The wood that goes into making a guitar, whether itâs an acoustic or electric, is a very important thing to consider. By Ken Searcy A lot has transpired through the years in the debate over acoustic guitars in the area of laminate versus solid wood construction. Like with a good red wine, time will define your ultimate choice between solid vs laminate wood acoustic guitars. IIRC the Vestax DA New Yorkers all had pressed solid wood tops, not laminate. Laminate instruments often have very attractive looks as the most visually appealing piece of the wood is chosen as the external layer. Merely stating the types of wood used in the manufacturing process doesnât cut it; they may be laminate layers of the same wood. Electric Guitars ; Laminated vs. also a good solid wood top or guitar will do what they call "opening up" over time, which can improve the sound of a guitar through the years where a laminate top won't do that. Laminate also holds up well to temperature change, humidity change, and physical abuse much more than itâs solid top counterpart. While in many cases solid wood is the preferred tone option, laminate instruments can still sound absolutely brilliant. ... rather than a single straight piece of wood. That being said, my friend Roxanne has a 25 year old Yamaha that's laminate and it's got a beautiful sound. It will not get better with age like solid wood, but if it sounds great now, it will always sound that way. It is not a secret that the type of materials and craftsmanship affect the quality, durability, sound and price of acoustic guitars. Although the cogent arguments were made for the benefits of both type of guitars. Surface Comparison: Laminate vs. Veneer vs. Great deals on Top Wood Guitar Building & Luthier Supplies. As a guitar construction material, there are a lot of advantages. Used for: Soundboard. My best friend chose my first guitar for me; the laminate top Yamaha sounded better than several solid top Martins. A lot has transpired through the years in the debate over acoustic guitars in the area of laminate versus solid wood construction. Is the distinction between laminate or plywood guitars and solid guitars cut and dry? It is not a secret that the type of materials and craftsmanship affect the quality, durability, sound and price of acoustic guitars. Having read everything on laminate vs. solid wood guitars I thought if I only had a solid wood top this would of never happened. This doesnât mean that all laminate guitars are bad. Cedar. Spending a grand on a guitar is serious business, so before you order, here are 11 acoustic-electric guitars that we believe are more than worth their price tag. That said, just be wary of a guitar over $300 that has a laminate top. However, it is often found as the laminate material for multi-wood bodies where it adds brightness to other body woods that may contribute a darker tone. HPL, or High-Pressure Laminate materials are becoming more commonplace in guitar construction. $199.99. This is due both to its tonal response, (once again, very similar to Alder) as well as the fact that Basswood is much more readily available to the manufacturers in Asia. Many guitar manufacturers as a substitute for alder are using this wood, as it is quite similar in tone. In general, solid wood is best, especially with regards to the guitar top, or soundboard. Used for: Back/sides. You have to understand that about 80% of the tone comes from the top. Taylor Acoustic & Electric Guitars (Moderators: Cindy, Edward, ... my Voyage-Air guitar is all laminate and does not have near the sound of a solid wood guitar. I think the top is more critical when discussing laminate vs solid, and the B&S to a lesser extent. Cocobolo What is the Best Guitar Fretboard Wood? This wood is full and responsive. Laminate vs. First of all, you are mistaken if you think that the wood barely changes the sound of an electric guitar. Martin Guitars, in particular, have a line made partially, or almost completely, from HPLs. Laminated vs. solid wood electric guitars I recently tested a guitar that I know was made from laminated wood (supposedly very bad from what I've read) against a guitar made of solid mahogany. I've had two laminate Martins in the past, a 000 from the old Road Series, and a Cowboy 2. However, there are many examples of guitar models using cheaper wood than should be found in their price range. The neck of the acoustic guitar is usually made from Mahogany, particularly with steel string guitars and often Spanish Cedar for Nylon string guitars. The cheapest solid wood guitar is going to sound and play worse than a more expensive laminate back/side guitar. And since my guitar was a mid-range guitar anyway, ... but I personally