okay for strap buttons to be loose??

aznxtasy341 · July 17th, 2008, 03:05 AM

this might be a totally stupid question, but is it okay for the bottom strap button to be a little loose? im talking about this to ease my mind.. since i lean my guitars against things alot and some of them have tall buttons that puts all the pressure on that one point. i know its stupid.. but how safe is it for a 8, 9 pound guitar to have a loose strap buttons?

rhinocaster · July 17th, 2008, 03:09 AM

Loose means "On its way to falling out".

It's not OK for the buttons to be loose. Take the screw out, fit 2 toothpicks in the hole with wood glue on them and let dry. Re-install the screw.

You should be good to go.

BAW4742 · July 17th, 2008, 07:36 AM

Fix it. It's an easy fix so no reason for loose strap buttons.

If it's not too loose rhinocaster's tooth pick trick will work. I've fixed over sized holes by gluing in a golf tee and re-drilling after it sets up.

boris bubbanov · July 17th, 2008, 01:29 PM

Not okay. Fix it now.

hamish5178 · July 17th, 2008, 02:38 PM

Here's what I do for loose strap buttons (that is, if they won't tighten, sometimes you just need to screw it back in).

Fill the whole with wood glue, then insert a match backwards and break it off at the surface of the guitar. Wipe off the excess glue from the guitar and then let it sit for a few minutes. You want the glue to be a little hardened but still gooey, 5 minutes is good.

The just push the screw into the hole a little and screw it back in. The mush of wood and glue is very strong and has never needed to be done again on any of the guitars I've done it too.

magicguitar · July 17th, 2008, 02:43 PM

+1 to fix it now!

ajgus · July 17th, 2008, 02:45 PM

+1 to everything said. I would also advise that maybe you should invest in a stand either of the floor or wall-mount variety. Its ok to lean your guitar up against your amp every now & then, but it only leads to the potential for problems in the long run.

teleman65 · July 18th, 2008, 12:30 AM

Tighten it up now.

tpaul · July 18th, 2008, 11:02 AM

It's perfectly fine to have loose strap buttons... as long as you are perfectly fine with having your guitar fall off the strap one day while you're playing.

Otherwise, fix it.

Arlo · July 18th, 2008, 11:20 AM

If it's a relic look you are seeking your on the right track.

Of course it might interfere with the solo during Purple Haze.

Tim73 · July 18th, 2008, 11:53 PM

I've used bits of matchstick in the past to rectify the problem

bowlfreshener · July 19th, 2008, 11:44 AM

If you must ask yourself if its okay for strap buttons to be loose, then you must ask yourself is it okay for your guitar to fall off and hit the floor?

As everyone suggested, the matchstick or toothpick method should work unless you have gouged out a larger hole with the loose screw. I check all the strap buttons and stuff that can come loose before I play, much like I would give my car a quick look-check before I start driving...

tc6969 · July 19th, 2008, 12:15 PM

Romeo Rose says No problem!

July 17th, 2008, 03:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
aznxtasy341 Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 478	okay for strap buttons to be loose?? this might be a totally stupid question, but is it okay for the bottom strap button to be a little loose? im talking about this to ease my mind.. since i lean my guitars against things alot and some of them have tall buttons that puts all the pressure on that one point. i know its stupid.. but how safe is it for a 8, 9 pound guitar to have a loose strap buttons?

July 17th, 2008, 03:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
rhinocaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Oregon Age: 44 Posts: 1,366	Loose means "On its way to falling out". It's not OK for the buttons to be loose. Take the screw out, fit 2 toothpicks in the hole with wood glue on them and let dry. Re-install the screw. You should be good to go. __________________ Just because I "Don't" get it doesn't mean I "Won't" get it!

July 17th, 2008, 01:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 8,503	Not okay. Fix it now. __________________ Bubban0v

July 17th, 2008, 02:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
hamish5178 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Delaware Age: 17 Posts: 242	Here's what I do for loose strap buttons (that is, if they won't tighten, sometimes you just need to screw it back in). Fill the whole with wood glue, then insert a match backwards and break it off at the surface of the guitar. Wipe off the excess glue from the guitar and then let it sit for a few minutes. You want the glue to be a little hardened but still gooey, 5 minutes is good. The just push the screw into the hole a little and screw it back in. The mush of wood and glue is very strong and has never needed to be done again on any of the guitars I've done it too. __________________ Fender 52RI - Gibson SG Standard '77 Deluxe Reverb SunFace w/ Sundial - ProCo RAT - Fulltone GT-500 Keeley AD-9 - Boss CH-1

July 17th, 2008, 02:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
ajgus Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 2,278	+1 to everything said. I would also advise that maybe you should invest in a stand either of the floor or wall-mount variety. Its ok to lean your guitar up against your amp every now & then, but it only leads to the potential for problems in the long run. __________________ "I'm still married to my first wife...and that's my first guitar...she don't talk back to me, she talks for me..." -Stevie ray Vaughan

July 17th, 2008, 07:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
BAW4742 Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Age: 51 Posts: 644	Fix it. It's an easy fix so no reason for loose strap buttons. If it's not too loose rhinocaster's tooth pick trick will work. I've fixed over sized holes by gluing in a golf tee and re-drilling after it sets up.

July 17th, 2008, 02:43 PM	#6 (permalink)
magicguitar Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Fallon, Nevada Age: 61 Posts: 554	+1 to fix it now!

July 18th, 2008, 11:02 AM	#9 (permalink)
tpaul Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingston, NY Posts: 744	It's perfectly fine to have loose strap buttons... as long as you are perfectly fine with having your guitar fall off the strap one day while you're playing. Otherwise, fix it.

July 18th, 2008, 11:20 AM	#10 (permalink)
Arlo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Maine [in a van down by the river] Age: 50 Posts: 2,332	If it's a relic look you are seeking your on the right track. Of course it might interfere with the solo during Purple Haze. __________________ My music? It is free for my friends.

July 18th, 2008, 11:53 PM	#11 (permalink)
Tim73 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Berkshire, England Age: 35 Posts: 1,385 21 Photos	I've used bits of matchstick in the past to rectify the problem __________________ Born in the '70's & in my mind, still living there now...

July 19th, 2008, 11:44 AM	#12 (permalink)
bowlfreshener Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 33 Posts: 1,547 6 Photos	If you must ask yourself if its okay for strap buttons to be loose, then you must ask yourself is it okay for your guitar to fall off and hit the floor? As everyone suggested, the matchstick or toothpick method should work unless you have gouged out a larger hole with the loose screw. I check all the strap buttons and stuff that can come loose before I play, much like I would give my car a quick look-check before I start driving... __________________ RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

July 19th, 2008, 12:15 PM	#13 (permalink)
tc6969 Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Rockledge Florida Age: 56 Posts: 135	Romeo Rose says No problem!