Issue with Screw quality on supplied hardware

I'll just jump straight to it.....

Completing a JB4 Kit, perfectly cut headstock and getting really excited for the finished product.
Pre-drill the holes for the first tuner and mounting screws... driving them in and one sheers off!!! :eek:

I thought.. 'Bugger me, that's strange... maybe it was a dodgy screw, or I drilled the hole too shallow and it didn't like it... etc'.
So, I re-drill the remaining 3 holes 1mm deeper and give the bit a slight wobble just to make sure.... then start driving the remaining 3 screws in 1/3 at a time each to hold things steady.. they are all now 2/3 in and I'm just starting to finish one of the 3 and blow me down, it literally twists right off like it was butter as well!!!!!!

At this point, I've got both of the screws on the nut side gone and I'm stunned.

So, out comes a piece of loose wood to test... (granted, it was only pine). drilled hole, insert and happily fully drive screw with no worries at all....


Stunned, I turn back to the bass and say a quick prayer, glance over the remaining screws and they seem to look ok, and begin driving only one of the remaining two screws.

NOPE! Damn thing sheers off at about the same point as the other two did before it!
:mad:

Now I'm fuming, caus there aint no way the tuner will hold in line now and I'm stuck with 3 practically irremovable, mostly-sunk tiny screws in the back of the headstock.

Guys (and Adam), WTF!!!

Anyone else had issues with the quality of the screws? These are apparently just trash.

Attachment 22103

Hmm, I've been concerned about the screws myself. They all look like they have been manufactured out of Chineseium.

You've done the right thing by pre-drilling the holes, so that's pretty disappointing.

Hey Sundragon what size drill bit did you use ? Were they tight (with some resistance) when you started screwing them in ?
I always use a hand held screwdriver for these, were you using a power drill with attachment ?

I've found most the time the supplied screws are fine, it is often worth wiping the thread with soap or a wax to help lubricate them.

Always wax the screws ....always....

Sorry to hear, been there before

Quote:

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Originally Posted by colin2121

Hi Sundragon,
I know how you feel - had the same problem.
The headstock is maple - harder than pine.
I do the same as Wokka and wax the screws before screwing them in.
You can remove the broken screws by removing a small amount of timber with a small drill bit and then gripping with pointy nosed pliers to slowly unscrew. A little wood filler can be used to patch the holes befor re drilling. Might be worth getting some better quality screws from the local hardware.

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Been there done that, had to do exactly what Colin said with a strat i was building and yes, holes drilled and screws waxed.... cannot see the little repair i had to do so was lucky.

Also been there & done that... :(

My suggestion and method I used in my circumstance was to drill a very small hole down the side of the screw (in an inconspicuous location) so you can get access to it for removal. Then dowel & redrill holes

I had this problem, as well as stripping out the Phillips head. Drilling is important. A little wax couldn't hurt. I added to that buying a box of high quality stainless steel screws. I don't think I ended up using any of the screws that came with the kit. I had some old jazz bass pickup screws laying around that I wish I had replaced with stainless. All the others I did replace. I have not regretted it

Besides, what is the point of having a screw you have trouble putting​ it in or the shaft's not hard?

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If you don't have wax, use an old chippy's trick and run the screws (or nails) through your hair first. The natural oil in your hair will help lubricate the metal.

... my old chippies trick was having an old bar of soap handy to grease 'em up!

Thanks for all the comments guys.

One thing I think that has not been addressed though.. if it's a common issue, surely we can have the factory improve the quality of the screws they are supplying, right?

It's not like it would even really add to the cost of the kit overall, those tiny 7-12 screws at a better quality might cost a collective $1 more per kit? but at least they would work

Yes standard practice is to throw the tuner screws in the bin and replace them with better quality ones. As mentioned above, waxing the screws with soap is also important.

The issue has definitely been raised with Adam, it was part of the reason Adam started offering upgrade tuners.

Screw upgrades are not hard to find at the local fasteners or stainless shop but the gold and black ones are where the challenge starts.

These little screws are not doing any heavy work so go next size up on the drill, I use Dremel drills in the Ozito Dremel copy for this purpose

https://www.allparts.com/tuning-key-screws

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And the Australian supplier of the above parts. https://www.realparts.com.au/screws-...ey-screws.html

I think the problem would be that the factory buys in the tuners and they come with the screws so,the kit factory probably has little control of it either.

Probably very true. Yet if the factory know that a supplier is selling them poor goods, then surely they should be doing something about that supplier?

Haven't read all the comments, so I'm not sure if someone has suggested this already.

If you manage to prise the screws out, jam in and break off the end of some matches in the holes, real nice and tight with a tiny bit of PVA glue. You should be good to re-drill after that. It worked for me on site as a chippy.


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Perhaps Pitbull could buy a massive bag of quality screws.
File it under 'expenses intangibles'.

cheers, Mark.

http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online...tructions.html


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by ILRGuitars

If you don't have wax, use an old chippy's trick and run the screws (or nails) through your hair first. The natural oil in your hair will help lubricate the metal.

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Helps if you have hair.....

I probably spent $10 buying high quality stainless screws to mount pickup covers, tailpiece, strap buttons and tuning machines. I got them in lots of 50 or 100 so I have many more than I need, and am happy to share...

They were not expensive, and I figured any of the no name Chinese parts I *dont* need to replace are great.

If Schaller sends me crap screws I'd be angry. I have to say tho, when I now have two basses with cheap Chinese tuners that work as well as my Schallers I am just delighted to change out the screws.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

Probably very true. Yet if the factory know that a supplier is selling them poor goods, then surely they should be doing something about that supplier?

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and as is the way of that land they would go to the supplier and say "We need better screws" and the supplier would say what the factory wants to hear. "OK we will do that" and then do nothing.

As a couple of knife companies I used to deal with found out, the only way they could get constant 100% QC was to have someone actually calling on the company regularly and unexpectedly. They CAN make stuff as well as anyone on the planet but the corner cutting ethos runs deep.

You can also use Lip Eze instead of wax or soap to lubricate the screws so that they have less of a tendency to break.