Advice/ideas on how to fill/repair unwanted strap button hole

[Hanzalot]

Hi all,

I posted this in the general forum first, but someone mentioned that this subforum might be a better idea, so:

I have a Larrivee P-01 where the strap button is attached way down on the narrow part of the heel which I don't like, and also it is placed sort of crooked. Therefore my plan is to remove it and have it placed higher up (closer to the front). Here is a photo of where the button is placed now:



This however leaves me with a nice little hole which I have to do something about. I will have a professional do the work but I want to ask you guys about ideas on what the best way to fill it is?

I see two options: 1) to try to match the wood finish and 2) put in a small mother of pearl inlay to cover the hole (which I have seen someone on here who had done - and which looked rather nice).

Would also be great to hear from someone who has done something like this.

Your help is very much appreciated!

Best,
Hans

[Frank Ford]

For sure, I'd leave it where it is. But if you do move it I suggest you not expect the fill to be invisible, but instead hope for it to look well attended-to. A pearl dot in that location is likely to look strange to most folks, so I'd avoid that.

Here's the full treatise on one way to do the job:

FRETS.COM: Filling a Strap Button Screw Hole

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Frank Ford

For sure, I'd leave it where it is. But if you do move it I suggest you not expect the fill to be invisible, but instead hope for it to look well attended-to. A pearl dot in that location is likely to look strange to most folks, so I'd avoid that.

Here's the full treatise on one way to do the job:

FRETS.COM: Filling a Strap Button Screw Hole

Hi Frank ... great treatise ... but do tell me ... did you really mean to say "nasty judgement call" ... or should that have read (as I suspect it should have) hasty judgment call ...???

[Frank Ford]

Felt nasty to me at the time - I've had some luthier pals who've been caught in the vicious circle of trial and redo in the attempt to make a perfect cosmetic repair. For those of us who need to make a living, there has to be a limit on how much time can be spent trying to make a perfect job. Sometimes it hurts a bit to call it quits, but in the spirit of self-preservation it's necessary to declare a job done, and move on.

[mirwa]

Anytime you have to fill a void it is extremely difficult to hide cosmetically without doing a full refinish.

A trick I learnt when hiding voids with new inserts of wood is to figure /colour the insert like a small Knott in the wood,

To make it invisible is tricky, but it can be done lots more finishing required



I have a tutorial showing this one being done if it is off interest to anyone.

Steve

[Sperry]

I'd take the button off and look at the hole. Its probably smaller than you think. ⅛" or 7/64" maybe? Especially from 3' away.

I removed a button altogether on a beater Collings, and used a waxy fill stick, a mahogany color. Burnished it pretty good, and sure, you could see the divot, but with a dab of finish rubbed over the heel, the next day it did not seem to pop out. The owner just wanted it filled.

[mirwa]

Being a darker wood finish, putty would likely be more than sufficient in this instance as well.

Steve

[phavriluk]

I'm guessing that taking a stick of reasonable wood and passing it through a pencil sharpener would yield up something that could be jammed into the screw hole with some Titebond glue and the finish very carefully applied to the masked-off and sanded smooth portion of the stick that remained when the rest was cut off. Nothing exotic with the materials and I think it would look attended-to. Easy enough to experiment away from the instrument, first. But I am guessing, never had the need to do this.