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Freeman Keller, Please Help! Need Advice.


Pine Apple Slim

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Alas my D28 has been lying neglected in its case for about a year and got too dry. Yea I know I'm slack. I've got some loose top binding.

 

i discovered the problem 2 days ago and immediately put a humidifier in the soundhole and shut the case back.

 

 

 

i really need the instrument for next weekend so I have no time to get it to a pro.

 

 

 

im willing to attempt regluing the binding with some guidance.

 

so please Mr. Keller or anyone else so skilled, please advise!

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thanks in advance,

 

 

 

Slim the Slacker

 

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It would be helpful to see a picture but I'll take some guesses. First, its not the end of the world and may not have happened because the guitar was dry. I'm assuming it is the standard white binding, maybe with some black and white purfling, but not herringbone. One option would be to simply tape it in place with blue painters tape and do your gig, then get it dealt with at your leasure.

 

Normally plastic bindings are glued in place with a plastic cement like Duco or Weldon - it softens the plastic and makes it stick to the wood. Some people make their own by dissolving some of the plastic binding in acetone but that would be a PITA for you. Not seeing it, I would probably opt for thin CA glue (super glue but you want the water thin stuff). I would tape the binding tightly in place with painters tape leaving maybe 1/2 inch gaps between pieces of tape. Put a tiny drop of the CA in the middle of the gap right on the seam between binding and wood - it will wick into the crack leaving very little on the surface. Do this at each gap, let it cure for a half hour or so and pull the tape. Now wick a very fine line of CA right on the crack for the full distance. Do it both on the top (or back) and the side seam..

 

I buy my thin CA from Stew Mac, they include some tiny little plastic tips for their bottles that makes controlling the glue easier. The #10 is the right glue for this application, I would try to get something similar from a hobby shop or model store.

 

http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Supplies/Glues_and_Adhesives/Glues/StewMac_Super_Glues/StewMac_Super_Glue.html.

 

If you get any super glue on the finish of the guitar it can be very carefully scraped off with a razor blade or box cutter blade. You can even lightly sand the CA and polish it - the repair will almost disappear.

 

Here is a guitar with plastic binding taped tightly in place all the way around. I'll put the tiny drip of CA between each piece of tape, then remove them and go all the way around. My big advantage here, of course, is that I don't have finish to worry about and can sand and scrape at will.

 

IMG_2589_zps233ue9zv.jpg

 

Good luck, report back

 

 

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As you can see, the binding is loose from the wood and also separated between the layers.

 

the spot is about 12" along the upper waist.

 

The gig is a 3 day weekend Christian retreat deal and I really can't just tape it up. The guitar will be out of its case a lot and will have to be laid down or on a stand ready at all times so I doubt a bit of tape will take the abuse and would probably make things a lot worse before it's over.

 

i can use my little Recording King 000 but there's no PA, total acoustic. I'll be leading singing and Id really like to have the Martins power and tone.

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If Hobby Lobby doesn't have it try a model airplane shop. If you can't get the little whippit pipettes its possible to put a drop on the end of a tooth pick and drip it in place. It should work on both the wood to plastic and plastic to plastic. Just don't get any on the tape or you'll have a heck of a mess (and the wicking action will tend to pull it away from where you drop it on.

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I'd tape it down for the gig or use the recording king.

 

If a you are the original owner of the guitar, have an authorized Martin repair guy look at it.

 

If you are not the original owner, I still have a pro repair guy look at it, cause I would want it to be a perfect repair.

 

I know you said you haven't looked at the guitar in a year, but if it didn't happen last winter when it was really dry out, I doubt if it's a humidity issue. You will real never know.

 

Best wish with the repair.

 

 

 

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