Repairing a leg socket on an MSA

Thiel Hatt · From: Utah, USA

I have a friend who has an S10 MSA and one of the sockets into which the leg screws is stripped out so that the leg cannot be secured in place. What's the best approach to remedy this problem ? Is there a threaded sleeve that can be inserted into that cavity after it is drilled out? Or remove the end plate and weld the cavity over, drill it out and re-tap the socket (which seems like a lot of work) ? Trying to weld it with the end-plate attached would probably damage the guitar body. With all the experience and expertise out there I'm confident that the Forum can come to the rescue as you have always done. Thanks in advance.

Bob Cox · From: Buckeye State

You might try chasing the thread with a tap . If that fails another way to fix it would be a heli core. It will screw into a little larger hole thats has to be drilled and tapped the proper size will have a new hole the size of the old one. A jig must be set up to obtain the proper angle before drilling and re tapping. I recomend a machine shop.

Robbie Daniels · From: Casper, Wyoming, USA

I had that problem happen to me on the first MSA that I owned. What I did is take the steel into a machine shop and have a helicoils inserted in the mounting hole to make new stronger threads for the leg to attach too. That solved the problem, in fact I had all four helicoiled, because the leg threads were aluminum and when steel legs are threading constantly into aluminum the aluminum threads quickly wear out.
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Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

If you, or someone you know is a machinist, or in construction, and is very well capable of using drills, and tools, have them drill out the hole and re-tap it for the heli-coil. I think you can hold the drill at the proper angle, and be very careful. Go slow, because the aluminum is soft and will grab the drill bit. You have to hold the steels body very firm, and the drill motor. If it were mine, I would attempt it myself, but to be very exact, have a machine shop do it. Myself, I hate to pay the fat man with the cigar for anything I can do myself. Just my idea, and do whatever you feel best.
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Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142

Elton Smith · From: Texas, USA

If you need a temp.fix you can go to the hardware store and get some teflon thread tape for pipe.It will take up the space in the strip for a while.But if you screw and unscrew it ,it won't last long.
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Old Peavy Amps

Glenn Uhler · From: Trenton, New Jersey, USA

Most of the leg sockets I have seen are threaded 1/2" by 13 threads. Yours might be different, but once you find the size, many different insert sets are available at any NAPA Auto Parts store. In most cases, you aren't drilling out very much, so the drilling is not difficult. You might need a drill bigger than 1/2" The 1/2-13 kit, with evrything you need (except the 33/64 drill) is $39.99.
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1974 Marlen S-12 1968 Tele 1969 Martin D-35H

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

IME you clean out the finished threads real good of oil and red loctite the coils in. Immediately screwing the leg in and working it around so it isn't too tight, and taking it out while the loctice dries.

It's easy enough to drill by hand with a lagrer dril, but deliberation is the secret.

Smile

EJL

Thiel Hatt · From: Utah, USA

Thanks my forum friends. That was a well rounded variety of advise that will allow us to proceed with confidence. I knew you could and would come through. Thanks again.

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