bibding on tops and sides

[Willie]

Some mandos have more of the binding on the sides than they do on the top, does that mean the top is cut larger than the ones with more binding on the top? Also some of them seem to be narrower from top to back and I was wondering if that is because the sides are cut different to allow for the different binding...Hope this make sense to you builders....Thanks ...Willie http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[John Bertotti]

Willie, I am not a pro luthier but I will answer the best I can. What I believe after several years on this board is this. The builders here are making the tops and backs a bit bigger than the assembled side. They then install either the top or the back. I believe the top is most commonly first though. Than fit it to match the sides. There are numerous ways the builders voice the instrument so I won't go into that but once the back and top are on and fitted to the sides they then rout the binding channel for their chosen binding. Hope this is clear. This is the approach I am taking. John

[jchinchen]

Generally the binding slot is routed into the instrument after the top and back are glued together. The joint between the sides and the back is not necesarily the same as where the binding and the sides meet. The binding slot as it is called is routed into the top,side, and kerfing(the slotted lining inside the instrument). As long as you don't route through the kerfing you can add as much binding and purfling as you want. Hope this clears it up. Jason Chinchen, High Desert Mandolins.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Willie]

Thanks to both of you...I was curious because some mandos appear to be smaller than others and I thought maybe it was the way the bindings were installed....Thanks again...Willie