Putting Straplocks on a Gibson the Right Way:

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

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Ok,

So we know our friends in Nashville use a #8 on the bottom and a #6 on the top. Has anyone ever found a way to do this that does NOT involve toothpicks and glue????
 
For what kinda Straplock system? I might have if you want to use the exact screws from the Gibson ones in let's say, Dunlops or Schaller style, what are you thinking?
 
Bingo.......... That is what I do with my bench grinder. Lightly spin the screw till the head fits.

I even did the same with a Crafstman nut driver to make a tool to install the sights on a Glock 23 pistol I bought that needed factory sights reinstalled. The Nutdriver was too thick walled till I got ol faithful bench grinder out.
 
I have Dunlop strop locks on both my SG & LP. For the back button I measured the thread outside diameter of both the Gibson & Dunlop screws. They're about the same. Its the thread pitch that is different. After ensuring the hole was deep enough in the guitars I lightly waxed the thread & screwed them in. They're fine & have never loosened or moved in any way. For the LP's front button I ran the 7/32" bit to the required depth to be sure & fitted the button, no problem. With the SG however, the button fits right about where the metal block that the truss anchors into is so the Dunlop screw has to be shortened to the same length as the #6 Gibson screw so as not to foul that metal block. Luckily I had looked online about before fitting. Hope this helps. Cheers
 
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ivan H said:
I have Dunlop strop locks on both my SG & LP. For the back button I measured the thread outside diameter of both the Gibson & Dunlop screws. They're about the same. Its the thread pitch that is different. After ensuring the hole was deep enough in the guitars I lightly waxed the thread & screwed them in. They're fine & have never loosened or moved in any way. For the LP's front button I ran the 7/32" bit to the required depth to be sure & fitted the button, no problem. With the SG however, the button fits right about where the metal block that the truss anchors into is so the Dunlop screw has to be shortened to the same length as the #6 Gibson screw so as not to foul that metal block. Luckily I had looked online about before fitting. Hope this helps. Cheers
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Thanks!
 
I think I have the Schaller, and I used the original screws on my SG. I don't recall having to widen the holes, I think it just fit. Anyway, they're tight, and work great.

chilipeppermaniac said:
I even did the same with a Crafstman nut driver to make a tool to install the sights on a Glock 23 pistol I bought that needed factory sights reinstalled. The Nutdriver was too thick walled till I got ol faithful bench grinder out.
Click to expand...

Ahh, the .40 cal
I have the model 27, which is the compact version of the model 23
Both good, imo.
 
Don't use straplocks. But then I don't leap around a stage either! ;)And I prefer my autoloader to be of "Heavy Metal" and in .45ACP
. A 1911A1 needs no sight adjustments here in Wade's World. They just shoot right from the start.:celebrate2:
 
Walks Backward said:
Don't use straplocks. But then I don't leap around a stage either! ;)And I prefer my autoloader to be of "Heavy Metal" and in .45ACP
. A 1911A1 needs no sight adjustments here in Wade's World. They just shoot right from the start.:celebrate2:
Click to expand...

Carried a Colt-Hartford produced 1927 A1 Argentine 11.25mm pistol on duty for 7 years....It was my personal pistol and I had fully restored it. I used a squared-off firing pin stop (no radius) and a lighter recoil spring, with a heavier mainspring. The result was the pistol stayed locked longer and the recoil impulse was all rearward with virtually no muzzle flip.

I was a Colt certified armorer (police and military) and worked in firearms restoration too. I was my agency's Chief of Police before my retirement in 2011.

The last photo was taken from a video of a police competition. I went up against Kimbers and Wilsons and outshot them all. This image shows the winning group - 4 rounds of 230 grain ball in the '10' ring at 7 yards in less than 1/2 second.

Here are some pics.

