NET Bible Rebound by McSpadden

Brian Fox decided to send his print copy of the excellent NET Bible to McSpadden Bookbindery for an overhaul. (If you don't know about the NET Bible already, do yourself a favor and check it out: print editions / online edition.) I'll let Brian tell the story in his own words -- set off, as always, in italics:

I have been a fan of the NET Bible for several years now. One thing that prevented me from being too excited was the "premium" bonded leather. It wasn't quite premium enough. I had paid $50 or so for it, and was considering replacing it with a $100 top grain leather edition. I had two problems with that idea. The first is that I would still be stuck with a bonded leather Bible; I could put it into a box and try to forget it, but that doesn't work, and its sewn binding seemed to almost call to me. The second problem I had was that I wasn't too sure that the top grain leather would be tops, and I realized that I could solve both problems for $100 at McSpadden, and I would get nice black calfskin.

The whole process took about a month, and I am very happy with what I got. I sent my Bible off, and shortly after they received it, I received a phone call from Corry McSpadden. He's really easy to work with, and he didn't nickel and dime me. Raised bands, semi yapp (he calls it turned edge), extra lines of imprinting on the spine, and imprinting my name did not add to the cost of the rebind. This rebind would have cost $128 at Mechling, and it would not have the semi yapp cover. I am happy with my Mechling rebind, but I like the semi yapp a lot, and Mechling doesn't do that.

Gayle McSpadden also spoke with me, and she's a real sweetheart. When I was having obsessive compulsive problems, wondering if they might have misspelled something, or even worse, imprinting New Living Translation rather than New English Translation, she assured me that I would love this Bible, and I do.

(For any of you watch lovers, that is an Invicta Abyss with a mother of pearl dial, automatic Miyota movement, and a glass back)

There is a hinge on the inside of the front and back cover, and I don't find it very pretty. I admit that it is the part of the Bible that I am least incline to look at, so if it is there for a good reason, I can live with it. Corry's letter says it allows the Bible to open properly for many years. Here is a copy of the letter:

The Bible has fairly stiff boards, which I don't mind. It isn't as flexible as a Nelson Signature Bible, but the weight of the pages is enough to make it open to more than flat. Also, I think the hinge makes the center of the Bible not open quite as wide as I would like to read comfortably, but it opens wide enough with ease to read the parts in the middle. I wouldn't try Bible yoga with this, and yes Mark, I need to turn all 2500+ pages. I'm getting arthritis, so leave me alone.

Here are more views of this Bible:

I also wanted to show a picture of the text. I have seen some criticism of the NET Bible for putting the chapter and verse numbers in front of each verse. I conjecture that this is so the reader can tell where he or she is. There are so many translator notes (60,932) that it is easy to lose track of where one is. Some pages have 4/5 or 9/10 translator notes. I don't find it distracting, but I know some people do.

Overall, considering price, service, included features, and the look and feel of my newly bound Bible, I am very impressed. I would use McSpadden again, and I would recommend them to my friends. When Corry did my Bible, he was doing about 60-70 Bibles, so he seems to have a good system down for getting them done. After it was finished, because of the large number of Bibles Gayle had to ship, it took about three extra days to get it shipped. They sent it to my by USPS Priority Mail. They mailed it on a Thursday, and I had it on Saturday.

If anyone has any questions, I would be happy to answer them.

Thanks, Brian, for sharing your photos. I have several more McSpadden reports in the pipeline, so stay tuned everyone. And if you have questions for Brian, by all means ask!

Comments

[Nick Potratz]

I had a Bible rebound by McSpadden - Mark should be putting up the pics soon. While I was impressed with the workmanship and appearance of the Bible, be forewarned that you will essentially have your Bible turned into a hardback if you go with McSpadden. That was my beef with the rebind: a thin sheet of beautiful leather glued over super stiff boards and plastic lining. Don't even think about doing yoga with it, either.

[Rod Summers]

The calfskin and edges look grand. I love the feel of a good soft calfskin as well as the thickness. Was the inside cover leather or something else? Thanks for the pictures. I am a reader of the NET Bible, too, although I use the Reader's Version and the CD version to dig into translator notes.

[David N]

Does anyone know much about the NET's readability and translation philosophy as opposed to the ESV? Is it better, worse, or just a matter of preference, and why? Thanks!

[Michael]

That's a beautiful book.

