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Schaller S-LOCK locking system - thoughts?


tbonesullivan

Question

Posted

It looks like after many years (I believe Schaller had the first locking system developed), Schaller has finally chosen to address some of the shortcomings of their original locking system.

While it still doesn't use the ball bearing into channel system like many others, they finally have a real way keep the strap end from coming undone, as well as a longer "post" to keep it on the strap button. The old system is also fully compatible with the S-Locks, so you don't need to replace anything you don't want to.

I am interested in these mainly because they FINALLY are using a bigger screw size in the buttons, which means that they will fit on a Gibson solid body guitar without having to glue wood into the bottom strap button channel. Gibson puts big hooks into the bottom of the guitars for painting and drying, so they use a fairly large screw on that bottom button, while using a far smaller one on the button on the neck/ upper bout/ etc.

Only issue though is that it's ONE PIECE, as in there is no longer a strap button, and screw. It's just one solid casting and/or machining, with a hex head inside for installation.  Many online postings have been apprehensive of this aspect, as they claim that it will become loose easily, and unlike the separate button and/screw, it is not able to spin freely around the screw when loose.

I however have never really experienced a properly installed strap button coming loose. You also can buy the buttons separately, which I can get to install on my SG.

https://schaller.info/en/slocks/?o=1&p=1

So, should I get some of those one piece ends, or should I just install the two piece ends I already own the usual way, with a matchstick glued into the strap button hole?

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Posted

Schaller screws tend to be thinner than some guitars come with, so I have always just driller the post hole larger to accommodate the original screw.   As for the nut coming loose on your strap, a dab of caulk, locktite or krazy glue will prevent that.  The parts on my straps have been installed for 20+ years without issue.  

Posted
On 11/5/2018 at 8:39 AM, Studio Custom said:

Schaller screws tend to be thinner than some guitars come with, so I have always just driller the post hole larger to accommodate the original screw.   As for the nut coming loose on your strap, a dab of caulk, locktite or krazy glue will prevent that.  The parts on my straps have been installed for 20+ years without issue.  

I've seen people do that, or they turn down the head of the screw a bit. With the SG bottom screw though, they are really long, just due to Gibson's really tiny strap buttons that have the screwhead sit on top of them. I think the S-locks were designed partly to get rid of complaints about the tiny screws, which really were quite a bit smaller than most standard strap button screws.

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