are packaged as it suits each company's purpose. Remember, you can't even buy say, a tea cup made in this country any more!

There is nothing mystical, magical nor unique about installing pickguard screws in any guitar any more than what you'd be do for any similar non-guitar application. The reason said guy is trying to scare you is because he and his buddy stand to make no money off of you if you buy the screws elsewhere and install them yourself. Most so called, "techs" working in huge music chain stores are glorified string changers and usually get paid by the job as a result of being the lowest bidder for it. At best, they are working for minimal wages where, "draw against commission" may factor in too. They put up with this because because the competition is so fierce where they'll do whatever it takes to get their foot in the door for the sake of ambience, bragging rights (for what that's worth) or simply for the perceived discounts. Surely, any, "high end" tech wouldn't be working in such a place unless of course, (s)he owned a piece of the individual franchise and even if this were the case, (s)he certainly wouldn't have the time to do 'tech work', so to speak.

Use a manual phillips screwdriver to remove each existing screw. Install each new screw until they become flush and SNUG. DO NOT TIGHTEN them for, "dear life"; move on to the next one. If a screw hole is stripped, DON'T PANIC! Simply break off a toothpick in the hole, dabbed with a little Elmer's WHITE glue taking care that the little dab of glue is confined to the wood's screw hole and just continue about your business. That's it.

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You dig?

Thanks Martian. I have a question. In all seriousness, where did the toothpick fix come from? I've heard the same thing mentioned when drilling in strap locks. Is this just a quick fix it for players at home? I mean, if I were to send my guitar straight to Fender or a custom shop for work, would would they do if the holes got stripped?

+2 Glad I wasn't the only one.

CC

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Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
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You're welcome.

It is a more than adequate fix as it not only solidifies the (toothpick) wood in a now appropriately sized hole for the screw but the dried glue actually reinforces the threads. Best of all, because its white glue, you can still remove and reinstall the screw as you normally would any other down the road if need be. And yes, in a direct answer to your question, it is a quick fix yet nonetheless, quite effective and virtually invisible.

Another popular fix is to pulverize the same species of wood into dust, mix it with some glue and then pack it into the stripped hole; let it dry and tap. Here too, although not as quick as the toothpick method, it is nonetheless, quite effective and virtually invisible.

Now for the outright, "luthier fix", so to speak, one would perfectly fit and glue a dowel in the hole with hide glue. The dowel would be of the same species and shade of the body wood. If the hole was really over sized to where the plug would visibly extend outside the diameter of the new screw hole, the grain of the dowel top would be selected for matching that of the subject body thereby making the plug virtually invisible; a possible spot finish might be applied once the glue has dried. Either way, once everything associated with the dowel has dried, been cleaned and buffed as appropriate, the dowel would lastly be tapped, thus creating a brand new screw hole. I can't speak for Fender but this is the way I was taught, regardless of whether a pickguard or any other covering was to go over the hole or not.

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You dig?

+3

Another alternative would be to remove the offending screw and de-burr it with a fine-grade fingernail file and/or a piece of crocus cloth (used for polishing parts on firearms), then re-install it. Thus, you need not buy anything.

HTH

Arjay

+4 Vt I was looking forward to maybe a little slippery incline What a let down!!!!

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Excellent info, Martian. Many thanks.

Or just swap the pickguard screws around so that one that doesn't have a burr is in the position where it might catch on clothing.

But don't try this at home, kids. You will invalidate the warranty and also the guitar might explode...

Cheers - C