Members musicdog400 Posted December 1, 2009 Members Share Posted December 1, 2009 I have been practicing bending wood and other stuff in preparation for attempting an acoustic / jazz guitar build. One thing I couldn't get my head around was how you get the back and sides to meet so perfectly (I wasn't planning on using binding). But after reading a bit it seems that one purpose of the binding is to hide any inaccuracies in the edges. Am I on track here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted December 1, 2009 Members Share Posted December 1, 2009 You dont always, and when you dont, its simple sanding and elbow grease to sand down the edges to get things to meet up or remove excess glue from the joints. Keep in mind you use Kerfed Guitar Linings when building acoustics that keep the sides aligned and also act as anchors. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,_wood/Acoustic_guitar:_Kerfed_lining_strips.html Theese are often glued in first and clamped. In fact acoustics require alot of clamping to get the instrument together properly. something like this for the kerfer works pretty good for holding it tight while gluing. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Clamps,_support_tools/Go-bar_Clamping_System.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MahaloVision Posted December 2, 2009 Members Share Posted December 2, 2009 the purpose of binding is to protect the edges of the guitar body. I've seen some beautiful guitars made with no binding, but it's rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted December 2, 2009 Members Share Posted December 2, 2009 Back to your question which I kind of misread, the edges are routed to fit binding in after the thing is glued together. I suppose it could cover the glue joint. I dont buy the protection argument either. The guitar backs dont have binding usually either. I consider it to be an astetic mod only. Inlays, Rings around the sound hole are all a builders attempts to make a guitar look good. This goes back thousands of years where poor musicians would play to please the rich in a glamorus way. Earley Lute players who played for their rich slave masters or better yet royalty would dress up their court musicians and their musical instruments to impress their guests. They owned the musicians and like anything else they owned a glamorus instrument vs a wooden box had much more value. Visuit some museums and you can see for yourself the extent some would dress up pianos and earley instruments. Many earley builders would sell to the rich and would make their instruments ornate and attract rich buyers. binding is surely not a bumper. Bump binding and crack it makes the instrument a hell of a lot harder to repair. It also has nothing to do with sound or protection with the exception of a pickguard. What it does do is add to the instruments value if done right. From a performence perspective you can more clearly make out the outlone of the instrument in a dimly lit room. Like a woman wearing jewlrey, a guitar was shaped after a woman. As far as dressing up a guitar. All is Vanity when it comes to performing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members musicdog400 Posted December 2, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 2, 2009 When I was thinking about cutting the top and mating it to the sides, I doubted my ability to cut the shape of the top perfectly accurately to match the curve of the sides. So I just wondered if luthiers make the top a little too wide, then sand or route it down. Of course using binding makes this problem go away. Since I am a beginner with building acoustics I just want to build the simplest way, I would only use binding if it made things easier. I saw a web page where a guy made an acoustic in his kitchen. The top did not perfectly meet the sides but he filled the gaps with sawdust and glue and it looked fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted December 2, 2009 Members Share Posted December 2, 2009 If you err you always want to err on it being a littel too long then too short. This goes for all carpentry. you can always take off more, take too much and you're screwed. Sawdust and glue is a who gives a crap method to salvage something you dont want to redo right. The trick is not to make a mistake and if you do dont get caught on the short end of the stick as thay say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MayhemGuitars Posted December 6, 2009 Members Share Posted December 6, 2009 I have been practicing bending wood and other stuff in preparation for attempting an acoustic / jazz guitar build. One thing I couldn't get my head around was how you get the back and sides to meet so perfectly (I wasn't planning on using binding). But after reading a bit it seems that one purpose of the binding is to hide any inaccuracies in the edges. Am I on track here ? One purpose yes, However it's normally just a decorative touch. When a builder puts binding on guitar, the value goes up dramatically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MahaloVision Posted December 7, 2009 Members Share Posted December 7, 2009 I dont buy the protection argument either. The guitar backs dont have binding usually either. I'm assuming that the OP is talking about acoustic guitar, in which case it's always been about protection against exposed end grain on the top and back plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted December 7, 2009 Members Share Posted December 7, 2009 That end grain can look dark when coated with clearcoat. Beviling the edges of the sides and top at 90 degrees luke corner mouldings can be used to prevent the ends from being seen. It would be a bitch to get right though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bartak101 Posted December 7, 2009 Members Share Posted December 7, 2009 Although mostly for cosmetic reasons on solid body electrics, binding on acoustics and laminate arch top guitars serves a more important purpose. End grain, due to it's structure (open capillary ends) abosorbs moisture in the air. This, overtime, will cause the wood to swell where the endgrain is exposed and weaken the glue joints, binding negates this. Furthurmore, it cancels out any stain/dye issues, the endgrain absorbing more and thus finishing darker than the adjacent sides. Shellac, oils and wax finishes are never 100% air and misture proof and cannot be relied upon to keep moisture out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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