What's the best way to fill in screw holes?

dalo

dalo

Supporting Member
Nov 29, 2007
412
727
4,981
Brooklyn, NY
www.davelowenthal.com
#1
Hi,

I'm planning on replacing the tuners on my bass with Hipshot Ultralites. There will definitely be visible screw holes from the previous tuners when I'm done so I was wondering what would be the best way to fill them so that the holes are not not too obvious.

The neck is all Rosewood so I was thinking maybe some sort of dark wood filler? I would certainly appreciate any guidance on methods and materials.

Thanks!
 
#4
Both answers sound good to me - the dowel is better if the new screw holes overlap the old, the CA and dust better if it shows (I'm guessing here).
 
  • Like
Reactions: ak56 and dalo320
#5
Rosewood dust and CA would be good. Or a rosewood dowel - I'm sure you have lots of rosewood dust and dowels handy.

Oh, you don't! OK. find some of those round toothpicks or some skewers or carve down a popsicle sick into suitable sticks. Glue them in, cut flush. Go to an art supply store and look through their coloured marking pens - hundreds of shades available. Pick a rosewood coloured one and dot the ends of the dowels. When dry, put a drop of CA on the end of each dowel letting it bead up a bit higher then the surrounding finish. When hard, cut it down using a single edged razor blade as a scraper. Sand and buff. Get the full picture about the CA, scraping, sanding and buffing here:



You just don't need the acetone and dye part.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lownote38, Dean N and dalo320
#9
I was redoing a bass and the pickguard had a few holes that were not exactly lined up right. They were close enough to work, but the heads sat cocked on the guard when they were run down. Since I was completely redoing the whole bass I decided to fill all the guard and control plate holes and drill new ones to both improve the fit between the guard and control plate and so all my screw heads would sit perfectly on the guard and plate when run down.

First pic is a hole filled with a toothpick and CA. As you can see the CA is proud of the body.
Second pic is the same hole after the CA was shaved.

IMG_3472.JPG


IMG_3484.JPG
 
#11
96tbird said:
Another option is to just put screws back in th exposed holes. Doesn't look out of place (metal studs! Best for metal!) and avoids the fact that fills will always be somewhat obvious.
Click to expand...
?? I guess I'm slow on the uptake here. I used wood and CA because the holes would allow a screw but the head above the pickguard was cocked and I wanted them all flat, which meant I had a few that needed to be drilled so close it would have been impossible to do so without a solid surface to drill into. Start another hole close to an existing hole and the bit just walks into the existing hole and then you have a wallowed out hole that a screw won't grab in, not to mention trying to drill a hole with half your bit in a screw and the other half in wood. As for fills being obvious, all mine were under the guard or control plate.
 
#12
fhm555 said:
?? I guess I'm slow on the uptake here. I used wood and CA because the holes would allow a screw but the head above the pickguard was cocked and I wanted them all flat, which meant I had a few that needed to be drilled so close it would have been impossible to do so without a solid surface to drill into. Start another hole close to an existing hole and the bit just walks into the existing hole and then you have a wallowed out hole that a screw won't grab in, not to mention trying to drill a hole with half your bit in a screw and the other half in wood. As for fills being obvious, all mine were under the guard or control plate.
Click to expand...
?? OP is talking about his tuners not your PG. I am referring to his tuners.
 
#19
Pbassmanca said:
I'd bet money Stew Mac has a specialty tool, filler piece and / or glue for this application. New from Stew Mac, "tiny rosewood screw hole filler pieces." Pack of 4 , $5.......
Click to expand...
Gotta tap this market!

Wood slivers, various hardwoods. May contain mahogany, ebony, maple, Pau Ferro, Rosewood, Ipe, Oroko, Myrtle and many others. $6 per pound. Shipping extra. Note: Orders from outside Canada will not contain any Rosewood due to export/import restrictions imposed by the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species. (10% discount for TB members)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 96tbird and Lownote38
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back