Straplocks! need help installing..

[PeeMonkey]

since i bought a new axe, I decided to get straplocks for it, I went to sam ash and saw them for 20$, but I remembered seeing them online for 10$ so they gave me a price adjustment with no questions asked. Pretty good I guess.

 

But I heard before that you dont need to drill holes with dunlop strap locks, however when reading the manual it says I need to, im kinda too scared to drill a hole into my new baby, can I just try to screw it in with the screw driver into the existing hole?

[Bluesape]

The chances are the screws with your Straplocks are smaller than your current strap button screws, and you'll need to shim them in. Stick a toothpick in, break it where it's flush with the body, stick the other end in with a drop of wood glue, isert the screw in the button and mount the button. Let it dry a few hours and you'll be fine.

[Caevan O’Shite]

I installed 'em on two Les Pauls, and the wood-screws that came with 'em were a little longer than what came stock on the guitars, and also actually somewhat bigger in diameter, too. Many folks find the opposite in one or both dimensions, though...

 

The toothpicks 'n' glue deal that Bluesape describes is a tried-and-true method, good stuff.

 

I probably should've drilled a little deeper, removing a small amount of wood and extending the screw-holes, but since it wasn't a huge difference and they were tapered, pointy and sharp wood-screws, I simply carefully installed them with a screwdriver, snugging them up "hand-tight", all the while listening closely for any cracking, splitting sounds... I was lucky, no problems to this day, they work like champs!

 

On that Jackson's cutaway "horn", you might want to be even more careful than I was, if they're longer in yours, too. Might be more prone to splitting...

 

If they're smaller/shorter, just do the 'picks 'n' glue.

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon3.gif If they squeak and squeal when you move around while playing the guitar- like mine did, to the point of being audible through the pickups!- add a very small amount of clear Teflon gel lubricant to the bearing-surfaces inside the Strap Loks. It stays put, cures any squeaks, and it's clear so it won't smudge anything up if you accidentally get it where you don't want it. You can get Archer brand Teflon-gel in a little pen-like tube at Radio Shack, cheap. Good for the pivot-points and spring contact-points on a Floyd Rose whammy, too...

[PeeMonkey]

hmmmm, it looks like the screws provided with the straplocks are much longer then the stock ones. Is it safe to drill it, or should i use a screwdriver and tighten them in..

 

Can I use the old screw with the new button?

[The Geoff]

The screws supplied with Dunlops are decent sized screws for the job - bigger than stock.

 

As Caevan says, it should be safe screwing one directly into the tail end of the guitar, but screwing into the end of the top horn is slightly more iffy.

 

If you find the tail screw really tough to screw in, I'd open out and deepen the cutaway horn hole just a tad - and I mean JUST A TAD as any more would make the screw prone to being loose, and as it's already an oversize screw, you'd be in deep trouble.

 

Just go easy and use common sense - you'll get there.

 

Geoff