I have an old gibson case and both the "catch straps" ( the cloth thngs that keep the top from falling completely open) are gone. Have any of you fixed this and how would you recomend I proceed? thanks
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I have an old gibson case and both the "catch straps" ( the cloth thngs that keep the top from falling completely open) are gone. Have any of you fixed this and how would you recomend I proceed? thanks
Cafe member Loudloar (Steve Kirtley) has a website and a Facebook group dedicated to vintage cases. There is a page on his website that has some suggestions about repairing old cases. It's here.
I have replaced the case 'ribbons'(for want of a better term) on numerous vintage cases, including Gibson mando cases. Steve Kirtley's site and FB page have been invaluable to me, in learning about case repair.
I buy rolls of ribbon material, in different colors, from the Joanne's Fabrics chain. Basically, one must peel away the cloth or plush lining(I use a very small flatbar tool), remove the vestiges(including tacks) of the original ribbons, and then cut new pieces of correct length: I use a hot-melt glue gun(careful! very hot!) to secure first one end, and then the other, of the new ribbon(s) to the case side. That part is slightly tricky, as they want to be just long enough to hold the lid open at a good angle...but not too short, nor too long. I then reglue the lining to the case side, also with HMG.
Best of luck!
I replaced the green ribbon in the case for my old A2 in very much the same manner as Dave describes above, except I reused the tacks to hold the ends of the ribbon in place and used a different glue (epoxy, I think). With luck it'll be another hundred years before anybody needs to repair them again and curses whoever used the wrong glue . . .