The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Archtops

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-03-2020, 09:59 AM
hakkolu hakkolu is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 151
Default Gibson L5 binding and wood joint ridge

Hello,
I recently acquired a 2002 Gibson L5 that I noticed has a ridge all around the binding - wood joint.
It is like the wood is not level or flush with the binding. Wood stands a little higher where the side, top, and back woods meet the binding.
It is not as bad on the neck.
In the worst spot, there is actually a surface crack at the meeting joint (the bottom of the guitar body).
It is not impacting playability and I don't mind that it is there.
I read elsewhere that this could be caused by too much scraping of the binding.
My concern is, can it also be due to binding shrinking or the wood expanding over time?
If so, what can be done to ensure it does not get any worse?
I am keeping the guitar humidified with 2 D'Addario humidipacks inserted in the F Holes in the case.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-04-2020, 03:34 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Huntington Station, New York
Posts: 7,604
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hakkolu View Post
Hello,
I recently acquired a 2002 Gibson L5 that I noticed has a ridge all around the binding - wood joint.
It is like the wood is not level or flush with the binding. Wood stands a little higher where the side, top, and back woods meet the binding.
It is not as bad on the neck.
In the worst spot, there is actually a surface crack at the meeting joint (the bottom of the guitar body).
It is not impacting playability and I don't mind that it is there.
I read elsewhere that this could be caused by too much scraping of the binding.
My concern is, can it also be due to binding shrinking or the wood expanding over time?
If so, what can be done to ensure it does not get any worse?
I am keeping the guitar humidified with 2 D'Addario humidipacks inserted in the F Holes in the case.
It may be from over-humidifying.

Think about it. If all the plastic/wood meeting areas show the same thing, what are the chances that the person doing the scraping did so in a consistently poor manner?

Conversely if the binding were shrinking in a way to cause that, wouldn't splitting of the binding be expected?

Where are you living and what it the average relative humidity in your area at this time of year?

Post pictures, please.

Regards,
Howard Emerson
__________________
My New Website!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-04-2020, 08:07 AM
MC5C MC5C is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Tatamagouche Nova Scotia
Posts: 1,136
Default

My initial thought is modern binding doesn't shrink much if at all, and it's quite hard to scrape the binding so that it's shy of the level of the wood, and very easy to scrape so the binding is perfectly flush. So like Howard, I go to the wood has swollen possibly through over humidification.
__________________
Brian Evans
Around 15 archtops, electrics, resonators, a lap steel, a uke, a mandolin, some I made, some I bought, some kinda showed up and wouldn't leave. Tatamagouche Nova Scotia.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-04-2020, 06:59 PM
hakkolu hakkolu is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 151
Default

Thanks. Here is a Google Photos link of the worst spot
https://photos.app.goo.gl/pHNw37FdRu5Jck9cA

I live in New Jersey, but the guitar was Las Vegas area until a couple of months ago when I bought it. It was like this when I got it.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-05-2020, 10:00 AM
jaan jaan is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 329
Default

To me, it looks more like it was very dry for a while.
__________________
2004 McCollum GA redwood/walnut, 2011 Lame Horse Gitjo, 2019 Pono 0-10V Engleman/Acadia, 2019 RainSong V-DR1100N2, 1925 Weissenborn Style 4

Good Guys:
Howlin Bob,skiproberts,Dustinfurlow, jherr, sevenpalms, Methos1979, Flat Top, bgpicker, Luria, TobyWalker, JerryM,jonfields45,eljay,buddyhu,funky2x
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-05-2020, 01:07 PM
hakkolu hakkolu is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 151
Default

Thanks. Why do you think that? Do you think the binding shrunk?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-05-2020, 07:24 PM
Dave Richard Dave Richard is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Central Vermont
Posts: 106
Default

If the guitar was in Nevada(dry climate), and not humidified enough, then some small amount of shrinkage of the side could occur, causing the visible separation between the side wood, and the plastic binding. Then again,
nitrocellulose lacquer finishes shrink over time, because of the outgassing of solvents(causing checking), that could be contributing too(I believe Gibson still uses lacquer as a finish).. Just my opinion!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-09-2020, 01:35 PM
Beanctr Beanctr is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 80
Default

I have a 2001 L5 and it sounds like the bindings are like yours. I think they shrunk. Also I guess my guitar is 19 years old. I don't humidify it but I'm in NC rick
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-26-2020, 07:42 PM
hakkolu hakkolu is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 151
Default

Thanks. I guess it comes down to the question of if this is an issue or not? Did the 2001 L5 binding shrank over time?
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-27-2020, 09:17 AM
Doc Scantlin Doc Scantlin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Huntingtown, Maryland
Posts: 2
Default Normal Gibson binding scraping.

This is 100% normal. On colored stained wood bodies, Gibson, (and probably everybody else?) scrapes the sprayed on color off of the white binding before the clear finish is applied. You can tape off the binding but still need to scrape right where the wood and binding meet. Perfectly normal. I don't suppose you will find a Gibson, colored guitar without this step/ridge.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Archtops

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:43 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=