non-builder question re. wood and ivory bindings

[Tim Logan]

Could someone tell me the background re. wood vrs "ivory type" bindings? Were earlier mandolins made with wood bindings? Why choose one vrs the other? Is wood different than "purfling"? Is there advantages and disadvantages to either type? Thank you !!!!!

[Bill McCall]

Before plastic, it was all wood. Generally, plastic is cheaper and easier to use. Choice by cost, aesthetics and availability. Bindings are on the edge of an instrument, purfling is either inset or adjacent to the binding. But the strip in the center of a guitar is typically purfling if it’s more than one piece.

Violins typically have no binding but often have a purfling strip inset parallel to the edge. Mandolins typically have binding on at least the top edge but no purfling (exceptions are probably numerous). Bindings protect the edge, purfling is decorative.

[Tim Logan]

Thank you - I appreciate your help Bill!

[Dave Hanson]

My Eastman 915 has maple binding.

Dave H

[amowry]

On mandolins, we often refer to the inner layers of binding as purfling, though it's not really purfling in the violin sense. It may be set shallower than the binding, but it's often just an inner laminate layer.