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Binding A Neck


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Oh, jeese. I wouldn't touche that with a ten foot poll. Yeah, I'm sure someone will come in here and go on and on about how "easy" it is (meaning it's super {censored}ing hard but he/she is so pro, etc), but the tools needed to get great results alone are going to cost you (eg. binding trimmer, router, etc) - and, if you want to bind an finished neck PHEW! Forget about it.

Though, if you do it make sure you create a build thread for it wink.gif

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Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Two Tone View Post
Oh, jeese. I wouldn't touche that with a ten foot poll. Yeah, I'm sure someone will come in here and go on and on about how "easy" it is (meaning it's super @#!*% hard but he/she is so pro, etc), but the tools needed to get great results alone are going to cost you (eg. binding trimmer, router, etc) - and, if you want to bind an finished neck PHEW! Forget about it.

Though, if you do it make sure you create a build thread for it wink.gif
I can't see it being a big problem with a bolt on neck because you can remove it. You would also have to refret it but with a router and it set properly in place with a jig, it shouldn't be too difficult. I am hoping someone has done it with a set in neck with the neck still on the guitar. That would be an interesting challenge.
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You would need a dremmil and one of these.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bindings...ter_Guide.html
This allows you to route the edge precisely without going too deep and it keeps a straight line.

You would have to refret. You'd dull the bit and rip the fret ends up trying to do it with the frets in.

Refrettung a bound neck is no joyus proceedure either. I'd do like Gibson does. Route the binding, install
the frets cut to a 90 degree angle, then apply the binding. Then you trim and sand the binding so it leaves humps
at the frets.

You have to be good at both carpentry and refretting. If you arent competant at either then I suggest learning how to
refret first before learning how to bind a neck. It looks nice and all, but adds nothing to the playability and a botched
job makes a neck a basket case. My best suggestion is if you want a bound neck, buy one and save yourself allot of grief.

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Quote Originally Posted by WRGKMC View Post
You would need a dremmil and one of these.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bindings...ter_Guide.html
This allows you to route the edge precisely without going too deep and it keeps a straight line.

You would have to refret. You'd dull the bit and rip the fret ends up trying to do it with the frets in.

Refrettung a bound neck is no joyus proceedure either. I'd do like Gibson does. Route the binding, install
the frets cut to a 90 degree angle, then apply the binding. Then you trim and sand the binding so it leaves humps
at the frets.

You have to be good at both carpentry and refretting. If you arent competant at either then I suggest learning how to
refret first before learning how to bind a neck. It looks nice and all, but adds nothing to the playability and a botched
job makes a neck a basket case. My best suggestion is if you want a bound neck, buy one and save yourself allot of grief.
That attachment looks like it would be a lot easier than using a router.
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It would be easier to build a new neck, or I'd be tempted to remove the fingerboard and install a new, bound one. I haven't done what you're thinking of, but looking at the options those would be my preferences. Both of those methods would most likely require refinishing, but may not depending on what the neck joint looks like and what kind of glue was used to attach the fingerboard.

The Dremel attachment might work out OK, depending on the side profile of the neck shaft itself. The line for the binding is only as straight as the surface the bearing rides on.

As noted previously, I'd remove the frets. Warmoth may use a router or shaper (I forget which) to trim excess fretwire, but that sounds like a recipe for shrapnel wounds.

If you're planning on keeping the existing fingerboard, then I'd suggest doing a little reading on fretwire removal so you don't chip out excessively. In fact, using the existing fretboard could be an attractive option; remove the frets, drill some 1/16" holes in three or four fret slots (off the centerline) going through the board and into the neck shaft, then heat/steam off the fingerboard. Once it's off the guitar, trim or plane off the sides of the fingerboard to the depth of the new binding, then bind the fingerboard. You'll need to install side dots, but that's simple. Once it's ready, use some 16 ga brads/nails in the holes to line up everything, then glue with a caul on the fingerboard. Trim up the binding where it meets the neck shaft and touch up the finish.

With a new fingerboard, just steam or plane off the existing fingerboard and replace it with the new one.

The Gibson-type binding is OK, but I prefer to nip the tangs myself. It's more work, but I just like it better. Either is acceptable, though.

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If the existing fretboard has no intrinsic value, I might even consider planing it off and building a new one with the binding. Of course that involves cutting fret slots and radiusing, etc............ maybe more than what you want to do. Easy to make suggestions with a shop full of machinery. icon_lol.gif

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