Why isn't FRET BINDING more popular?

[jd56hawk]

Recently purchased a Sadowsky Metro Express, and was pleasantly surprised by this detail of the pocketed fret grooves and nicely rounded fret ends.
Why are they showing up this way on so many instruments?
My guess:
Whatever factory is making all these necks recently acquired a machine to cut/trim frets this way. Probably does both ends simultaneously, as it's cutting to precise size and shaping/buffing those ends on each fret.
As for the grooves themselves? They're stopped short of running through the edge of the neck, so no filler/dressing required, at least on the Sadowsky and other pocketed fingerboards, so that's some labor saved. Also eliminates the risk of tear out as the bit exits the edge of the fretboard = possibly fewer rejected /wasted fingerboards(?)
I'd love to go tour a factory some time, as the answers are probably quite obvious, once you dig in and see how it's being done.
Still, it's fun to guess....

Exactly.
I wouldn't call them a small company.

 

[InstantEctobass]

Exactly.
I wouldn't call them a small company.

But what's the price point on these?

 

[jd56hawk]

But what's the price point on these?

Under $1,200.