General binding specs

[Duct Tape]

Please help me figure out binding sizes. I've reviewed Siminoff's book and numerous MC threads, some copied below. I have Adrian's plans but they're in Colo and for a while I'm in Maine. Hoping to make a bulk purchase from Axiom to save on haz mat charge.

Here's where I'm heading but please reply back with your ideas/corrections. I realize this is personal, often free form and, eventually, art but at least looking for a relatively traditional starting place w/o buying stuff I'll never use later. I like thicker bindings on archtop guitars so my preferences are in parentheses, maybe some w top and some w side bound.

Body - b/w .060 - .090", generally from 3/16 - .250" tall. (.090 IBI, .250")

Headstock - here it gets murkier, Siminoff book says 1/8" tall, but his kits part list shows 3/32", with both at .060 wide. Plenty of others have gone up to .090 wide for the headstock in MC posts. StewMac web kit shows .250" which seems disproportionally tall to me. (.060 or .090 IBI, .125")

Fingerboard - here it's pretty much opaque. It seems the consensus is around .040 with or without a black side or top stripe. (0.40, .250")

Thanks for your help

Jon

Headstock binding discussion. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...rlay-Thickness

Body binding thickness. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...0-Body-binding

Thinning ivoroid strips. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...binding-strips

Thick bindings. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...-affectionados

Thinning tortoise binding. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...rtoise-binding

Binding. https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...?16698-Binding

[fscotte]

I use .090" all around, i/b/i

The top and back looks better if it matches the peghead, so if top is side stripe then peghead too. Fretboard is always side stripe for me.

I think it'll look fine anyway you want to do it. Some mandos I've seen are all ivoroid with no laminating.

[Tom Haywood]

I usually use two or three different thicknesses on one mandolin, depending on whether I plan to laminate. I cut the channels by hand and have had a couple of mandolins where the maple back binding channels did not turn out consistently the thickness I intended. Having different thickness binding on hand saved the day. Also, I like to glue on a slightly taller binding than the channel is cut and scrape it down to flush, just in case there are variations in the wood.

[Duct Tape]

I use .090" all around, i/b/i

The top and back looks better if it matches the peghead, so if top is side stripe then peghead too. Fretboard is always side stripe for me.

I think it'll look fine anyway you want to do it. Some mandos I've seen are all ivoroid with no laminating.

Thanks. Headstock height same as body at around .250" or is it smaller? I was looking at .125" since Axiom has several options for .060 and .090 at that height, either pre-made laminates or stuff I can use to build my own.

[fscotte]

Ya heights for body is .250 and you can use .125 for headstock. And I use .040" for fretboard but .060" is fine too.