Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
  • Guitars
  • Amps
  • Pedals
  • Drums
  • Synths
  • Software
  • Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Recording
  • Buyer’s guides
  • Live
  • DJ
  • Advice
  • Acoustic
  • Bass
  • About Us
  • More
    • Reviews
Magazines
  • Computer Music
  • Electronic Musician
  • Future Music
  • Keyboard Magazine
  • Guitarist
  • Guitar Techniques
  • Total Guitar
  • Bass Player
More
  • Purdie on the Purdie shuffle
  • Type beats
  • 86000+ free music samples
  • How to make an AI cover song
  • Three-chord trick

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. Tuition

Guitar setup: how to fix a broken strap pin

By Jack Ellis
( Total Guitar )
published 23 November 2017

Go beyond matchsticks and get the job done properly

Learn how to DIY your knackered strap pin holes in your guitar’s body the proper way using household tools.

Guitar strap pins are always coming loose. You tighten it up and after practice, it’s loose again. In the worst-case scenario the strap pin can come off all together - which could result in you chucking your guitar on the floor. 

Don't Miss

Guitar setup: how to solve your tuning problems

This is exactly what happened to James King, the bass player in Spring King, on stage. We sorted this out for him just before he headed off to his next tour date, upgrading it in the process.

The standard screws that hold strap pins in aren’t usually much cop and they also get a lot of abuse - especially if you’re prone to swinging the guitar around your neck. When a screw hole is as wrecked as James’ there’s no choice but to put a whopping 9.5mm dowel in there. 

Now, it has to be hardwood, and that means a wood that’s hard - so no pine! There’s little point in repairing this with matchsticks (they’re just soft wood made for burning, after all). We’ve gone for oak but ash, walnut, oak or maple are all great choices; you can get them on eBay.

Page 1 of 14
Page 1 of 14
What you need

What you need

  • Safety goggles
  • Drill
  • 240 grit sandpaper 
  • Wax candle or a bar of soap 
  • Wood glue 
  • Tenon saw 
  • Pin hammer 
  • Wooden block 
  • Blue roll 
  • Hardwood dowel 
  • Masking tape 
  • A brand new countersink bit 
  • 9.5mm twist drill bit 
  • 2mm twist drill bit 
  • PH2 screwdriver 
  • Optional new strap pins or bigger screws

Skill level: beginner

Page 2 of 14
Page 2 of 14
Step 1

Step 1

This strap pin and screw have really ripped up the body. It’s even torn away crispy lacquer.

Using a brand new countersink bit (it has to be sharp) enlarge the remains of the hole. Our hardwood dowel is 9.5mm so we’re retracting the crispy paint to a safe 10mm clearance. This will prevent the massive twist bit attacking the paint!

Page 3 of 14
Page 3 of 14
Step 2

Step 2

The super-sharp countersink cuts through the lacquer safely - this starter hole will help us use the larger twist bit, too.

With a large twist bit it bites and works very fast so you will have to watch out! This bass is made from a soft timber called basswood so the drill will work fast. It’s not surprising the old strap pin came out.

Page 4 of 14
Page 4 of 14
Step 3

Step 3

Due to the size of the damage we opted for a ‘9.5mm’ oak hardwood dowel, which usually suits a 10mm drill bit.

When measured, the dowel was slightly oval shaped and marginally smaller than 9.5mm so we went for a 9.5mm drill bit. We have copied the length of the new screw onto the dowel and marked a depth stop on the drill bit, too.

Page 5 of 14
Page 5 of 14
Step 4

Step 4

Secure the body to your worktop, check your aim and let rip. Hold the drill steady and make sure that you do not stray otherwise you may crack the lacquer.

Sometimes putting the drill in reverse and can help to start off. Be very careful when starting off.

Page 6 of 14
Page 6 of 14
Step 5

Step 5

Now saw the dowel to length and don’t forget to clean the ends up with sandpaper.

Time to double-check sizes: stuff a screwdriver into the hole and mark the depth with some more masking tape. If anything, you want the dowel to be a little shorter and absolutely not protruding from the body!

Page 7 of 14
Page 7 of 14
Step 6

Step 6

Take a breather: there’s another tricky step coming up. With our hole and dowel matched (they’re definitely going to fit in snug, right?) prepare some damp blue roll for glue clean up.

You can test fit the dowel but don’t push it in all the way as you might get stuck!

Page 8 of 14
Page 8 of 14
Step 7

Step 7

Remember how the dowel was misshapen as an oval? This suits us fine as it will allow the glue to escape.

If you have a better dowel than us we’d advise over-sizing the drilled hole by 0.5mm. For instance, a 9.5mm dowel into a 10mm hole. The timber will expand a little with the moisture of the glue, so goop it on!

Page 9 of 14
Page 9 of 14
Step 8

Step 8

Here we go! Get yourself in an awkward pose and start the dowel off using a block to protect the body, hammer the dowel in and force it all the way down!

Work fast as the tighter your fit, the harder it will be to drive it in all the way. You’re working against the clock as the glue sets!

