Be careful changing straplocks on USA Production Models!!!

[Thump]

If you removed Dunlops and installed Schallers the screw would have been a bit smaller not larger. If you just grabbed the screws from the parts bin, its possible that not only did you use a larger screw but perhaps longer as well. The longer screw could bottom out in the original hole as you're basically trying to self tap it. Just guessing here.

I have a small pile of leftover Schaller straplock buttons and various screws in a parts bin. I always just grab them out of there and try to use the screws that are already on the guitars with the Schaller buttons. That's always worked fine. Even if the screws are a little wider than the actual screws on the guitar, I've used them without any paint cracking and falling off. I guess I've just been very lucky over the past 20+ years?

Now that I think about it, the paint cracked and fell off as I was tightening the screws. It didn't happen as they were going into the guitar. I guess I overtightened them, but as I said before, I've done this many, many, many times and never had this happen? I usually tighten them real good.

And the stock screw heads were stripped, which made it little difficult to get them out. That's why I didn't even try to use the stock screws (not sure they would've fit in the Schaller holes anyway.)

I don't understand how the stock screws were stripped - indicating they were put on there real tight at the factory - but none of the pain cracked for them. Weird.

[tgreensl1]

My finish chipped on the neck pocket when I was putting the neck back on my Demartini. Oh well. Also in the trem cavity there is a bunch of paint that is peeling off. It's really shitty but the guitar is the best sounding guitar ever

[CoolJay]

No one has mentioned this yet, but is there always such a huge gap in the neck pocket like that? I've never seen one of these in person, and that's a pretty good picture of the neck pocket, and there's a decent-sized gap in there, and it looks like the neck barely touches the side of the pocket. WTF?! Are they all like that? It doesn't seem to be a tight fit at all!

Jay.

[Grandturk]

No one has mentioned this yet, but is there always such a huge gap in the neck pocket like that? I've never seen one of these in person, and that's a pretty good picture of the neck pocket, and there's a decent-sized gap in there, and it looks like the neck barely touches the side of the pocket. WTF?! Are they all like that? It doesn't seem to be a tight fit at all!

Jay.

I don't know - it looks pretty tight in the first pic that's posted.

For the record, the fit is very very tight on mine.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I'd have to say that fit looks pretty average for the ones I've seen. The little gap on the leading edge is no big deal.

[Thump]

No one has mentioned this yet, but is there always such a huge gap in the neck pocket like that? I've never seen one of these in person, and that's a pretty good picture of the neck pocket, and there's a decent-sized gap in there, and it looks like the neck barely touches the side of the pocket. WTF?! Are they all like that? It doesn't seem to be a tight fit at all!

Jay.

There's no "huge gap" on the neck pocket of mine and that's mine pictured in the original post. I take it you haven't seen a "huge gap" in a neck pocket before!

I haven't taken the neck off mine yet, but it appears to be fit pretty tight.

Here's an example of a neck pocket most people would complain about (well, online anyway.)

[roodyrocker]

I have a small pile of leftover Schaller straplock buttons and various screws in a parts bin. I always just grab them out of there and try to use the screws that are already on the guitars with the Schaller buttons. That's always worked fine. Even if the screws are a little wider than the actual screws on the guitar, I've used them without any paint cracking and falling off. I guess I've just been very lucky over the past 20+ years?

Now that I think about it, the paint cracked and fell off as I was tightening the screws. It didn't happen as they were going into the guitar. I guess I overtightened them, but as I said before, I've done this many, many, many times and never had this happen? I usually tighten them real good.

And the stock screw heads were stripped, which made it little difficult to get them out. That's why I didn't even try to use the stock screws (not sure they would've fit in the Schaller holes anyway.)

I don't understand how the stock screws were stripped - indicating they were put on there real tight at the factory - but none of the pain cracked for them. Weird.

Generally, the Schaller screws are a smaller diameter than the Dunlops. If a guitar previously equipped with Dunlops needs to have Schallers on it, I have drilled out the Schaller strap button and re-used the Dunlop screw so that it fits tight as it did before.
As for your screws being stripped at the factory, perhaps the paint didn't crack then because it was softer. Maybe after the guitar has sat for a a while the paint hardens more? I don't know since I'm no paint expert. Does anyone know how long it generally takes polyurethane to fully "dry"?