Source for Checkerboard Binding

[Gilmourisgod]

Anybody got an affordable source for checkerboard binding. Serious sticker shock on sites like this:
Invalid Link Removed
$100 for a checkerboard binding "restoration kit" or $35 just for the checkerboard. That sounds insanely overpriced. I've seen occasional Chinese sources pop up on e-bay like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20STRIP-LUT...131003132420&rk=4&rkt=6&sd=131284717705&rt=nc
Way more than I'll ever need, but pretty cheap. it looks a little "grey" in the photo. Anybody try some of this stuff?

 

[Beej]

That's not a bad price for genuine alternating checkerboard binding actually. Just ordered some...

 

[Gilmourisgod]

That's not a bad price for genuine alternating checkerboard binding actually. Just ordered some...

Just ordered the Chinese stuff, or the Winfield?

I found this source also:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

At $0.49/inch x around 55" I'll need, that's $27.19 before postage, still a lot cheaper than Winfield. I have read that celluloid is better than plastic binding because you can infill gaps with binding material dissolved in acetone. Can that be done with the plastic binding, or is that impervious to acetone?

 

[Adorex]

Hello,
I got my purfling / checkerboard bindings from here:
Invalid Link Removed
I read somewhere that this was the original manufacturer for RIckenbacker, don't really know if that is true...

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Thanks Adorex
I'll have to run the numbers through a Euro converter and see if its cheaper from Shellex including postage from Germany.

 

[BTL]

Bump...I almost posted this very question.

Any updates?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I ended up buying the hideously expensive stuff from Winfield Vintage. I got hosed, of course, but it is very nice stuff, jet black and bright white and very crisp divisions. You have to heat it up to just shy of where it begins to distort on tight curves. I found out the hard way that you need to apply both checker and outer white binding simultaneously. I tried CA glue, Stewmac binding glue, and straight acetone, found the acetone most controllable, it gives you a short window to adjust before it grabs, and welds nicely at miters. See link to my build thread below, been on lame hiatus for months, but about to get back on it this week:
The Hossenfeffer Bass Build