One of the straplocks on my bass has become loose. I've tightened the screw a few times, though never very hard for fear of stripping the wood, and after some use it wiggles itself loose again. I've seen some straplocks that have a small felt bushing between the metal and the wood that occasionally needs replacing. Is that the case with Alembics? I figured I would get some expert advice before I tried a DIY approach. Thanks!

Wooden toothpick down the shaft to take up the slack, cut to fit the depth or sometimes just break it off if you are in a real hurry, a dab of elmers if you like, replace screw. I carry those things in my gig bag. I have had to do it to all my basses. I kinda put a lot of force on my basses when I play. Just one man's opinion.

Danno is right on (as usual).  In fact , there is a story on use of toothpicks in one of the current magazines, I think it's Vintage Guitar, IIRC.  One suggestion: try and get good and solid round hardwood toothpicks, not the cheap flat ones.  Put it in with some wood glue.  Let dry 24 hours.  Carefully (with a razor or similar blade) trim off the extra toothpick sticking out of the hole, then replace the screw.
 
Bill, tgo

Several times in the past I've used wooden matches (they are a little bigger than toothpicks) and then just put the screw back in. I didn't want to glue it just in case for some odd reason I wanted to get it out again. None have failed yet....
 
JP

If you use epoxy, you can heat the strap button screw with a soldering iron just enough to melt the glue, and then unscrew as normal.
Backyard mechanics know _all_ the tricks!

Will the residual epoxy in the hole have any effect on putting the screw back in afterwards?
 
JP

my Strap is screwed into the bass insuring it will never come loose unless i unscrew it..that's always sure safe option that it wont give-way unexpedly.

I solved this issue by installing threaded brass inserts and using machine screws to hold my straplocks in place.

I read on the forum somewhere that Clarkee uses the method Keavin suggested. I presume the idea of threaded inserts would have been considered by Alembic since they use threaded inserts everywhere else. So I suppose there is a good reason they don't use them on the straplocks.
I could see threaded inserts coming lose due to continued movement of the strap in use.
Jazzyvee

I always double check my strap pins and the straplock mechanisms on my strap before playing. I find that the piece on the strap loosening is far more common than the posts on the guitar loosening.  I guess this is almost second nature to me as a result of owning an old Austin Healy Bugeye Sprite many years ago.  I was always taught to preventively check and tighten bolts on a British sports car.
 
Bill, tgo