What is BOUND or BINDING on a guitar?
Marshall Mooney
They usually don't advertise a binding unless it's of a different color. Many
black acoustic guitars have an ivory binding where the sides meet the top.
Wycked7 wrote:
> See this in ads all the time but what is it? Thanks!
> "look out Honey cause' I'm usin' technology!" -Search & Destroy by Iggy Pop
Wycked7
Bob Clayton
>They usually don't advertise a binding unless it's of a different color.
>Many
>black acoustic guitars have an ivory binding where the sides meet the top.
>
>Wycked7 wrote:
>
Binding is used for protection of the wood, especially on acoustic guitars,
since the edge of the soft spruce top has grain ends (at certain places in the
curve of the top) that can snag on clothing or other items. Binding, either
plastic or wood, keeps the exposed grain from getting snagged.
Another item often found on acoustic guitars, just inside the binding itself,
is purfling, which has the acoustic function of loosening the top at the point
where it meets the sides. By cutting into the top at that point, flexibility
is added to counteract the loss of flexibility the glued-on sides and
edge-bracing adds. The practice started among violin makers and was carried
over to the guitar. The herringbone strip on Martins is an example of
purfling.
On solid-body guitars, binding makes sense more for reasons of cosmetics than
protection of the wood, and purfling makes practically no sense at all.
Bob (and the color of the binding has an acoustic purpose, too*) Clayton, S.R.
* It's responsible for the subtle violet tinge in the tone.
Quality music since 1963.
Dan Stanley
Bob Clayton <rjcl...@aol.comglarp> wrote in message
news:19990625165009...@ng-fi1.aol.com...
> >t is usually found on the edge of a guitar where two pieces of wood meet.
> >They usually don't advertise a binding unless it's of a different color.
> >Many
> >black acoustic guitars have an ivory binding where the sides meet the
top.
> >
> >Wycked7 wrote:
> >
> >> See this in ads all the time but what is it? Thanks!
>
> Binding is used for protection of the wood, especially on acoustic
guitars,
> since the edge of the soft spruce top has grain ends (at certain places in
the
> curve of the top) that can snag on clothing or other items. Binding,
either
> plastic or wood, keeps the exposed grain from getting snagged.
More importantly (as I understand it) moisture can most easily get into the
wood via exposed end grain.
The binding helps prevent this.
Then again, so does a good finish.
Anyway, I just wanted to toss in my two bits.
> On solid-body guitars, binding makes sense more for reasons of cosmetics
than
> protection of the wood, and purfling makes practically no sense at all.
>
> Bob (and the color of the binding has an acoustic purpose, too*) Clayton,
S.R.
> * It's responsible for the subtle violet tinge in the tone.
Wise guy. Go purfl yourself.
Dan
Bob Clayton
>More importantly (as I understand it) moisture can most easily get into the
>wood via exposed end grain.
>The binding helps prevent this.
>
>Then again, so does a good finish.
>
True, and moist wood expands, causing that "catching on clothing" etc. I
mentioned. It's part and parcel of the same thing. In fact, binding may make
it easier to finish tops, in that end-grain, which I think is more absorbant
than side grain (the exposed parallel annual-ring pattern that's the mark of
the quarter-sawn top on a good acoustic), is covered, so it won't absorb a
disproportionate amount of sealer or finish.
Bob (purfled) Clayton, S.R.
Quality music since 1963.