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This guitar has many missing sections of binding along the neck, and what is still there is coming loose.

The obvious solution seems to be to remove all of the binding and redo it. This doesn't seem too challenging, but I've never done any binding work. Is there something I'm missing or should know?

I think it's just a matter of replacing the binding.

The frets look as if they don't overlap the binding, which makes it easier.

The hard part will be making the height of the binding match the fretboard. On a new build you'd just scrape it down to that level. But the frets are in the way of that!

My guess about how I'd do it (and this is just a guess) is that I'd glue on the binding, scrape it down between the frets, and then carefully remove the high spots at the fret ends with a chisel. It would take ages and probably not look perfect but good enough.

I think a professional would remove the frets, replace the binding, and then re-fret. Which I'd do if I thought I could re-fret it as well as the current fretwork.

I'm not a professional but I would pull the frets, replace the binding, scrape and sand it level and fret over it. If you use CA for the binding you can pretty well keep it out of the fret slots, otherwise get some of the little teflon spacers. You are going to have issues with finish but you would if you tried to just replace the missing pieces.

I bind my fretboards before they go on the neck so I have much better access to the entire board for clamping and gluing but I think if you are creative you can work around the body.

I think (mixing my metaphors here) fixing a flat tire on a Chevrolet takes as much effort as fixing a flat on a Cadillac. So it is, too, with guitar repairs. I hope OP holds that thought.

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Peter Havriluk

I assume you mean some jobs are simply what they are regardless of the quality of the instrument, and the quality of the instrument doesn't dictate how those jobs are done, only whether or not a customer thinks its worth doing. Am I right?