Strap Pin

**red7flag** · Feb-28-2006, 9:10am

I read a thread about this, but could not find it. The strap pin keeps falling out of the tail piece of my Collings MF. I want to fix this before I have to write a thread about a "Smashed MF". When this first happened, I could spend a little extra time and twist it in really tight and would not have any problems for a while. Now it is popping out almost daily and I notice that it never really sits in well now. Thanks in advance.
Tony

**Tim** · Feb-28-2006, 9:13am

I'm having the same issue with a Collings MT but I just assumed that it was low humidity causing things to shrink to where it didn't fit snug.

**otterly2k** · Feb-28-2006, 9:24am

Search for answers in the builders section. This question comes up periodically and there have been many effective solutions proposed.

**recklessmando** · Feb-28-2006, 10:55am

Tim is probably right on the money as to low humidity being the culprit. Wood, of course, expand and contracts, and in the low temps and humidity of winter an instrument is often at its smallest dimension of the year. I would imagine most endpin fit problems happen in winter.

There are lots of adequate fixes for this problem in previous threads, mostly involving wrapping something around the shaft of the pin that functions as a shim. My personal favorite is a simple strip of newspaper. It's thin, it's easy to add a few more thousandths if the first test wasn't quite snug enough and it doesn't have glue like tape does. Just one or two wraps around the pin usually does the trick. Slide it in smoothly and remember if you use way too much you are in effect driving a wedge into a delicate instrument. Shouldn't take much pressure to set the pin. Then I cut any excess paper off with a razor knife. Good luck.

**otterly2k** · Feb-28-2006, 11:00am

Other methods I remember from previous threads include licking it (the end pin... presumably to restore moisture and swell the wood a bit) and making a strap that functions without the endpin... by tying a knot and running the strap out through the hole... never slips out.

consensus seems to be...DON'T glue it.

**mythicfish** · Feb-28-2006, 4:13pm

Teflon tape makes a good friction fit.

Curt

**Jeffrey Lewis** · Feb-28-2006, 4:21pm

I agree, just suck on the pin for a few seconds. Then jam it in there and let it swell a little.

**ShaneJ** · Feb-28-2006, 9:09pm

Frank Ford's method of fixing this problem (Frets.com)

**mandolooter** · Mar-01-2006, 7:17am

I use masking tape. It usually only takes a very small piece instead of a full wrap, comes off easy, and is plentiful. I wouldn't soak it in water myself, come spring when your heater goes off things will slowly normalize back out and ya can pull the tape.

**DorothyD** · Mar-01-2006, 7:35am

I had this happen 3 years ago and the solution was simple. I shaved a little bit of rosin (for violins)and sprinkled it in the hole and put in the pin. #It hasn't been a problem since.

Dorothy

**AmosMoses** · Mar-01-2006, 7:40am

My quick fix was a sliver of a toothpick.

**Lane Pryce** · Mar-01-2006, 7:54am

Ditto on a wrap or two of masking tape. Lp

**Mike Crocker** · Mar-01-2006, 7:59am

I love this topic because I just don't understand why it can't be glued. Virtually everything else on the instrument (except the bridge of course) is glued (or screwed) to prevent it from falling apart, and virtually everything else can be taken apart if necessary for repairs or hotrodding. Personally I prefer a screw in endpin, except where historical accuracy is preferred. I like Frank Ford's solution (the man's THE guru, isn't he!) but it seems to me that a glued or screwed pin wouldn't require such attention to start with.

Peace, Mooh.