Binding - Fill/Repair/Leave It

[thisismrbennett]

Hoping you all might help me.

I've done a decent amount of electric finish/build/binding work. Haven't ever really worked acoustic before but I have a Larrivee OM-03 that I got for cheap. I'm a Larrivee fanboy and wanted an OM.

After awhile I realized that the binding on this thing is really messed up. It isn't always level with the sides and in about 3 locations, the binding has separated from the body. My GUESS would be that the previous owner ("was gonna learn but never got around to it") kept it in very dry areas and so the wood receded.

So, thoughts on repair? These are minuscule but I can't really push them back in with much success. Ive bound electrics before so I'm familiar with melting down binding to do small fills.
Initial thought was scrape the flaking clear away melt down some black abs, tape the surrounding areas and fill in the gaps. Do I need to do something much more serious?

Or do I just leave it and enjoy the guitar?

I'm currently humidifying it really well to see if that helps but so far not much luck.

Pictures here. - https://imgur.com/a/3zgZy

[Frank Ford]

S.O.P. is to loosen the binding around, glue it back with regular Titebond, taping tightly. If the binding is a bit too long, as it appears in that photo, you'll loosen the joint end, shorten it just a bit so it fits nicely, and proceed with regluing. Usually the binding shrinks and pulls away at the waist, so if that's the case, the tension should resolve itself if you loosen all the way around.

After regluing and washing off the residual Titebond, you can drop-fill the chipped clear finish.

[thisismrbennett]

Thanks Frank. A little frightening, but I like the guitar enough to make it better.

So I understand, I'd use probably something like a razor or exacto to separate binding from body back to the point where it is securely glued? Would you score the side so it separates from the side of the body without finish/wood tearaway?

My main concern with separating the binding from the body is having the binding break. How worried should I be about brittle binding? Its only about 10 years old (guestimate based on serial.)

[Truckjohn]

Thats one heck of a job you have there.

I would prepare for some finish repairs while you are at it..

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by Frank Ford

S.O.P. is to loosen the binding around, glue it back with regular Titebond, taping tightly. If the binding is a bit too long, as it appears in that photo, you'll loosen the joint end, shorten it just a bit so it fits nicely, and proceed with regluing. .

I do not get why we still use Titebond for gluing plastic bindings Frank, it bugs me to no end the amount of warranty repairs I see for loose binding, solely because the manufacturer has used a white glue.

I have two guitars in at the moment having binding repairs and two more already booked in for next week (new less than a year old) with loose binding, just bugs the hell out of me that manufacturers could not make a better concoction, one of the Australian manufacturers makes their own and their binding never comes loose, its a concoction of dissolved binding, nitro and MEK.

Steve

[Frank Ford]

Originally Posted by mirwa

I do not get why we still use Titebond for gluing plastic bindings Frank, it bugs me to no end the amount of warranty repairs I see for loose binding, solely because the manufacturer has used a white glue.

Here's how it goes.

Plastic binding is not typically glued with Titebond or white glue when instruments are made. Instead, its a solvent glue that etches into the binding, so the plastic is at least slightly melted as it is glued to the wood.

When the plastic binding comes loose, it has imbedded in it a lot of little wood fibers, and rougness caused by the plastic being squished into the pores of the wood, etc.

Turns out that regular Titebond bonds rather well to that matrix, and while it may be counterintuitive, sticks the binding back on with really good strength. Because it is a waterbased adhesive it can be washed off the finish wthout damage. So, while a solvent glue might hold even better, the mess it can make is, in most circumstances, not worth the risk, particularly with those not familiar with working around nitrocellulose lacquer.

For sure, there are exceptions all over the place, but I believe Larrivee is one that fits my general description.

Titebond has worked in this application for vintage Martin, Gibson and many other instruments in my experience. It's not the best choice for pressing binding back under heavy pressure, but once the tension is off, it's my go-to, and has been for a very long time. I reglued the binding on my 1923 Gibson mandolin in 1971 with Titebond, and it's doing very well these days.

[mirwa]

It’s just one of my pet peeves with some manufacturers that choose to use wood glue for plastic,abs,celluloid bindings.

I am forever in-undated with binding repairs for certain manufacturers, it could be our locality.

The issue is exactly as you pointed out, using a volatile glue can absolutely make a mess of a beautiful nitro top and one spends more time repairing the finish on the top than the actual job of re-attaching the binding, been there done that .

Steve

[Halcyon/Tinker]

I like learning stuff from you guys.

Steve, maybe AU's high humidity is unpalatable to many NA made instruments?

[mirwa]

Could be, keeps me well employed that’s for sure, it’s just one of those jobs when you start you really don’t know how big of a job it’s about to be.

Steve

[murrmac123]

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