Finally got back to that old Gretsch.  Rather fragile, just handling it and bits of the binding are just falling off.

The only way to be able to play it, is to strip it all off and replace it.

I found some modern binding that just about matches the colour of the old stuff.

It’s about the right thickness and width.  Just slightly too large, so the first thing to do is to shave it down the right height.  A little fiddly using a file in the vice so that I get the top nice and square.

With it at about the right height I glued it into place.  I bound it up using strips cut from an old bicycle inner-tube.

With the glue dry I took the last couple of “thou” off the top of the binding with a cabinet scraper to blend it in with the top of the fretboard.

The same with the bottom of the neck.  Off with the old stuff, clean up the groove and glue in another strip.

Lastly that little bit at the heel of the neck.  I took the pickup out just to give me a little more space to work.

It’s time consuming, each little piece needs to be glued in place and left to dry for 24 hours.

There it is, looking much better.

The fret dots proved to be a little more of a problem.  Should have been easy, drill a small hole, glue in the black rod (only a couple of mm).  I cut the marker roughly flush and when the glue dries completely I’ll finish them off neatly with a sharp chisel.

All it needs now is a standard setup and it should be playable again.  First the neck set, just a little high.

so a small turn of the truss-rod.  About the only screw that wasn’t rusted solid!

The action up at the 12th fret wasn’t too bad, just a little low.

so up with the bridge a little.

It’s got a zero fret so nothing to be done up there so it’s all done.  Sadly showing it’s age, but then it is over 50 years old, but at least it’s playable again.

To see this project from the beginning click here

For more info about what I’ve got to offer check up www.guitar-george.co.uk