Bound Fretboards

[stephenslr]

What is the deal with bound fretboards?

Do they enhance playing or sound in any way or is it just an aesthetic difference?

s

http:www.lycanthia.com

[SGplayer]

I always liked em, it seems to give a lil more width to the neck for E/E bending.......looks good to!

[HoWheels]

It is purely for aesthetics. Since it's relatively difficult to put a binding around a piece of wood, it's also a sign of quality and craftsmanship.

-a

[stephenslr]

it seems to give a lil more width to the neck for E/E bending.......

Why not just make a wider neck?

s

[toejam]

Why not just make a wider neck?

s

They make two different Floyd nuts for this exact situation; one for bound and one for unbound.

[Sunbane]

I would not agree that it's purely aesthetic. It makes a difference to feel as well, IMO. It will not improve your playing, but I think a bound neck feels a little slicker.

[jackson1]

Bindings covering the fret ends will also give a different (good) feeling.

I wonder how common that is nowadays on new guitars.. bound fret ends that is.

[chrisgUK]

I prefer the look of bound fretboards after owning jacksons. When i look at non bound necks they just look kinda naked and unfinished. Id always have been much more tempted to buy something like an MII if it had a bound neck.

[VitaminG]

it enhances the sustain of your guitar.

[jgcable]

Its cheaper to make a neck that is unbound. Fender started it when they came out with their strats. It made the guitars more affordable.
Personally, I think a bound neck is much more comfortable than an unbound. They also look nicer.

[mjtripper]

The binding feels smoother to me as well, plus it just looks cool! Binding all the way around please.

[skarhead]

it enhances the sustain of your guitar.

VitaminG - i assume you heard about the tone enhancing fretboard cleaners and pickguard screws ?

[jwoods986]

I love the feel of binding. Just one of the reasons my Model 6 is my #1.

[Nazgul]

It definitively looks better and I to me it seems like it adds more width - but that is only optical illusion.

[sully]

bound necks aren't wider than unbound necks.