Model 1927 [1].45 Automatic Before Small.jpg

Model 1927 [1].45 Automatic 003.jpg

Parts Submerged.jpg

1927 Colt LH.jpg

1927 Business End.jpg

1927 Colt Rollmarks.jpg

1927A1 Colt On-Duty.jpg

1927 Full Recoil 4 Rounds.jpg
 
Walks Backward said:
Don't use straplocks. But then I don't leap around a stage either! ;)And I prefer my autoloader to be of "Heavy Metal" and in .45ACP
. A 1911A1 needs no sight adjustments here in Wade's World. They just shoot right from the start.:celebrate2:
Click to expand...



Wade, if you have never seen Jerry Miculek shoot, make it a point to see that unbelievably skilled marksman. I saw him do a few majorly impressive displays of skill on youtube. 1st was shooting 3 Metal targets off hand at 400 yds with rifle starting on the bench to ready to shoot, landing 3 hits in approximately 4.4 seconds.

Next, was unloading 6 shots into a target about 10 yards away with 6 44 mag hits clocked in at 1.01 seconds.
The last one I saw was a 1000 yard shot to pop a balloon with a 9mm Revolver. He actually popped the balloon on the 2nd try freehanded offhand shooting. Look him up on you tube if you can.
 
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I have those funny little black plastic straplocks on my SG Standard. I think they are made by Dunlop. I used to have the Grolsch grommets on it but find these are better when you need to remove the strap from time to time.
 
I recall some of the earlier strap knobs/buttons on Gibson and such being rather small and round edged. They didn't give much area to "bite into" with a slightly worn strap. In the old days we'd cut stiff plastic discs-like washers to help hold the strap onto the strap knobs. Replacing the strap knobs with a flatter profile was a more permanent solution of course. Oh well, that was long ago huh? Today all my instruments have generously large and flat strap knobs, and of course I'm far older and move less and at a much slower speed.:coffee:
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
Bingo.......... That is what I do with my bench grinder. Lightly spin the screw till the head fits.

I even did the same with a Crafstman nut driver to make a tool to install the sights on a Glock 23 pistol I bought that needed factory sights reinstalled. The Nutdriver was too thick walled till I got ol faithful bench grinder out.
Click to expand...

That is the correct answer if you gotta do it. On current Gibson USA models they are using the giant strap buttons that don't require straplocks but on older and CS models that have the old-school tiny ones you just grind the head of the screw. Doesn't take much.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Any preference???

I've used Dunlop since 1980...but Stratocaster's have #6 screws....
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I've always used the Dunlop dual design. I fitted them to a MIM strat but cant remember if I needed to run a 7/32" drill through the holes in the guitar or not. My select strat came stock with schaller strap locks. They fit to the strap like a bolt & nut & I used a wad punch to make the holes in the strap the correct size. Had read of people experiencing the nut sometimes coming loose so I used a tiny bit of blue loktite on them. I did later have one of the ball ends that is grasped to unlock the strap from the button on the guitar come off in my hand so I put the tiniest bit of loktite on those too. Hope this helps. Cheers
 
ivan H said:
I've always used the Dunlop dual design. I fitted them to a MIM strat but cant remember if I needed to run a 7/32" drill through the holes in the guitar or not. My select strat came stock with schaller strap locks. They fit to the strap like a bolt & nut & I used a wad punch to make the holes in the strap the correct size. Had read of people experiencing the nut sometimes coming loose so I used a tiny bit of blue loktite on them. I did later have one of the ball ends that is grasped to unlock the strap from the button on the guitar come off in my hand so I put the tiniest bit of loktite on those too. Hope this helps. Cheers
Click to expand...

I gotta decide. I see where Schaller's design can easily accept a larger screw....
 
My strat is at our practise area at the moment but I can check for you tomorrow if you like. Cheers
Edit; that would be in about 12 or 13 hours from now. With the nuts & little ball ends loktite'd I think the schallers are a better design as they place the strap a good bit closer to the guitar body. I very lightly oil the inside of the part that encloses the buttons occasionally. Cheers
 
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