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This was from the 2018 tour. It's the same rope method we was this year.

I took some video of a fellow wrapping binding the first year they moved to the back area of the factory. He was doing the traditional rope method then. He had set up a little "glue pot" where he could drag the binding across and it applied the glue to the strip. Apply it to the routed channel, and then wrap while the solvent dries. Most guitar binding is Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, which is very soluble in acetone. Toss any scraps you have in some solvent and you make more glue. But buying a premade solution would probably be more consistent. It's similar to the old model car glue we used to buy, except that was just styrene dissolved in toluene.

I was thinking about this post when I heard Dan (Production Manager) at Heritage talk about Heritage moving away from tape to a more traditional method of securing binding to the body. I remember back in the day, binding was held on the body using tape, never thought much of it then. I've seen several videos where Gibson to this day follows a very specific method wrapping a cord to hold binding in place while it dried. I suspect when Edwin Wilson (former Gibson Custom Shop) went to Heritage, this change may have been his idea. I also learned the adhesive used to glue the binding to the body is a mixture made up melted binding and acetone. Heritage used to make the glue themselves but found a supplier that makes it and it's less messy to deal with.

I recall fondly seeing that natural finish Phat Cat beauty at the first PSP. The guitar was pretty as well. Thought it was a fantastic sounding guitar and said as much, but then Rob placed it on the stand and asked 'how's it sound now'? j/k... kinda. Except for the embellishment of the Chet quote, I did find the 576 guitar and player top notch.

Looks really cool!

A late friend of mine, Rick "Chainsaw" Turnpaugh, worked with Gerald Weber down at the Kendrick shop, not far outside of Kileen Texas. Rick, who was from my hometown, would send me swag, which I just happened to be wearing at this year's PSP. He would bring his Kendricks up to Kokomo to jam and was very proud of the entire Kendrick line. Seems like he prefered the "Big K", wait, that was the "K-spot". Slip of tongue... "She will kiss you, She will slap you, You will love her"

Jason sent this concept. In MOP

Those Kendrick amps are Fab.

I'll be playing around a Kendrick 5E3 later tonight. Didn't have much of a chance over the weekend, but I can tell you, the amp worked great at PSP as a bass amp (volume was kept very, very low)

Well, there you have it. The 576 appears to be a fancier 575 with a Centerblock, making it a deep body semi-hollow. Similar to Roy Clarke with exception to the neck joint and body depth. Very classy guitar indeed. We rarely see a 576 just like we rarely see a Roy Clarke.

I disagree, Will. That clearly IS Rob. You need to make allowances for the passage of time. If he says that photo was taken 20 years ago, that means he was only, um, 26 at the time.

Good times Will, thanks for that.

It was.

But that’s clearly not Rob!!!

Some of the inside baseball from PSP is they will soon be selling their pickups. Didn't get a specific time frame other than soon.

Rob, that is such a beautiful 576! Wow! You speak of it in the past tense, so I assume she's gone to a new home. Do you recall the the profile?

Looks like 2019

Me & the 3 amigos.

Yes, they are making their version of a staple pickup. Square Alnico magnets, P90 size. The head winder was showing a couple of us how he is making them. That guy is like a chef in the kitchen when it comes to pickups!

Chris, did you say Staple? No way!

I'm excited: Heritage is making their own staple P90's in house now

From some song….

Yeah, you were so much older then, you're younger than that now!!!! 😁

My first Heritage was a blonde 576. It was a great guitar that lent itself to just about any style of music. Gigged it a bunch. Ultimately put a set of Duncan Phat Cats in it, a terrific marriage. I'll always have a soft spot for that guitar! And yikes, haven't seen this picture in ages. Must be from close to twenty years ago....