Hide Glue

A type of glue made from collagen, which is a protein found in animal hides and hooves. It was commonly used for many purposes prior to the 20th century. Hide glue comes in sheets, flakes, or pellets, which are mixed with water and heated to a precise temperature. Hide glue is very strong, but is also easy to remove using steam or heat. This makes it a good choice for instrument construction, such as attaching necks to guitar bodies. Should a hide-glued neck need to be removed or “reset,” it is a relatively easy matter to accomplish.