Hey Machinists, can anyone make this top horn extender?

[Outbush]

The world of bass needs an engineered top horn extender.

Who could make something like the picture below so you could use your factory strap pin screw to screw the extender onto your bass and and internal thread and the correct size machine screw to fit in a strap-lock? Is this do-able?

Maybe you could sell them here in the TB store;

"Top horn extenders;
1", 1 1/2" and 2" lengths.
Suits all strap pins and strap locks".
(Or "Suits blah blah brand strap locks".)

If you think this is a good idea but you're not a machinist answer "yes" in the poll and perhaps one of our machinist members will be encouraged to get to it?

 

[Flaked Beans]

No, I just want carrots.

 

[Snert]

Strap pin extenders are quite common on the Steinberger Spirits.
If the bass was a BO, I'd be more tempted to have one made from the neckplate out as you'd already have 2 bolt mount points already. Coming off a top horn is likely a short path to the horn being damaged if bumped or if you're active on stage as it would be under a fair load.
steinberger bass strap extension at DuckDuckGo

This needs 2 holes drilled into the body, but as I said, if you came off a neck plate, the holes are already there. Parallel and closer to the neck line also angles the neck up some which puts the wrist at a better angle and less of a reach to F1, irrespective of the bass it's on. Plus you can make it to suit you. A strip of aluminium, or a carbon fibre bar is only a few $ and not too difficult to make unless you're a complete dunce with tools.

EDIT: people have also adapted other things like the C spanner used to open the chuck on a grinder too.

 

[2cooltoolz]

Not stage tested, and I don't jump around a lot and I realize I am extending the angle of moment (?) or "twist", but here's mine:

 

[spatters]

Not stage tested, and I don't jump around a lot and I realize I am extending the angle of moment (?) or "twist", but here's mine:

I've done that also: used a longer, thicker screw with a spacer behind the stock strap button. It can work great, but it can also theoretically break your bass, depending on the wood, the dimensions of the upper horn and how much you jump around. A P-bass has lots of wood to hold onto the screw: an Ibanez BTB, not so much.

That said, for most players, an inch or so of extension won't cause any problems if you use a big, long, chunky screw that won't bend, and that extra inch can dramatically decrease neck dive. (You might be surprised how tiny the strap button screws are in a lot of production basses...to the point of thinking "I've been trusting my instrument to that?"

I like Snert's idea of a Steinbergeresque metal bar that mounts to the neck plate. You could even make one that replaced the neck plate entirely! You'd have to make several different lengths and reaches, it would add to the weight of the instrument, and basses with no neck plate would be out of luck...but you could extend outward and upward as far as you wanted to.

 

[2saddleslab]

When owning multiple G&L ASAT basses I fabricated these ASE's [ASAT strap extensions] that would replace the original neck plate, so completely reversible. Sadly, I no longer have access to the shop or materials.

I currently employ the strap button extension as every little bit helps w/ balance.

 

[gip111]

Retired machinist here, yes it can easily be made, though I dont understand the sketch. Not sure if you have specific dimensions but yes it can be done. There are many ideas to copy from, also, what about just a longer screw with a long spacer? I guess it all depends on what you're looking for.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Go full on hootananny and put it on the back of the headstock!
It was good enough for Elvis!...

 

[mongo2]

I used to use a pair of large dice with a very long screw through the strap button and the dice to extend the strap location on my Mustang bass.

 

[Outbush]

Retired machinist here, yes it can easily be made, though I dont understand the sketch. Not sure if you have specific dimensions but yes it can be done. There are many ideas to copy from, also, what about just a longer screw with a long spacer? I guess it all depends on what you're looking for.

I don't have dimensions so I left that a bit in the air. I have trouble here getting long screws. Its a rural area so you can get any length bolt so long as its 1/2 diameter or more...

 

[WestyBassBob]

Great thread! Thanks for posting.

 

[nixdad]

The world of bass needs an engineered top horn extender.

Who could make something like the picture below so you could use your factory strap pin screw to screw the extender onto your bass and and internal thread and the correct size machine screw to fit in a strap-lock? Is this do-able?

Maybe you could sell them here in the TB store;

"Top horn extenders;
1", 1 1/2" and 2" lengths.
Suits all strap pins and strap locks".
(Or "Suits blah blah brand strap locks".)

If you think this is a good idea but you're not a machinist answer "yes" in the poll and perhaps one of our machinist members will be encouraged to get to it?

View attachment 4688024

Meet “The Bass Brace” from the early 80’s:

 

[lug]

Strap pin extenders are quite common on the Steinberger Spirits.
If the bass was a BO, I'd be more tempted to have one made from the neckplate out as you'd already have 2 bolt mount points already. Coming off a top horn is likely a short path to the horn being damaged if bumped or if you're active on stage as it would be under a fair load.
steinberger bass strap extension at DuckDuckGo

This needs 2 holes drilled into the body, but as I said, if you came off a neck plate, the holes are already there. Parallel and closer to the neck line also angles the neck up some which puts the wrist at a better angle and less of a reach to F1, irrespective of the bass it's on. Plus you can make it to suit you. A strip of aluminium, or a carbon fibre bar is only a few $ and not too difficult to make unless you're a complete dunce with tools.

EDIT: people have also adapted other things like the C spanner used to open the chuck on a grinder too.

Yep, Spanner wrench ($10 -$15):

Required 1 hole drilled in body. I still need to add a double bend in the spanner to make it sit just right.

Extender on my Ric:

 

[duanev3]

Go full on hootananny and put it on the back of the headstock!
It was good enough for Elvis!...

I once thought it was worthless, but it actually works.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I don't understand the sketch in the OP. Can you sketch it in use?

 

[gip111]

Yep, Spanner wrench ($10 -$15):

Required 1 hole drilled in body. I still need to add a double bend in the spanner to make it sit just right.

Extender on my Ric:

Spanner wrench... clever!

 

[yodedude2]

here's an 'elongated strap button' i got way back when. some machinist/bassist offered a small batch of them. lathed brass, i think? i'm not sure. so long ago, i think it was on 'the botom line' usenet group. works a right treat

does not work with strap locks...i use the 'grolsch beer' strap retainers on mine.

 

[TNCreature]

Wouldn't a longer strap pin have the potential of cracking or breaking the upper horn?

P.S. is it really called a "horn"? That's devil talk!

 

[J Posega]

Might be worth duplicating this or having it moved to Luthier's Corner. Lots of talented builders over there.

I also don't understand the sketch. I think I'd want the bass end countersunk into the horn for added stability. I'd also want it to work with Dunlop Strap-Loks.

On a bass I built that had a Tele-ish body, I drilled a hole into the horn and glued a long piece of dowel into it. I made it overly long and just cut off 1/4" at a time until I found the right length.

 

[Ostie]

Please don’t gang-tackle me, but I just don’t like how they look. But then, neck dive has never been a big issue for me. But if they work for you, by all means, carry on.