Binding over Frets

[jackson1]

Yes, binding over fret ends would be a better description I think.

Have a look at the following pics and then tell me again if you see ANY binding going OVER any fret. It simply doesn't. Yes, it covers the sides of the fret, but any binding does that.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Have a look at the following pics and then tell me again if you see ANY binding going OVER any fret. It simply doesn't.

Yes, in the pics the binding is going OVER the fret ends, and over the tangs. You cannot see either the fret ends, nor the fret tangs. They are covered by the binding, which goes over them.

Yes, it covers the sides of the fret, but any binding does that.

No, any binding covers the fret tangs. On a modern Jackson the fret ends extend all the way to the edges of the neck instead of being covered by the binding nibs. The binding only covers the fret tang. The fret ends are beveled and dressed like a non-bound guitar.

With binding over frets, the binding covers the fret ends and the fret tang.

That is why I say that calling it "binding over fret ends" would be slightly more clear, as in either case the tangs are covered, but only on the Gibsons and older Jacksons are the fret ends covered as well.

[ken]

Do you notice any difference worth a mention in terms of playability with the binding?
I've always been curious about this as well...

No, no difference at all. It's just an looks thing as far as I can tell. I have two other USA Select Jacksons and there's no difference in terms of feel. On the CS the binding is plain white, by the way, rather than cream.

As for GTWGITS, I'm 10,000 miles away from the guitar, so maybe when I'm back to it I'll finally post a NGD...

[j2379]

i dont know i used to get the high E hitting between the fretend & binding when doing wide vibrato wen i had a gibson with binding over frets. To me its makes the full fretboard width unusable.

[Tmoran]

I hate guitars with this as an option. I had a CS les paul with the binding over the frets. The high e string would actually get stuck between the binding and the fret end. That guitar was the most overpriced boat oar I ever owned.

[MetalMedal II]

I have a guitar with binding without the nibs and at the 1st or 2nd fret (forgot which) on the high E side, there was a small space (about the width of the high E) between the bottom part of the fretwire and the adjacent binding. The space was on the high E side of the neck, and occasionally when using the Floyd, especially big dives, the string would get stuck in under the fret and I'm wondering why that entire string is fretting out all over! I had a luthier fix it. Not sure if he pressed the fret deeper in the board or just filled the slot with some glue, or both.

Anway, having the nibs would have prevented this from occurring.

[ChasSanDimas]

Very cool, great examples.


CHUCK