Page 10 of 14
Page 10 of 14
Step 9

Step 9

It’s in! Get the excess glue off with your damp blue roll before it begins to set. Your lacquer will be safe from water and it’s unlikely that glue will really stick to it but it’s much easier to clean it off now.

Let it dry for a couple of hours before the next step.

Page 11 of 14
Page 11 of 14
Step 10

Step 10

That hardwood plug is now a reinforced part of the body, especially in this case as the super-soft basswood really is quite bad at holding a screw in!

Now we must pick a drill bit to suit your strap pin screw. If you have a 3mm width screw, use a 2mm drill bit. This is hardwood and pretty unforgiving.

Page 12 of 14
Page 12 of 14
Step 11

Step 11

To help introduce the screw back in, we’re going to rub the threads of the screw onto a candle (or bar of soap) to lubricate it as it drives in.

Don’t forget the screw is forming its threads into the timber whilst going in so it’s under quite a bit of force. Without the wax it’s too easy to shear the screw off - don’t even go there.

Page 13 of 14
Page 13 of 14
Step 12

Step 12

Boom. That is now rock-solid! You may have noticed we opted to upgrade the size of the screw to something much more substantial - this bass was about to vanish on tour so we wanted extra assurance.

Strap locks were also installed.

Page 14 of 14
Page 14 of 14
Jack Ellis
Jack Ellis
Social Links Navigation

Jack runs an independent guitar setup and guitar repair service in Manchester, England. He serves the musicians of the Northwest of England, working on electric guitars, bass guitars, acoustic guitars and more. Jack has been writing the Fix Your Guitar column in Total Guitar Magazine since 2017.

More about guitars
Wampler Tweed '57 and Black '65

Wampler brings back its Fender-inspired Tweed ’57 and Black ’65 amp-in-a-box drive pedals – for a limited time only

Laney Ironheart Foundry DualTop

“All the ferocious growl and bite of an Ironheart you know and love”: Laney adds two compact, affordable and feature-stacked 60W amps to the Ironheart Foundry series

Latest
Nirvana In Utero cover

Nirvana session cellist Kera Schaley talks about playing on In Utero: "The funny thing about All Apologies is Steve kept trying to talk Kurt out of putting cello on it"

See more latest ►
Most Popular
How to use the Pultec 'low-end trick' to improve your bass and kick

By Andy Price4 September 2023

Computer Music 326 Autumn 2023: free downloads

By Computer Music30 August 2023

The 6 essential acoustic guitar chord groups every player should learn

By Total Guitar29 August 2023

The 5 chord progressions you need to play 100s of songs

By MusicRadar27 August 2023

Practical music theory: 10 things every songwriter and producer needs to know about chords

By Computer Music23 August 2023

Use the CAGED system to play guitar chords across the fretboard quickly and easily

By MusicRadar22 August 2023

How to make a Gorillaz‑style synth string patch

By Dave Gale21 August 2023

How to use distortion to enhance individual elements of your mix

By Jon Musgrave11 August 2023

Ditch the pick and start fingerstyle today with three guitar chords and this lesson

By Total Guitar10 August 2023

How to make '80s stereo synth stabs

By Dave Gale10 August 2023

The circle of fifths, and how can it help with your music theory

By Computer Music5 August 2023

  1. Musician Joe Bonamassa performs onstage during the "Celebrating Bowie Tour" at Saban Theatre on October 07, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California.
    1
    "It's become so elitist" – Joe Bonamassa weighs in on players being priced out of the vintage guitar and amp market
  2. 2
    “Sometimes Jimi Hendrix’s girlfriend would go and buy us breakfast because we had no money”: Rod Stewart says early days of the Jeff Beck Group were no picnic
  3. 3
    “Right now I’d like to do a song, it’s a little thing by Howlin’ Wolf…”: Listen to Jimi Hendrix’s newly unearthed performance of Killing Floor at the Hollywood Bowl, 1967
  4. 4
    Marty Friedman’s guitar teacher told him to take a bong hit every time he played an exercise correctly, but the ex-Megadeth guitarist has better advice for students
  5. 5
    The Vai, Bonamassa, Di Meola and Abasi-backed guitar virtuoso Matteo Mancuso dazzles again on new song Silk Road
  1. Cindy Blackman Santana
    1
    Cindy Blackman Santana tackles the iconic In The Air Tonight drum fill as she joins Chris Stapleton and Snoop Dogg on a new version of the song for ESPN’s Monday Night Football
  2. 2
    Watch bluegrass guitarist Ian Ly become the 2023 US National Flat-picking Champion
  3. 3
    “It makes it exciting and dangerous and fun”: Yngwie Malmsteen says he doesn’t need to rehearse anymore and explains why he mostly ignores the setlist
  4. 4
    Elon Musk allegedly turned up at the studio with a gun while Grimes was recording dialogue for Cyberpunk 2077: "The studio guys were sweating"
  5. 5
    “When it came in as a demo, I assumed the rest of the song was going to be built out”: Kylie Minogue didn't realise Padam Padam was finished when she first heard it

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.