Refretting a bound fingerboard

[danmills]

My Stiver has fingerboard binding that follows the contour of the fret ends, i.e. not "fret over binding". Here's a picture (from a Gibson guitar, not a mandolin):



If I get the mandolin refretted, will they somehow cut the frets just right to fit between the existing "bumps" on the binding? Can they even do that? Or will they just flatten the binding and run the frets to the edge as I (perhaps erroneously) consider normal. What if I only get the first few frets replaced?

Thanks,
Dan

[MediumMando5722]

Those are called nibs, at least in the electric guitar world. Some people like them, some don't. You can get a refret that maintains the nibs, but it'll cost extra for the additional labor.

[mirwa]

Traditionally if you need the board to be levelled, that is it has a bend or wave to it, you will loose the nibs if the binding cannot be removed before hand

It is possible to rebind the fretboard after refretting and restore the nibs in the new binding, lot of work..

Either way, more expensive to get done and retain as its very labour intensive

Steve

[billhay4]

I'd get rid of the nibs.
Bill

[dhergert]

When you're building a neck, it's easy to do the binding after the major fretwork and create the nibs. But as has been discussed, when you're re-fretting and/or leveling the fingerboard, it's a lot of extra work to keep nibs; it's much easier just to cut them off and not worry about them.

One playing advantage of removing the nibs while re-fretting is that then you can let the fret ends extend over the binding which gives you basically a wider playing area -- it is an easy way to provide noticeably more space between the strings.

Many good neck people will also replace the nut when they are re-fretting and/or leveling the fingerboard. If the new frets allow more space between the strings, a new nut will institute string spacing that will take advantage of that increased space.

[John Arnold]

If I get the mandolin refretted, will they somehow cut the frets just right to fit between the existing "bumps" on the binding? Can they even do that?

I have done it.....primarily on the old Gibsons.

[Jeff Mando]

If memory serves, Dan Erlewine has a video where he "restores" the nibs after a refret on a vintage Gibson guitar by using scrap binding melted in acetone, then globbing it on each fret end, then shaping with your file, then tinting it with the proper shade of amber/yellow/tan to match the existing binding -- sounds like something we all should try at least once in our lives, doesn't it? Actually, sounds like a lot of work!

[sunburst]

"Nibs" are a result of instrument production. It saves time and labor when nobody has to finish the fret ends, just cover them up with plastic. IMO (I add that grudgingly because I believe this to be fact), it is much better to extend the fret ends over the binding when building and when re-fretting.
I also have done fret jobs and saved the binding bumps... OK, "nibs", but only when the instrument owner was a real stickler for originality in a restoration situation, and had the money to pay me for the extra work and time to do it wrong... er, strike that, make it "as original".

So anyway, if you want it done right (IMO ), have the bumps removed and the frets extended. If you want it done in the style of the original factory production compromise, pay extra to keep the bumps.