Dunlop "Flushmount" Straplock install - Will I hit my trussrod?

[Deadlock]

My old KV1 came with Dunlop Flushmount straplocks installed. They made a lot of sense on the KV-1, because the strap attached to the neck heel - where a regular straplock would have been jabbing my stomach all the time. I've installed flushmount straplocks on a few of my super-strats, but not my neckthru KV or KE guitars, because I'm worried about drilling into the neck heel and hitting the trussrod. I was thinking of using slightly shorter screws for the installation, so I won't need to drill so deep - but then I might sacrifice stability. Any advice? (I definitely want to install the straplocks in the same place as the original strap buttons, not off to the side.)

Thanks.

[Devotee]

I don't think you have anything to worry about because i really doubt the truss rod reaches all the way down to the heel. Electric guitar truss rods are usually around 18" long so unless Jackson decided to use a bass truss rod on your guitar for some reason you should be just fine.

[Newc]

Yeah, truss rods only go to the about the 21st fret I think. Maybe even the 19th. Same as with a bolt-on, so if you have a loose neck you can look at...

[j2379]

Unless it's adjusted at the heal then it goes to the end obviously.

[xenophobe]

Unless they've changed or modified the design, I'd avoid the Dunlop strap locks like the plague.

I've had two sets go bad from regular use... rehearsal 3x a week + shows... in about a year's time. They can decide to fail at any time... your guitar or bass will likely go crashing to the ground. And after they fail once, they'll appear to work fine and you'll think it was your fault... it could be the next time you use it or weeks later, it'll fail again and reoccur at shorter intervals. Except they'll plug in and work fine when you test it... and then fail when you least expect it.

[toejam]

I'd avoid the flushmount Dunlops. I've got them on my Dean Mustaine V, and I don't like them at all; it's a fail waiting to happen. Go with the dual-design version... you can just put any regular strap over it without the lock, but then you can put the lock right on top of it (if you feel the need to have it) without having to actually secure it to the strap.

[Axewielder]

Unless they've changed or modified the design, I'd avoid the Dunlop strap locks like the plague.

I've had two sets go bad from regular use... rehearsal 3x a week + shows... in about a year's time. They can decide to fail at any time... your guitar or bass will likely go crashing to the ground. And after they fail once, they'll appear to work fine and you'll think it was your fault... it could be the next time you use it or weeks later, it'll fail again and reoccur at shorter intervals. Except they'll plug in and work fine when you test it... and then fail when you least expect it.

Bizarre. Are the screws actually pulling out of the wood??

[toejam]

Bizarre. Are the screws actually pulling out of the wood??

No, he means the locking mechanism becoming disengaged and failing to stay locked in place and just pulling out. I've heard of other people that this has happened to, also.

[Axewielder]

No, he means the locking mechanism becoming disengaged and failing to stay locked in place and just pulling out. I've heard of other people that this has happened to, also.

Damn that sucks. I've got one pair and I've had good luck so far. I would say strap locks are a better design as there's no way that can happen unless you install the locks on the strap backwards.

[toejam]

I've had a few guitars come with them and never had a problem either, but I prefer the dual-design version where I don't even have to bother putting the locking part on. If given the choice, I'd take Schaller or DiMarzio Cliplocks over the Dunlops.

[Axewielder]

I've had a few guitars come with them and never had a problem either, but I prefer the dual-design version where I don't even have to bother putting the locking part on.

Agreed! Also, these straps work great with the Schaller straplock buttons:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...k-guitar-strap

That's helpful to know if you buy a lot of used guitars with those buttons and no locks to go with them.

[toejam]

Those are interesting. I've seen them before but have never used them.

[xenophobe]

The Schaller strap locks are great. Even if they fail your guitar will not fall to the ground.

Bizarre. Are the screws actually pulling out of the wood??

No. This:

No, he means the locking mechanism becoming disengaged and failing to stay locked in place and just pulling out. I've heard of other people that this has happened to, also.

I did put some serious wear and tear on the Dunlops. I did not keep the strap on my bass when I put it in the case... the strap would be put on the bass when I took it out of the case and removed after I was done.

And I don't care what anyone else's experience with it is. My custom Warwick bass dropped and hit cement... cracked the headstock down the middle... The first time it failed I caught it. A few weeks later, even after double checking the locking mechanism before playing, it failed again. I switched to the set on my backup bass. That ended up failing too, except I didn't catch it that time. If it were a KV, it would probably have broken off the lower wing and seriously damaged the headstock.

[leftykingv2]

Just get the Schallers and be done with it. I've been using them for years with zero issues. As Toejam said the DiMarzio clip locks are very reliable as well. I have two sets and had zero issues with them also.

[Axewielder]

Hmm. I've only got one strat with Dunlops. I'm really not interested in having it hit the cement. I can see where there isn't much redundancy there so I might swap them out. They look sort of goofy anyways, fuggems.