Loose Headstock Binding on L-5

**zephyrregent** · 05-01-2023, 09:36 PM

I have an early 1970's L-5C (converted to an electric by someone at sometime) with binding on the headstock coming loose. It's about a two inch strip on the side of the headstock. What glue would be the best to use to fix it? I think I've read that binding material may require special glue.

**wintermoon** · 05-01-2023, 10:21 PM

cyanoacrylate

**zephyrregent** · 05-01-2023, 10:47 PM

There are many products with cyanoacrylate like Super Glue. Would Loctite Super Glue work? Gorilla Super Glue? Do you recommend a specific brand?

**wintermoon** · 05-01-2023, 10:52 PM

I've only tried regular but I imagine they'd all work. The only issue is the quick drying time, better get it attached the right way the first time

**zephyrregent** · 05-01-2023, 11:02 PM

Thanks! The binding hasn't come off. It's still on the guitar but can be easily lifted up. I discovered this while doing some cleaning.

**wintermoon** · 05-01-2023, 11:13 PM

I recently had to reattach some loose binding on my old Aria PE180. Cyano worked fine and I was able to remove excess squeeze out w a q tip dipped in acetone. But that's a poly finish guitar. Acetone will melt nitro, so that's OUT on an L5.

**wintermoon** · 05-02-2023, 12:07 AM

ps, what I did was stick a round toothpick between the binding to open a space large enough to 'paint' the binding w another toothpick, then remove the first toothpick. You only need a thin line of glue and you want to prevent squeeze out. Then use some blue painters tape to secure the binding.

**Freeman Keller** · 05-03-2023, 11:35 AM

I build and repair guitars and water thin CA (StewMac #10 or equivalent) is the adhesive of choice for all my bindings. Use a little pipette (also StewMac) to apply a tiny drop on the seam and it will wick in leaving almost no residue. If there is any scrape carefully with a box cutter blade. If you have to hold the binding in place use a piece of UHMW (cutting board material), CA wil not stick to it or wrap some waxed paper around a stick)

**plasticpigeon** · 09-04-2023, 08:49 PM

I wouldn't use CA glue, it sets fast and hard and can get everywhere unless you are very careful. If you must then squeeze some out and then use a cocktail stick or similar to apply the glue. I much prefer UHU HART glue, perhaps thinned with acetone a bit.

**sgosnell** · 09-11-2023, 08:38 PM

As Wintermoon noted, acetone will dissolve nitro before you can blink. Never, ever allow acetone near any guitar with a nitrocellulose finish.

**customxke** · 09-12-2023, 12:58 PM

Acetone will also melt celluloid binding.

**sgosnell** · 09-12-2023, 01:56 PM

Acetone is commonly used for assembling binding. It melts the plies together. If the finish is polyester, it might protect the binding, but I've never known of Gibson to use poly finishes. For an L5, very careful and judicious use of cyanoacrylate is the best option, but one always needs to be very careful when using it for anything. It dries very hard, very quickly, and removing it from nitro is difficult, if even possible. The best way is using the extended very thin and flexible nozzles that come with some CA bottles. They can be inserted inside a crack before the CA is allowed to be released, and the amount controlled pretty well.

**plasticpigeon** · 09-13-2023, 05:41 AM

Whether you get acetone or CA glue on a nitrocellulose finish makes no difference, it will get damaged either way so don't get it on the finish. The problem with CA glue is that it dries very hard and dries (or sets) very quickly. I think squeezing in with a bottle with a very thin nozzle is also dangerous as it will be very difficult to see how quickly the glue is coming out hence putting the glue in with something very thin like a small knife blade is much safer. I recommended UHU hart perhaps thinned with acetone as it sets much more slowly and yes it will slightly melt the binding on the glue line making it possible to get a very close join which is very similar to the way it would have been made originally.

**sgosnell** · 09-13-2023, 09:47 AM

Well, you're free to do whatever you like to your guitar, but melting the binding on an L5 is not my idea of a good idea. One other possibility is using UV resin, which can be wiped off and won't affect anything until it's hit with UV light. Dentists use it for attaching crowns, and it gives a strong bond. The hard part is getting it into narrow cracks, because it's certainly not water-thin. I like to use it for nut repairs. It does require a source of UV light to kick off the cure.

**plasticpigeon** · 09-13-2023, 10:53 AM

I'm just trying to advise on the best way to carry out this simple repair as I wouldn't want to see CA glue mess up the binding or finish on an L-5. In my experience CA has very limited use in guitar repair for the reasons already stated. It's a great way of sticking something in the wrong place and then an absolute bugger to put right if it doesn't go perfectly.