Loose bindings - how hard/difficult to fix?

[LateStart]

I am looking at an early 60's F-20. The binding above/below the sound hole have lifted off/shrunken. How do you re-bind them. Do you heat, press and glue? I am guessing if possible you want to keep the original authentic bindings.

 

[davismanLV]

I think it's the shrinking of these old bindings and the weakening of the glue over time that causes this. What I think is generally done is that it's pulled completely away and reglued, but then it's going to be too short so you'll have to (or have someone) create a patch of binding that matches very closely up by the heel of the neck. Matching and cutting and splicing is tricky business. Not something I would tackle myself. Nice Ghost label......

 

[LateStart]

Makes sense. And for originality people don't just put on totally new binding? This guitar is interesting because the binding is white; all of the F20s I see from this period have black binding.

 

[davismanLV]

You can definitely do all new binding but it's gonna mess with the originality of the guitar and will probably lower the value. A small binding "extension" to fill in from shrinkage is probably expected. New binding is gonna look wrong and then there's the finish to consider. A small patch is best I think. Do you have a good luthier that works on vintage instruments that you could ask?

Anyone else have input on this situation? I know we've seen this before.

 

[AcornHouse]

Pretty much on course, Tom. The trick is finding a luthier willing to tackle it. A know a couple who hate binding jobs, and charge accordingly.

 

[davismanLV]

Binding is a bitch! And now that I've seen more photos of this guitar in your other post, I realize that it's not just that one spot. That binding is broken and in multiple places and missing in some. I thought it was just that piece on the side. The photos in your other post made it a bit more clear. That's gonna be more than a simple reglue and patch. I'm really out of my element.... not that I was ever really IN my element. Just throwing an opinion out there. Good luck!!

 

[LateStart]

Yeah... it will be an interesting challenge.

But correct to assume that preserve/replace of binding has little/no impact on tone? Any chance that a supplier will have a period-correct binding supply for replacement?

 

[davismanLV]

Someone will be able to recreate the binding. Doubt you'd find it stock but simple white/black/white etc, can be put together from the different parts. Stewart-McDonald and Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc. should have what is needed.

 

[SFIV1967]

See here to get an idea about the amount of work required (you can click each picture to enlarge): http://frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Technique/Structural/ReglueBinding/regluebinding.html

Another link: http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/repair/binding-replacement.php

And no, you can't heat old celluloid binding to soften it.

Ralf

 

[West R Lee]

I just had that repair done by Scratch's guy Ross. The binding was just starting to come loose on my DV72 in the identical spot. But we nipped it, nipped it, nipped it in the bud. Flawless job.

West