Headstock binding, please please please.

[Panthur]

I've looked around the forum, and I found a thread way back in 2008 which stated Warmoth had considered headstock binding.
I really really would love a strat style neck with fretboard and headstock binding. To me, an unbound headstock and bound fretboard looks like a mismatch.
Is there any update on this ? I know it's a big ask, but as far as I can see it's one of the big things missing. There are so many guitars out there with a bound headstock, and to me it completes the look.
Sorry if this has been asked before recently, but I guess that only indicates demand ;-)

 

[Cagey]

There are a lot of bound headstocks in the wild, but not on Strats. They exist, but they're pretty rare. Strat headstocks have a 3 dimensional surface, while bound headstocks are usually two dimensional. Binding is flat, so it'll bend around gentle inside and outside curves with a little coercion, and tighter inside/outside corners can be mitered or bevelled, but it doesn't want to bend up and down at all. You'd need to do that with a Strat.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

IMO, I don't think it would look that good, even if done right.

 

[Panthur]

Basically, I want something like this...

To me, that binding looks great, it's a continuation of the neck binding. If the guitar is bound, the neck is bound, the headstock should be bound to complete the look. Would some sort of natural mask / veneer thing be possible ?

 

[jimh]

Could you get the face of the headstock painted black and then paint your own binding?  i know it wouldn't be the same, but....

Fellow forumite, Rightintheface, painted the binding on his hollow tele.  Came out quote well.....

Just a thought.

Jim

 

[B3Guy]

note, that Pensa headstock with the binding is NOT 3-dimensional like a strat headstock is. it is flat. (I would love to have binding on a strat headstock, too . . . I may paint on mine and/or try to put the real stuff on myself.)

and to jimh: did rightintheface's tele have faux binding on the neck?

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

note, that Pensa headstock with the binding is NOT 3-dimensional like a strat headstock is. it is flat.

?
It's just a different shape.  The transistion from the headstock face to the nut isn't the 3D area in question?

 

[Cagey]

It's tough to tell from that picture, but it does sorta look like the headstock is flat (2D). That is, no depth changes on the face anywhere.

 

[dNA]

I'm totally confused. What makes a Strat headstock more 3-dimensional than the headstock on any other guitar??

 

[Cagey]

I'm totally confused. What makes a Strat headstock more 3-dimensional than the headstock on any other guitar??

Most Fender headstocks are not planar. They have depth.

Look at the side view of a Fender-design headstock.

You'll see that the wood changes elevation from the nut to the first tuning machine, then flattens out for the rest of the head.

On many or most others, there is no change in elevation. The entire headstock surface is flat.

 

[AGWAN]

Seems to me maybe Warmoth could meet halfway and offer painted bindings? seems like that would please the people in the black/white crowd.

 

[Cagey]

Maybe they do, but you have to call and ask for it. They do it on bodies, so it's not like there's any mystery to it for them.

 

[Panthur]

I had a look at my strat headstock last night and yeh, it's very 3d around the nut area. What about the angled strat headstock though, that looks flat. Warmoth could offer binding on LP and angled strat headstocks ?.

 

[Cagey]

Again, maybe they do, but you have to call and ask for it. They do it on bodies, so it's not like there's any mystery to it for them.

 

[B3Guy]

IDK. Part of me wants to say that they don't even want to touch the idea of headstock binding. I somewhat doubt that binding on "2D" is an option. Most of the supposedly "secret" or "hidden" options are not so hidden on the forum. Usually someone somewhere on the forum has discovered the :hidden" option and given it a whirl.

 

[lkja8uatt33]

Let's bring this discussion back from the dead!  Headstock binding (or even just painting of some kind) would be great.  It's probably the one thing preventing me from doing a certain project.

 

[JaySwear]

A Warmoth or Warhead headstock with binding? Yes, please!

 

[Orpheo]

A Warmoth or Warhead headstock with binding? Yes, please!

these 2 heads with binding and skip all the others. good idea! I'm in

 

[B3Guy]

If they would bind an angled Warhead for me, I'd be buying one in an instant.

 

[tylereot]

Well, certainly it could be done, whether or not Warmoth WANTS to do it is another story.
You'd just have to use a non-uniform width binding. 
If I were to try it, I'd use a very wide binding, so it would be too tall for the headstock, but tall enough to cover up to the nut.  Then cut it back down to level with the top plane of the headstock.

Example: this is the maple binding on my archtop.  Same issue, same solution.  Maybe you should give it a try yourself!