Gibson ES-175 Strap Button

[OzarkArchtop]

Hi y'all,

Recently picked up my first ES-175 and have a question. It has a strap button on the neck heal and otherwise unmodified. The other button/end pin fits snugly but isn't "attached" to the guitar. I was using a strap the other day and the end pin fell out. Luckily, I was standing up and had a first grip on it.

All my other guitars have the strap button on the end screwed into the body of the instrument.

Is it designed to rely on the weight of the guitar to keep the pin in place when using a strap? Am I missing something?

Thanks!

[pcjazz]

Hi y'all,

Recently picked up my first ES-175 and have a question. It has a strap button on the neck heal and otherwise unmodified. The other button/end pin fits snugly but isn't "attached" to the guitar. I was using a strap the other day and the end pin fell out. Luckily, I was standing up and had a first grip on it.

All my other guitars have the strap button on the end screwed into the body of the instrument.

Is it designed to rely on the weight of the guitar to keep the pin in place when using a strap? Am I missing something?

Thanks!

You can wrap thread around the end pin to make a snug fit; waxed dental floss works well.

[Mick-7]

Is it designed to rely on the weight of the guitar to keep the pin in place when using a strap?

No, that is abnormal.

Am I missing something?

Yes, a properly secured strap pin.

[jazzshrink]

Is the loose end pin/strap button threaded? In other words, does it fall out because the screw thread hole is stripped? Pictures would be most helpful.

[Stringswinger]

If a strap pin is spinning, it either needs to be tightened or shimmed. Unless the wrong screw was used in the first place, in which case it needs a larger screw.

In any event, that is an easy fix.

[Cunamara]

Larger screw or glue a flat wooden toothpick (thin flat end pointing out) into the hole to provide a grip for the screw. I had to look at my ES-175 to refresh my memory as to how it was installed- with a wood screw rather than a friction peg like many guitars use.

[dconeill]

An old style of endpin was similar in appearance to a flat-top guitar's string retaining pin that inserts into the bridge, but is larger. It's unusual to find such a pin on a Gibson ES-175; typically Gibson use a screw-in strap button at the bottom of the guitar. The old style endpin is still in use on some acoustic guitars that don't have built-in pickups.

The old style endpin was friction-fit; that is, the pin when inserted exerted enough force on the sides of the hole to stay in place. If the endpin doesn't stay in place, it's sometimes possible to find a bigger endpin or to enlarge the shaft of the endpin a little bit with thin tape to achieve a tight friction fit.

A photo of what you have, showing the endpin both in and out of its hole, could be useful to those trying to offer solutions.

[Herbie]

If You are talking about a white plastic end pin it might be a Reissue thing. I had one in my ’59 Reissue and in my ’54 Reissue.

Because I like practicality I took the plastic pin off (careful lifting with pliers) and made a wooden insert in it, glued it in and screwed a Schaller strap lock in the insert.

Before selling the guitar I drilled the wooden insert off and put the plastic pin in again. Voila, reversible mod!

Be careful with that drill, Eugene!

[OzarkArchtop]

If You are talking about a white plastic end pin it might be a Reissue thing. I had one in my ’59 Reissue and in my ’54 Reissue.

Because I like practicality I took the plastic pin off (careful lifting with pliers) and made a wooden insert in it, glued it in and screwed a Schaller strap lock in the insert.

Before selling the guitar I drilled the wooden insert off and put the plastic pin in again. Voila, reversible mod!

Be careful with that drill, Eugene!

I think you're on to something here, as mine is indeed a '59 reissue your experience squares with mine. Thanks so much!

[OzarkArchtop]

Thanks, everyone. Really helpful and as always, can't tell you how much I appreciate this community!

[yebdox]

Had the same problem with my 59 reissue.... my tech buddy just used some wood glue and it's solid now. I had tried different kinds of tape, but none of those held. Been solid for 3 years now.

Same thing with a loose upper strap button on a GB10, but that was a screw that would frequently work loose. Glued that one myself and managed to do so without too much damage. ( I was going to perform a decoupage makeover anyway, just happened more quickly than I had planned.... lots of Currier & Ives calendar cutouts for just the right holiday effect. Beautiful guitar now!)