loose binding on a regal? parlor guitar

[Lee Gendvilas]

Happy Holidays! The binding on this parlor is loose only at the waist. I want to get it back in the channel. I'm not sure of what it's composition is. It looks and feels like plastic. Any suggestions? Should I loosen it to where it joins the other end and then glue it on? If so, any suggestion as to what is available that will match it to bridge the gap?

[Roger Häggström]

Probably made of celluloid. The material is self destructing and shrinks with time. You may loosen the whole binding and reglue it, but you will get a void at the end of about 3 mm to fill. Or make a caul shaped like the side and use a clamp to force the loose binding in place and let the glue hold it. CA glue or some acetone based glue will work.

[onewent]

Very common on these old guitars, due to the celluloid shrinkage, as Roger said.  If you're going to reset the neck, while the neck is off, loosen the binding and reglue and the gap will hopefully fall under the finger board.  Other option is to loosen the binding, and have the gap at either end, and either fill or let it be.  I've not had much luck with the glue/caul/clamp method.

Down and dirty would be to cut at the gap, fill and glue, or just leave it be.

Tom

[Lee Gendvilas]

Hello again! Roger and Tom thanks so very much for the quick replies. I quickly made a caul like Roger suggested but I think the binding has shrunk enough that I won't be able to force it back down. So I am going to loosen the binding to where the two ends join, glue it and try to fill the gap. I am sorry I wasn't specific about which binding I was having issues with - it is the binding for the back, not the top. Thank-you both for the great suggestions and insight. This guitar has been real fun to work on, a great learning experience and you have been most helpful.

[onewent]

Oh, it's pretty obvious it was back binding from the photo .. I was in a daze I guess..Tom