Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Is it possible to put binding on a Ric that doesn't have any binding, like a 330? Sorry for the 'noob'nes of the question

Yes of course it's possible................but I would suggest that you contact Paul W with some more specifics about your guitar, so you can obtain some advice and cost estimate etc. You may want to ask him to perform the work for you because it is not something that those without experience would likely want to try to tackle.

Brian is of course correct that Paul W. is the expert.

I do recall that one challenge of binding a 330 is that the edges have to be routed, which is very difficult to do without disturbing the finish on the adjacent wood surfaces. So the process of routing and binding a 330 body will generally involve a refin.

libratune wrote:Brian is of course correct that Paul W. is the expert.

I do recall that one challenge of binding a 330 is that the edges have to be routed, which is very difficult to do without disturbing the finish on the adjacent wood surfaces. So the process of routing and binding a 330 body will generally involve a refin.

I've done it without refin, but would HIGHLY prefer to not do it again, and to advise others the same. I can't even begin describing the painstaking process involved, trying to keep the finish intact. It only kinda works on beat up guitars anyways, as getting it 100% perfect without refin is nearly impossible.

It can be done, but it generally requires a refin and is difficult without detaching the neck (router can't get in where the body horns meet the neck).

PS....it can depend on the year of the 330 too. Certain years (mid 90s come to mind) seem to have more rounded edges that don't take binding as well (as flush) as vintage 60s and recent CNC-era models.

Great guys, thanks!

You can get it routed for binding, and just to sample it out, buy some thick pinstripe tape and run it along the edges, see how you like it!

IvanMunoz wrote:You can get it routed for binding, and just to sample it out, buy some thick pinstripe tape and run it along the edges, see how you like it!

Uh.....I think once you've routed it, you're pretty well committed at that point.


Ps....all guitars look better with binding anyways

I wasn't planing on doing it myself, I was just wondering if there are people who could do it out there.

collin wrote:

libratune wrote:Brian is of course correct that Paul W. is the expert.

I do recall that one challenge of binding a 330 is that the edges have to be routed, which is very difficult to do without disturbing the finish on the adjacent wood surfaces. So the process of routing and binding a 330 body will generally involve a refin.

I've done it without refin, but would HIGHLY prefer to not do it again, and to advise others the same. I can't even begin describing the painstaking process involved, trying to keep the finish intact. It only kinda works on beat up guitars anyways, as getting it 100% perfect without refin is nearly impossible.

It can be done, but it generally requires a refin and is difficult without detaching the neck (router can't get in where the body horns meet the neck).

Really? I thought watching you do it was easy

collin wrote:


It can be done, but it generally requires a refin and is difficult without detaching the neck (router can't get in where the body horns meet the neck).

That's why the Tool God made very sharp chisels and opti-visors. Takes about 30 minutes to do both sides; no neck detachment necessary.

I'm finishing one of these up as I write this. Probably have done somewhere in the neighborhood of three dozen of these since '05.

billydlight wrote:

collin wrote:

libratune wrote:Brian is of course correct that Paul W. is the expert.

I do recall that one challenge of binding a 330 is that the edges have to be routed, which is very difficult to do without disturbing the finish on the adjacent wood surfaces. So the process of routing and binding a 330 body will generally involve a refin.

I've done it without refin, but would HIGHLY prefer to not do it again, and to advise others the same. I can't even begin describing the painstaking process involved, trying to keep the finish intact. It only kinda works on beat up guitars anyways, as getting it 100% perfect without refin is nearly impossible.

It can be done, but it generally requires a refin and is difficult without detaching the neck (router can't get in where the body horns meet the neck).

Really? I thought watching you do it was easy

If Collin made it look easy, then he must be getting really good at it!

jingle_jangle wrote:

collin wrote:


It can be done, but it generally requires a refin and is difficult without detaching the neck (router can't get in where the body horns meet the neck).

That's why the Tool God made very sharp chisels and opti-visors. Takes about 30 minutes to do both sides; no neck detachment necessary.

I'm finishing one of these up as I write this. Probably have done somewhere in the neighborhood of three dozen of these since '05.

Course!

That's how the process was described to me before, but I haven't taken the plunge yet. I probably will though, as I plan to bind a '60 450 project before refin.

That will be a sweet one, Collin. Single or double? If you're refinishing anyway, you can separate the wings with heat and you won't need that chisel. Rout, bind, reglue the wings, and Robert's yer mother's brother.

jingle_jangle wrote:That will be a sweet one, Collin. Single or double?

Double, I think i'll try my hand at CB this time, as the guitar will be Jetglo.

Keeping the original dot/unbound fretboard, so it will be sort of a 460/450 hybrid.
(This is that teardrop butcher-mess from last year...finally getting around to it. )