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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | I have a 1971 Ovation Balladeer (1111-4), and was wondering if anyone's ever had trouble with the endpin strap peg at the bottom of the guitar loosening up - and a fix for it? Apparently repairing this is a really tall order; I had a luthier tell me it couldn't be done. Something about it's a one piece assembly and the hole it goes through in the bout is rounded out. You can't loosen it or tighten it. I can't get my fat arm down in there to feel around and inspect it. Many moons ago, when I was young and slender I could have; I installed a strap peg in the shoulder of the guitar (my 1111-4 didn't have one) and painted the nut with Loc-Tite, and it's been secure for 40 years. I was wondering why something like that couldn't be done on the endpin. Is there a wood block or some other obstruction down there? I always wondered why Ovations couldn't have endpin jacks and instead had the jack through the bowl.
I guess in the grand scheme of things It's not that big of a deal. The peg doesn't look like it's going anywhere; the loose feeling is a little uncomfortable, though. Any ideas? |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Can you remove the screw entirely, drill out the hole if necessary (it was on a traditional wood box), then use a slender phillips head bolt with a washer and lock nut? I did this to an old guitar many years ago using a Dunlop straplock endpin. I recall having to grind down the bolt head diameter to fit into the Dunlop endpin sleeve, but it worked just fine. |
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Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Rick,
It is a compression type captive nut assy.
It goes through the hole and as you tighten the screw it compresses and expands the shank making the assembly tight.
Once tight the screw can be undone and the nut assy is clamped in place.
Then you reinstall the strap pin with the screw.
Over time a bit of movement can cause a little wear and you lose the clamping pressure.
When you go to tighten it of course all you do is turn the whole assembly.
You have to somehow hold the nut assy and unscrew the strap pin.
I have had this happen on a couple of guitars and have managed to get pliers to hold the nut through the soundhole.
Sometimes just holding the strap pin will enable you to unscrew it.
Rust is your worst enemy over time so try to get a bit of WD40 in there first.
Once you get the strap pin off you can hold the ouside flange of the nut with pliers and use the screw to re clamp it.
If you have to drill it out you can get a new one from Ovation or I can send you one , I have some spares.
It's an easy fix really once you understand how it works.
Send me an email if you get into trouble.
Good luck!!
AJ |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | I used epoxy and a Cube of wood as a replacement when the Comp Assy was drilled out. Just pre-drill into the wood hold it in place with epoxy and your hand then tighten up on the strap peg.
It should hold everything in place while the epoxy sets. |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Thanks, guys. I've actually found a luthier who says he can fix it.I wouldn't mind an original Ovation peg, though, so Jim, if you want to PM me and let me know how much you want, I'd be obliged. I always have this fear that one day I'll be out playing somewhere and the peg will pull loose. That beautiful old guitar has survived 40 years of use relatively unscathed, and I want to keep it that way! |
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FIX FOR LOOSE ENDPIN STRAP PEG ON 1971 BALLADEER?
