Inlays

Inlays are decorative material on the guitar that is set into the wood. Inlays can be anything from dots on the fretboard to intricate designs on the body. Most commonly, inlays are found on the fretboard and the headstock of the guitar -and around the soundhole of an acoustic guitar.

Guitar's made from professional guitar makers or custom shops will add or create guitar's with designs all around and on the body of the guitar. Some designs might be flowers, or vines, in a pearl or gold look. Intricate designs such as that can also be found on the fretboard and neck.

While these designs are often just very elaborate decorations, they are sometimes works of art that even depict a particular theme or scene. These guitars are often constructed from the most exclusive materials, that are generally considered to be collector's items and not intended to be played. Large guitar manufacturers often issue these guitars to celebrate a significant historical milestone.

Body
Inlays can be placed on the body of the guitar. Either on the back, sides, or the soundboard (top), this gives artists a larger canvas to create elaborate and highly-detailed designs. When an inlay is found on a body of a guitar, this typically indicates a high-end factor with that guitar.

Fretboard
Most inlays are found on the fretboard. Fender, for example, has signature "dots" across the fretboard. Each dot indicate a fret. (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th) PRS has birds that indicate frets.

However, that is not the only case for inlays on a fretboard. More beautiful works of art can be placed on the fretboard.

Binding
Binding on acoustic guitars serve to protect the edges of the wood from impact and moisture damage. After the back, front and sides are joined a small ledge is cut out on the edge which is then inlaid before finishing the guitar. On solid-body electric guitars it serves only a cosmetic purpose. Fretboards are sometimes also "bound".