binding detached from back wood?

[edibus]

I just acquired one of your wonderful A200ce's second-hand, and it is definitely an amazing instrument. It's in immaculate condition, but I just noticed that on the back of the guitar, along the cutaway, it looks like the binding is detaching from the back wood, and there is a white glue-like substance sparsely scattered in between. It looks like when you glue two things together and slowly pull them apart, and you see thin strands of adhesive connected to both sides but stretched apart. But on a much smaller scale. The thing is, it almost looks like the binding is in the correct shape of the guitar and the back wood was too small to fit properly, rather than the back wood being in the correct shape and the binding detaching and being pulled away. But I'm sure that's wrong.

Any ideas on how it could have happened, and suggestions on what I should do?

I would love to post a picture but I have no access to a camera right now. I will post a picture if I am ever able to take a shot of it. For now, I hope my description above is enough.

[JB]

Hi Edibus, what's the serial number on your guitar ? this info will let me know if it was made here in Ireland.

When the bindings are put on it is possible, especially around the cutaway, that a small gap is left that is filled with the glue, this happens if the binding just refuses to bend completely into place.
If the lacquer is not cracked then it will have probably been like that from the start so there's no stretching going on just a visible glue line.

If the lacquer is cracked then the guitar might have received and impact at some stage in it's life to loosen the bond between binding and side.

Of course a sharp macro photo would definitely help determine this maybe you can get a lend of a digital camera sometime and take a few shots.

Cheers
Jim

[edibus]

the serial number is A00689.

I will try to find a camera as quickly as possible. But thanks for the quick reply and information.

As for the connection between the binding and back wood, it's not really just a solid glue line, but there are some holes in this "glue area," which was why I used tried to describe it as stretched glue

The guitar was shipped to me, and the original owner (a great guy/friend) said that the binding wasn't detached before shipping, or at the very least, he never noticed it. So if you could tell by a picture whether it was originally like that or if it was possibly bumped or whatnot, then we may possibly file an insurance claim (since the shipment was insured properly). It will be very unlikely though, because it was packaged very well during shipping so it couldn't have moved. The only possibility is that the 9-volt battery actually fell out of the pickup during shipment and was probably banging around the inside of the guitar whenever the package was picked up or moved...

Nevermind. Picture it is. Time to find a camera

[JB]

Yea ... see if you can get some photos.

Your serial number is definitely one of our Gold's from N.Ireland.

[edibus]

here are two pictures, one with flash and one without. this was the best i could do on short notice, if you need better pictures let me know

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/ ... G_2280.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/ ... G_2274.jpg

[edibus]

any response? please?

[JB]

Hi Edibus ... sorry for the late reply, I just seem to be so busy this week.

The photo's definitely show some seperation going on there, maybe it's had some pressure impact in that area from an impact or something, it also looks as though someone has tried to fill the gap but when the glue has dried it has shrunk ... as it does, but that's only a guess, impossible to say without seeing it in person.

I mention "pressure impact" because acoustic guitars can be damaged if a lot of weight was put on top of the case during shipping causing the sides, top or back to be pushed or squeezed beyond acceptable tolerance levels.

To be honest, if there's nothing loose or flopping about it wouldn't worry me at all, there should still be enough glued area to maintain good structure integrity even if it's not very pleasing on the eye.

If you decide to fill the gap I suggest using a clear epoxy resin glue.

[edibus]

thanks for the reply JB!

I think I probably will try to fill it, thanks again for the suggestion. Are there any other alternative solutions you can think of? Perhaps a way to "bend" the wood back into position? I'd imagine this would be extremely difficult, if even possible.

[JB]

bending wood successfully is fairly dependent on some sort or applied heat and to do this without damaging the finish would be nigh impossible and trying to push/force the binding in would probably require a lot of pressure, again this will more than likely damage the finish.