Official Luthiers Forum!

So I've been touching up my guitars lately and was starting to change this strap peg on my Bedell orchestra because it was chipped. I wrapped it in tape and went at it lightly with a pair of longnose and it started crunching and now looks really chipped, so I thought I should stop and ask.

I expected this to just be a threaded pin, but maybe it isn't?



I'm worried that there's something more sinister here than just a threaded peg. Should I just brute-force it and break off the remnants of the button and and use heat (soldering iron) on the internal peg part? It also looks like the shoulder of the peg extends into the side wood of the guitar.

Before I screw up a perfectly good guitar that plays like a dream, I need some advice. Then I can screw it up.

thanks - Mark

I've never seen a threaded end pin. They're usually tapered, but often end up being glued in place. If your's didn't budge with the pliers, I wouldn't break it off. Rather I'd protect the finish with masking tape, cut the outside portion off with a Japanese flush cut saw, then drill out the bulk of the pin with an undersized brad-point drill. Finish by reaming out the remainder in preparation to receive a new pin. Of course, you may not have a flush cut saw, brad point drill or reamer, in which case you'll need to improvise.

Thanks for the reply Tim

I had thought that the dark spot in the middle was a steel shaft but I guess not. I took the point of my knife and was able to scratch it, so I guess I'll just cut the thing off. I don't have a Japanese saw but I do have an exacto-like razor saw that should do the job.

Thanks - Mark