Binding

Bindings and purfling are commonly made of either wood or plastic.

Many people think that binding is simply a decorative feature, something to dress up the guitar. Binding definitely does do that, but it has a more important function...it protects the delicate and vulnerable edges of the top and back of the body that might occur during a guitar's life.

Most guitars get bumped at least a few times, especially around the edges of the body. A hard bump may crack or chip the finish. If there is no binding around the body, the cracked or worn out finish will then leave that part of the top or back exposed to the air, releasing and absorbing moisture 5 to 10 times faster at the end grain. This rapid moisture loss can result in devastating cracks. Having binding around the body helps to seal the end grain and decreases the chances of developing a crack in the top or back.

The choice of wood is a matter of taste but should match the overall design of the instrument. Beautiful hardwood bindings are a natural accent preferred by many luthiers.

Each unbent binding blank is approximately 0.167" thick, 1.6-2" tall and 29-33" long (750-850 x 40-50 x 4 mm).

** Dimensions can vary from Binding Blank to Binding Blank. Please contact sales@gjtonewood.com for exact sizes of YOUR binding blanks.