Official Luthiers Forum!

I was recently playing a little instrument called a strumstick (http://www.strumstick.com) and I was surprised to discover that it had no binding on it. It was a spruce top, EIR sides/neck and a maple back. Nevermind about the instrument though... I really liked the look of no binding a lot and it got me into thinking that i had never seen any acoustic, no matter how cheap, without binding. Does anyone out there know of any builders/guitars that do not have any binding on them? If so I would like to see some pictures to see if the look is still appealing on a full size acoustic guitar.

One a related note, would the guitar be severely unstable and explode if no binding were to be used?

andrew

My understanding of the purpose of binding is to cover the end grain of the top and back and to add some protection against corner dings. It's also obviously a cosmetic value-add to most folks too. I don't think that binding contributes to the structural integrity of the box and I would not think that an unbound guitar has a greater chance of imploding/exploding than a bound guitar does.

I can't remember the details but I seem to remember some discussion here on the OLF some time ago about binding contributing to a hinge action for the top and back not unlike why some of us thin the edges of our tops and Taylor undercuts their tops also thinning the edges.

i really like the minimalist look of a binding-less guitar.

my most-played guitar (before building my own) was a seagull grand. though there is binding on the top, there is no binding on the back. there is a good reason for binding. the edge around the back has not worn well. ...mind you, this guitar has been everywhere with me and has certainly seen it's share of rough-housing. i'd imagine a top without binding would be even worse.

i know martin has a few X model guitars without binding. i presume it's a safe bet with these space-age polymer crunch-enhancer simulated wood models.

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yakmatter.com

I am clueless as to who the builder was...but I'm absolutely certain that I saw some binding-less guitars at Healdsburg last year. I liked the look of them myself.

Benedetto makes some archtops without binding, I recall.

The old 01 series Larrivee's had no binding.



p.s. Sorry for the giant pic

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Jeremy Douglas

Daniel Brauchli makes instruments without binding

http://www.danielbrauchli.com/acoustic_guitar.html

My Hermann Weissenborn Style 1 inspired 'Model I', which is Tasmanian Blackwood top/back/sides features no binding. I think the look works very well with a top that matches the back/sides; I'm not a fan of exposed spruce tops.

In this day and age where most serious players are well aware of proper storage and treatment of guitars I see foregoing the standard binding look for aesthetic reasons as perfectly acceptable.

More pics can be seen on my website (http://www.weissenborns.com/acoustics.php).

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Richard
http://www.guitarmaker.com

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Tony, I think that instruments like that, with the top wood the same as the sides, look really great with no binding.

This one is one of my all mahogany ukes, and I prefer the look to the ones on which I have put binding and purfling.

If you can't decide if you want to use binding or not perhaps select a third party to decide for you? I believe that they call this process binding arbitration.......

niiiiiiice!

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-donh-

Everything is a tone control!

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Ive heard lots of old guitars without binding that sonded great!

But it is just me, 0r do I only imagine that I hear a drastic change in taptone after vs before a body is bound? Seems like it adds a little punch and volume to the box as I tap it.

Peter Hopkins makes very pretty archtops sans bindings.
http://www.hopkinsguitars.com/

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Dave
Milton, ON

There are some lovely photos of bindingless guitars here:

http://kenparkerarchtops.com/

Mark

Iv'e seen a lot of flat top mandolins with no binding.

i've been pretty busy the last few days, all these unbound instruments look so cool. I defiantly going to build my bubinga/sitka om without binding now.

i don't mean to go off topic, but i was looking through the Ken Parker guitars site and he is probably my new favorite builder. They're amazing and the unbound tops look gorgous. Also, excuse my language, but how the hell does he do this with the neck?!!?!
====>( http://www.kenparkerarchtops.com/Resour ... side1K.jpg )

I've just about finished a weissenborn copy made from Blackwood. I like the look without binding.


Cheers
Alan

You mean "How the h*ll does he play with that mile-high action?"

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The member formerly known as erikbojerik....