Fender's New "Channel Bound" Fretboards

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Fender's New "Channel Bound" Fretboards

Not everything is done for the sake of solving a problem. What problem do quilted tops solve?

Agreed, but Fender is advertising this it on the basis of it being more comfortable to play because you can't feel the groove where the fretboard is separating from the neck. You'd think by now they would know how to use glue and clamps properly...?

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Fender's New "Channel Bound" Fretboards

Agreed, but Fender is advertising this it on the basis of it being more comfortable to play because you can't feel the groove where the fretboard is separating from the neck. You'd think by now they would know how to use glue and clamps properly...?

Yeah thats true ive only ever had 1 guitar that you could feel where the fingerboard met the neck and then only if I thought about it. I never felt it while playing.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Fender's New "Channel Bound" Fretboards

I've owned and played quite a lot of guitars over the years, and never have i been able to feel the join between the neck and fretboard, so i don't see that as being a new, special selling-point.

I have felt the join with bound fretboards, and I think the idea here is to give the neck a bound-fretboard appearance without the actual binding edge along the side where fingers come in contact.

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Fender's New "Channel Bound" Fretboards

You mean that gross abalone crap? Agreed.

Some of those ESPs look like what Liberace would play if he was in a metal band. o

 

[J E C]

Re: Fender's New "Channel Bound" Fretboards

To me part of the look of a bound finger board is the look from the side as well as the look from the face. With this, looking at it from the side it doesn't look like a bound FB.

 

[constant mesh]

Re: Fender's New "Channel Bound" Fretboards

Looks pretty cool. Luckily maple is abundand so they can waste some of it

From repairman's point of view it has pros and cons. It's better than binding because even if you bust it, it can be filled with maple dust and CA. The trouble with binding is that it won't hold on to the wood very well and doesn't shrink at all. A big disadvantage would be the lacquer on the binding which is essential here but not important on ABS binding. Maple has to be protected, leveling such a board could be a potential nightmare. Refretting could also crack the lacquer on the fret overhang.

Otherwise it looks very chic, gotta say.