Finishing A Bound Fretboard

[matttheguy]

How do I go about finishing a bound fretboard, specifically the top edge of the binding. Should I scrape it to be a little shallow to the fretboard and then apply finish, or just not worry about the finish that will stand proud of the fretboard?

[postal]

What fretboard wood? What kind of binding? plastic? Wood? are you applying finish to the fretboard itself?

Normally, a non finished fretboard, plastic binding the top of the binding is scraped flush to the board with no finish.

A finished FB like maple, the binding is scraped flush to the board and the board and binding both are finished.

A non finished board and wood binding that needs finish, is scraped flush, then mask FB and finish the edge of binding, scrape excess finish off FB..... In this instance, the layer of finish on top of the binding is just to seal it, and there shouldnt be any thickness above the fretboard to worry about.

[matttheguy]

This is a classic Les Paul, no binding nubs, cream plastic binding, rosewood fretboard.

So the sides of the binding get finish and the tops don't.

Thanks!