Double Bass V-Belt for bumpers. How to make them stick?

[ctrlzjones]

I am planning to put on some of those belts (is v-belt, the right word for that flexible part used to run the ventilator in a car engine) as bumpers. But what kind of glue do I use for that? One that is strong enough but does not harm the wood….

Should I use superglue?

 

[BobKay]

Or, you could just order these that come with the proper adhesive, and not risk harming your bass.

Bass Edge Protector Set - Bumpers (Leather or Rubber)

Whenever you put your bass down on its side, you risk scratches, dents, or chips - this set of 4 protectors in your choice of Brown leather or Black rubber can help reduce this damage.

gollihurmusic.com

 

[Don Hergert]

Should I use superglue?

I'd avoid superglue (cyanoacrylate) for most serious adhesive needs. It tends to make a huge mess of finishes, because it flows everywhere you don't want it to be. It flows under masking and other things that work with better glues. And cleanup is nearly impossible. Plus it's too easy to accidentally glue your fingers together with it.

The only place I use superglue is mixed with specific types of wood shavings as a filler for various holes that may need to be filled, then sanded level and finished, but I only do that when I know the superglue won't flow to places where it doesn't belong.

I have seen some people use it for finger injuries so they can continue to play immediately after getting a small irritating cut, but when it dries it tends to shatter and leave sharp pieces behind in the wound, which of course irritates it more.

Adhesives for bumpers are a difficult question.... Purchased bumpers don't stay on forever either, but they can stay on a long time if they aren't dragged or bumped against. But the whole point is protecting the edges and at the same time, not damaging the finish.

 

[bassmanbrent]

Gerard Samija (RIP) used contact cement to attach the bumpers on my basses. I've never had to remove mine so I have no idea if it would be a problem. Gerard was a very smart guy who would do no harm though, so I'm sure it'd be okay if I ever need to take them off.

 

[Steven Ayres]

I would look for a doublestick foam tape, preferably by 3M. Gollihur uses something similar for its leather bumpers. It won't work on every finish, but on nitro that's n good shape it'll last long and stick securely. With some effort it will also peel off without harm to a solid finish.

 

[Michal Herman]

Or, you could just order these that come with the proper adhesive, and not risk harming your bass.

Bass Edge Protector Set - Bumpers (Leather or Rubber)

Whenever you put your bass down on its side, you risk scratches, dents, or chips - this set of 4 protectors in your choice of Brown leather or Black rubber can help reduce this damage.

gollihurmusic.com

Those bumpers look solid, however, I cannot find any in European shops. And the postage cost from the US to Europe will be higher than the price on those.

 

[Eighthnoterock]

I bought the ones from Gollihur. As stated above a few didn’t stick real well, so I use some general purpose double backed tape.

Helps keep a few area rugs in place on our hard wood floors as well…

 

[turf3]

Double sided foam tape or contact cement.

CA glues (so-called superglue) have poor gap filling properties and are intended for non-porous surfaces that mate closely.

 

[Ron Lacey]

I used contact cement with mine when the original adhesive was no longer sticking (3 out of 4 and I did the 4th anticipating that it would eventually fail and I’d lose the bumper). I was a little sloppy but the excess peeled off with some elbow grease and a plastic scraper. There appeared to be no damage to the finish although I didn’t try to remove every trace of the cement. That said, I’m not sure I’d do this with a high end bass. Something that sticks well enough to keep the bumpers in place will probably leave some residue. Putting the bass in and out of the bag seemed to be what pulled the bumpers loose.

 

[Maple]

3m vhb tape is great - I used it to mount ebony bumpers on my previous bass and now have it holding leather bumpers.