Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey everyone,

Need a little help with a binding quandry that I'm in.  I am having a Honduran rosewood/Adi guitar being made for me  and I am looking for some great idea's for the wooden bindings/end graft. 

I originally had ivoroid picked out but due to shipping restrictions it just did not work out so I've decided to go with natural wood!

I open to any thoughts and suggestions...

Thanks,

Ray

Hi Ray,

If you were originally looking for a lighter color, id think that Maple would be nice. Flamed maple would be even better

If you wanted to go a different direction, I have never seen a guitar bound in Brazilian that I didn't like.

Good luck and post some pics when you get your guitar!

_________________
Support the OLF! Bookmark our STEWMAC link Today!
Lance@LuthiersForum.com

On the light note, what Lance said. Flamed maple would be the bees knees. Sycamore would also be nice.
Dark: any rosewood or snakewood would have my vote.

Depending on the color of the HRW, Bloodwood might look good too. That would be the "Cat's Pajamas!"

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

There's so many choices here.For lighter woods I like flamed maple too or holly. On the dark side,cocabolo,brazilian,or even ebony would be nice.

_________________
Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Thanks for the input guys I appreciate your thoughts

I'm heading over to Studio 46 Guitars tonight to met with Mike about what we are going to use!  Very excited!

Hopefully, I'll do the beautiful Honduran Rosewood set that Bob C sent me justice with my choices.

Also, I noticed in a previous thread that people are chasing nice clear Adirondack tops for their instruments?? I personally think that the red stripy stuff is awesome and shows great character. Just ask the folks over at Froggy Bottom Guitars as alot of their tops are chalked full of color streaks. 

I went on the Buffalo Brothers site earlier today to gawk at guitars and noticed that the majority of their Froggy Bottom guitars have great coloring.  Just my opinion though

 

 

I've never seen a guitar that looks bad in flamed Koa.
My favorite, so I'm biased.

_________________
Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

How a bout Curly Eucalyptus. not quite as red as Koa but darker and warmer than Curly Maple

Well, the bees knees won out and Maple it is! Coco was a close second but the maple really popped against the Hondo and that clinched it for me.  Mike Levesque over at Studio 46 Guitars has so many nice binding options it was not an easy choice...

Thanks for all your input folks.

Hey Paul, I read that you used boiled linseed on your fret boards so I gave it a try on my build and it made my ebony look 100% better!  I now have enough boiled linseed oil though to do about 10,000 fret boards though!

Thanks Hesh! 

 I'm extremely excited (picture kid at Christmas) about how the guitar is coming together. 

It's funny I go over to his shop and look at his work than come home to my little beginner shop and look at mine...Ahhhhh....someday I say someday...

A better substitute for ivoroid is holly, or if you are a risk taker and want to be different, spruce.

Now spruce would give me pause due to it being a softwood and I being an ex-rugby player with four kids under 12 in my house! (gave up rugby for guitars...long story)

It could, however, strengthen my chops in binding repair?

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Waddy, don't you ever shut up?

Yes, he's quite chatty...

grumpy, I can't believe you let my Chase comment slide in the cocobolo post...I thought you were a fan?

Brevity is the soul of wit! 

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

[QUOTE=RayH]

Hey Paul, I read that you used boiled linseed on your fret boards so I gave it a try on my build and it made my ebony look 100% better!  I now have enough boiled linseed oil though to do about 10,000 fret boards though!

[/QUOTE]

Linseed oil is a good product. It's probably been said and I know it's on the label...BUT

Be aware that Linseed oil (and other organic oils like cotton seed, flax, etc) can and WILL spontaneously combust.

We all (?) get taught throw away oily rags. Petroleum based oils make rags more easily combust when exposed to heat or flame. Organic oils, (like linseed, flax, cotton seed) will generate their OWN heat and can catch fire on their own when used on combustible materials like rags, hence the term "spontaneously combust". Throwing away a rag with linseed oil on it in the trash is a recipe for disaster.

I use an old paint can half full of water and place used rags in it so that they are completely covered. The can needs to be tightly closed. When the can gets "full", I burn them.

Joe

Something to be taken into consideration with linseed oil is that it will
darken considerably over time. That's probably not of concern with ebony
but might be something to take into account with a lighter colored wood.

john