Well, with the “binding-channel-cutter-tool-thingamajig” and binding having arrived and sitting around waiting for me, I just couldn’t help myself … so it was off to start Phase-1 of the binding of the headstock … and either loose a couple of fingers and make a complete botch of it … or … surprise myself with having done a passable job … but first back to the beginning …
After first getting the GR-1SF, it took me about 30 seconds to realise that with the bound body and plain headstock, it just looked a little naked “up top”, so the decision made itself – bind and be damned. So began a crash-source in binding – without power tools! I guessed if luthiers have been successfully doing it for centuries by hand then I could certainly have a crack at it.
A bit of research and scouring of suppliers and lot of planning and I was all set (yeah, right!).
The helpful folks at Australian Luthier Supplies were the only stockists of the “binding-channel-cutter-tool-thingamajig” and the ever-reliable Realtone had just the right bindings … so both were duly ordered.
The tool itself is quite simple and to be honest, if I’d had access to a reasonable workshop I could have made one a lot cheaper than it cost (about $60) but it is well made and I guess it’ll provide a good excuse for more kits (and them too!
With the blades set to the appropriate measurements … and a couple of contemplation of what I was about to undertake and the potential ramifications of not getting it right (how much is a replacement neck for a GR-1SF?
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