Am I the only one who dislikes rope binding?

Bill1 said:

A ukulele is about sound not looks. You are likely to be disappointed if all you ever care about is cosmetics and visuals. Focus on materialistic stuff and how much it costs is another way to end up being disappointed. When you buy a uke worry about stuff which increases the chances of it sounding good and being easy to play and being strong and resilient so you can take it everywhere.

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I haven't seen anyone mention it's all about the looks and nothing else. In order of importance, sound is first, playability is second and looks are third - at least in my book - but that still means that looks are important, just not as important as the other two.

I've personally grown to really like rope binding myself. I don't actually own any ukes with rope binding as it's not the most common type of binding but I'd happily get one if I find an interesting uke with it.

Bill1 said:

I order it on customs to protect the edges where the thin sections join. I really have no interest in whether it looks good or not.

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To me that’s the fundamental benefit of binding, though I’m not really certain that it’s needed.

Bill1 said:

A ukulele is about sound not looks. You are likely to be disappointed if all you ever care about is cosmetics and visuals. Focus on materialistic stuff and how much it costs is another way to end up being disappointed. When you buy a uke worry about stuff which increases the chances of it sounding good and being easy to play and being strong and resilient so you can take it everywhere.

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If I really don’t like the way a Uke looks then I won’t enjoy playing it. It’s not quite all about the sound, you’ve got to feel comfortable with the instrument too. I like plain and I really dis-like bling, I wouldn’t enjoy playing a really fancy instrument but other people get added pleasure from playing something that’s rather showy. At the end of the day the pleasure that we get from playing is the summation of a mix of factors that are almost unique to each player.

Bill1 said:

A ukulele is about sound not looks. You are likely to be disappointed if all you ever care about is cosmetics and visuals. Focus on materialistic stuff and how much it costs is another way to end up being disappointed. When you buy a uke worry about stuff which increases the chances of it sounding good and being easy to play and being strong and resilient so you can take it everywhere.

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But the two are not mutually exclusive, are they, Bill? Without doubt, my first priority by a massive margin is how a uke sounds and plays - particularly the intonation. I am blessed/cursed with a 'really good ear' - not a boast, just that I can hear tiny inaccuracies in intonation and find it unbearable, so intonation is huge for me. My next uke may well explore fret zero, as I know many luthiers consider this a significant tool to improve intonation on what is, even in a tenor, a short-scale string instrument.

That all said, if I really don't like the look, then I am unlikely to consider buying it. With reference to the OP, for example, I have an irrational, deep dislike of rope binding!!

Ben

I don't like all rope binding on every ukulele-- by a long shot-- but the right color values/proportional design on the right combination of woods can really get me goin'.

My upcoming Beansprout, Port Orford over Walnut, will feature rope binding; I love the subtle visual zing it provides, in Aaron's hands.

~ S.

I didn't like it but I bought a Mainland red cedar/rosewood baritone and it's growing on me.