New 660 binding anomaly

[jingle_jangle]

The "heavy, uneven, pockmark" thing is also a "product" of the handmade situation.

After color is applied, the face binding and checkerboard purfling is scraped to remove the color, the side face of the binding having already been masked with a special tape to give that "razor-sharp" color delineation. Since the color paint does have some thickness, and it usually takes a few passes over the binding with a single edge razor blade (which is the best scraper for binding, bar none), the binding and purfling often end up a few thousandths lower than the adjacent colored area.

When the instrument is clearcoated, there is a chance that the binding edge will remain lower than the face surface. This might make the clearcoat varnish appear to be thick, but, in fact, it is quite thin (usually .007-.010"), and sanding everything flush could cut through the color into bare maple.

Any small "pockmarks" are caused by tiny voids in the binding/body joint, which fill unevenly with varnish.

All of this could be sanded and polished out, if it made sense to double or even triple the thickness of the varnish, and spend three times the time sanding and buffing at the factory. But Ricks are built to a price, and are a bargain at that price. Handmade, virtually bespoke, for the price of other manufacturers' mass-produced anonymity.

[johnhall]

Since the color paint does have some thickness, and it usually takes a few passes over the binding with a single edge razor blade (which is the best scraper for binding, bar none), the binding and purfling often end up a few thousandths lower than the adjacent colored area.

Mmmm . . . . maybe. But a fresh microscope slide is also pretty darn good for this job.

[jingle_jangle]

Thanks for the tip, JH. Will try this out...

[paologregorio]

I had the opportunity to look at a CB bound F model after reading this post; the color coat does the same thing on the guitar I looked at.

[jingle_jangle]

Was this a solid-color F? (Perhaps Blue Boy?) I noticed it in some pics that JB posted a week or two ago...