Picked up a new Fender Deluxe PJ with a bound neck and love it. Never played a bass with a bound neck and never knew what I was missing. Neck feels slightly more rounded on the edges, which I love, (hate sharp flat edges) and makes a thinner Jazz neck, I’ve never cared for, feel a bit more substantial. Seems like only the 70s styled Fender necks are bound? Any reason for this?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
I play a 70s style MIJ Fender P. And yes, it has the bound fingerboard.
There's a drawback: the nut needs replacing but the binding prevents knocking the nut out sideways.
There's a drawback: the nut needs replacing but the binding prevents knocking the nut out sideways.
I love a bound neck as well, the neck feel on my 77 Jazz is fantastic. I'm not sure why on some models and not others...other than initially the Jazz Bass was sort of a "delux" model, so maybe the bound neck and block inlays were to help distinguish it as a higher end model vs the Precision.
I dislike binding on bodies & fret-boards.
Ironically my guitar does have binding on the body, but it sounds SO good!
Ironically my guitar does have binding on the body, but it sounds SO good!
Also can make a refret a lot more expensive..
I like a bound neck for the sole reason that the side dots are usually much easier to see in dim light. Other than that, don't care either way.
I started my musical journey playing Les Paul guitars, so I got used to binding, and I like it. 
Love binding, neck and/ or body. Had a 71 Jazz with a bound neck and it played like a dream.
Binding has nothing to do with if a bass has rolled fingerboard edges and smoothed fret ends. I can take it or leave it.
Bound body is a no-go for me, digs into my wrist/forearm.
Bound body is a no-go for me, digs into my wrist/forearm.
It really shouldn't. You just nip the tang back and install the fret as you are used to doing.
Unless you don't know what you're doing...then yes, it gets a LOT more expensive.
This.
Binding doesn’t make a neck comfortable. Neck profile, FB radius, fret size/end smoothness, rolled FB edges, and neck finish make necks more comfortable.
However, binding (and block inlays for that matter) do in fact make necks aesthetically superior.
It sure as hell does. Go Play a Gibson SG with a bound neck and then an Epiphone SG without the binding and tell me which is more comfortable. Same radius, same neck profiles, same fret sizes...Ive owned both, its a night and day difference.
I disliked the idea of neck binding. Until I played it.
Now I’ve got my 75 jazz reissue and my Rick 4001 and I’m sold.
Now I’ve got my 75 jazz reissue and my Rick 4001 and I’m sold.
