Big Binding on Applause accoustic

[Dirty Dog]

Hey everyone! Hope this is the ruight place to ask this, but I have a '70s applause electric accoustic with a severely checked finish. I know the guitar is not extremely collectible (cough cough...) but I was wondering if there is a way to get the binding off and save it because it seems very unusual in its size. I want to build confidence with repairing hollow bodies s I continue to ready myself for my 335 build(s) and eventual home carving. Will it really be a loss to the vintage world if this clunker were to be refurbished? and... CAN it be redone to original specs? Thanks and Cheers!
DD

[stan]

binding is normally glued into a routed channel: it can be removed, but I wonder if it would be savable....

I've heard of heat guns or blow driers and x acto type blades to work it free, but I'd be prepared for it to be damaged.

http://www.guitarrepairbench.com/aco...y_binding.html

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Bind...-bindings.html

[Dirty Dog]

I just never saw such a thick (intentionally)binding before. I could alter the bracing once inside and possibly get some better tone out of this beast. Mostly hoping to confirm that it would likely be a loss for the bind. Thanks!
http://www.ovationtribute.com/Catalo..._Brochure.html

[Brendan]

Gut feeling would be you'd do a whole lot of damage to the guitar trying to get the binding off in such a way you could use it again. I also think you'll do some damage to the binding - it's pretty soft and will scratch easily. Put it together with it being on the guitar for a while and it may also crack. Check DB's Ricky - he made custom bindings... You may be able to do something that way if you need to take it off to do a repair. If it's just an issue with the finish, I'd just be careful around the binding... I have seen Gav B fixing a couple of acoustic guitars finish without removing the binding.

[Brendan]

DD - also think that altering the bracing is an artform and is likely to be more involved than building a 335...

[Gavin1393]

There's usually a simple reason for putting on thick binding...

The soundboard was damaged around the edges or when attaching the soundboard to the sides, there was some underhang where too much kerfing was exposed ( not covered by the soundboard). Hence, the way to fix it, VERY thick binding. I suspect that the only way that you will effectively remove the binding is to rout it away. Do you have the right tools for this? Even if you do, you will expect to have to replace the binding with something that is equally as thick! Otherwise you will not have enough binding to conceal the sides. what is the reason that the top has cracked? Is the soundboard too thin. Is the guitar exposed to excessive heat or humidity changes? The best way to repair a SPLIT top is to use Titebond, ensure sufficient glue enters into the split area and then use a strong slightly elastic tape and place tape on the one side of the guitar and stretch the tape over to the other side and attach it. The elastic nature of the tape should be such that it pulls the side towards each other and closes the crack/split. Leave to dry! Remove tape....split should be gone if you did it right!