[Steve]

David, The ESV is my primary translation, but I've referred to the NET often (particularly for it's textual notes). My experience is that the ESV is a more literal translation, whereas the NET is further down the dynamic equivalent scale, and makes a much more deliberate attempt to clarify meaning in its word choices and phrasing. I've grown increasingly uncomfortable with this approach, mostly out of concern that translations might say more than the text requires, with the result that it interprets too much for me, rather than allowing me the freedom to sort things out with more study on my own.

I know there are a whole host of opinions on this subject, and mine is sure to be scrutinized. There's a tough balance between these two translation philosophies, and I can appreciate the arguments that favor each side.

Perhaps if the NET were offered in as many Trutone cover variations as the ESV I'd convert to it. ; )

[Gayle McSpadden McSpadden Bookbindery]

I am Gayle from the bookbindery and am confused to why it is stated that you would wind up with hardboard for a cover. We use what most all bookbinders use and it is called flex paper and this is what you have to use to adhere the leather to, you have to put the leather on something and it comes in a extra limp (which most people don't want) or the one that we use the regular flex paper.
On the inside cover, we use what is called bible liner and it isn't a plastic paper.
I appreciate all of the compliments from Nick Potratz and Brian Fox and I remember them both, but just wanted to clarify that you can have the extra floppy binding if you want to. Thanks again
Gayle McSpadden 1-866-919-7788

[Brian Fox]

Nick,

The boards are stiff, and I like them that way. Mark loves floppy covers, but that would give me an ache in my wrists from trying to keep the Bible from falling limp. I don't see any purpose in doing Bible yoga apart from demonstrating the limpness of the cover on a blog such as this. The Bible opens flat, it stays open, it returns to the way it should be when I close the Bible, it feels soft and smooth. I think if you call and really communicate all of your desires for the rebind project, Corry and Gayle will make it the way you want, or they will let you know if they cannot. I look forward to seeing your rebind project.

Thanks,

Brian

[Brian Fox]

I would like to add that when I said the boards are stiff, I don't mean that in a negative sense. It opens and closes quickly and easily. The boards are firm enough to give support, but it is really easy to navigate this Bible.

[Brian Fox]

Gayle,

Thank you for your great service, and thank Corry for his fine workmanship. In a world dominated by cheaply made disposable consumer products, it is a pleasure to have the Bible bound the way it deserves to be. It has been a pleasure making use of your services, and I look forward to the next project I will send you. I suppose that right now there is a calf wandering around, unaware that Corry will turn him into my next Bible cover. Until then, thank you!

Brian

[Gayle McSpadden]

Hi Again,
No, I knew that you didn't mean that in a negative way, I just wanted everyone to know that we can rebind the bible either way. It can be extra floppy or regular or we can even do a hard back bible. It just depends on what a person wants their bible to look like and feel like.

We really appreciate the business and really happy that you like your bibles. It is very rewarding to be able to keep all of God's Word in usable condition.

[Thomas Black]

It's a beautiful job! I've been working up the nerve to try my own hand at learning to rebind some ancient German Bibles I have laying here - I may send one of them off to McSpadden now just because I've had a chance to preview their work.

[mike]

Thanks for clarifying, Gayle - I'm excited to send y'all an NASB rebind soon as a gift for my wife, and this post helped me understand available options and my preferences! Look forward to hearing your suggestions on it, too!

[Bill]

Just a thought...I wonder if cover floppiness shouldn't be inversely proportional to volume size? A small Bible is cradled in your hands, it can be very flexible. But a large encyclopedia-sized volume needs the support of stiffer covers just to keep it from getting away from you!

I've been looking forward to a nicer/leather version of the Large Print Archeological SB and was a little disappointed to hear the binding was "just" leather (or TruTone) over hard boards. Yet now that I think about, I suspect I wouldn't be happy with a truly flexible cover on something so big. The bigger question is whether the "hinging" of the binding at the spine allows it to fold flat so the inside text doesn't curve away into the gutter. (And of course, the text block itself needs to be sewn to permit easy, flat opening.)

[David Austin]

reading some of the comments above
you can read about the translation philosophy in the preface
http://bible.org/article/preface-net-bible-first-edition

You can read the NET Bible with its 60,000+ notes on line along with the ability to search 700 yrs of journals as well as dictionaries at http://net.bible.org

you can buy a genuine leather bible and a Greek/NET new testament diglot at
https://store.bible.org/bibles