don't think a single laminate three peice neck are as stable as a one piece neck. ... Flame Spalted Curly Maple Wood 5430 Electric Solid Body Guitar Top set . $29.20 shipping. Because of this, hard maple tonewood is more commonly found in guitar necks rather than solid-body construction because of its undesirable weight. Thanks for Reading But arguably the most important component is the top wood; in this article, we'll delve deeper into the debate of solid tops vs. laminate tops. Solid wood ages better, costs more, ... (virtually looks and feels unfinished) finish laminate. If that were the case, high-end guitars would be much cheaper. Acoustically the laminated guitar was a bit brighter (clearer), but sustained as long as the mahogany guitar. No ire from me here. This has left in an existential panic of choosing the right one. Layered woods offer somewhat greater resistance to changes in humidity. But, in order to go into this with y But they can't come close to the sound of a solid wood Martin. Laminate vs. It wouldn't be as big of a deal if the sides and back are laminate. ... Buckeye burl guitar bass figured wood, drop top laminate luthier . The accompanying rule of thumb is: If it doesnât say that itâs solid wood, it generally isnât. The major features of guitars that are made from wood are the body, which is the largest part of the guitar, where the sound emanates from, and the neck and fingerboard, where the frets are located. The Guitar Wood â Solid Wood or Laminate Wood In this post, Iâll show you some knowledge about Solid Wood and Laminate Wood. For example, an Epiphone Masterbilt is all solid wood at around $800 but will sound and play worse than a Taylor 214ce which has laminate back/sides for around $1200. Here at Breedlove Guitars we sit in both camps of this debate. Though not having the depth of Rosewood, it offers a much broader tonal response than mahogany. $19.70 shipping. In fact, I have played many laminate top guitars that have a very nice tone to them. Followers 0. But first, I have to say that though the woods will has more effect on the quality sound of guitar however that not mean you just choose a guitar which made of quality wood and you will best sounds. The sound of your acoustic guitar is a team effort. The solid wood guitar is a piece of rosewood all the way through. Neck. Maple is also common though more common in electric guitars than acoustics. That's the budget version of an Ovation: aluminum fretboard/frets with some kind of wood top. The guitar will project with greater volume. The jazz tone we all talk about is from an electric guitar. But it's the top that's the primary sound board so that's probably more important for solid wood. Laminate gets a bad rap in my opinion because it is indeed a cheaper option. Resonant properties are improved with solid top guitar versus laminate. Basswood: the principal wood used on many Japanese made instruments. Your veneered back and sides have three layers of wood with glue between them. The outside layer is rosewood, and the inside layers are less valuable. 07-20-2009, 01:45 PM #12. The properties of the best acoustic archtops don't necessarily make them great electric guitars. One of the first things to consider when it come to the tone woodâs of acoustic guitars is that not all of them use solid wood. The sound is generated by the vibration of the top, and a laminate (plywood) top does not vibrate as freely as a solid piece of wood. For years guitar companies have sought to find ways to make more durable and cheaper guitars. Read on for the full lowdown! Construction, hardware, neck shape - the list goes on. I loved both of them, and would take either of them over several solid wood guitars I've had in the past. A guitar over $300 should have a solid top with the back and sides made of laminate and a guitar under $300 is likely to be all laminate. Simple answer: solid wood tops , sides and backs offer greater resonance. I had t really considered the 200s because of the laminate and I wanted all solid wood but now that I have it I'm glad I didn't spend the money on the 300s. Learn more about the wood for necks here. My particular opinion (and the idea that Martin has used) is that the soundboard of a guitar, the top, should be a solid piece of tone wood, but you can use laminate/HPL to construct the back, sides, and even neck of the guitar to make the best of both. This is frequently used as an acoustic guitar soundboard - especially on nylong string guitars - and has a warm, soft, open sound with beautiful overtones. Guitar manufacturers love to tell you that their solid wood models are just that. Solid Maple Necks Sign in to follow this . Just make sure that if you select a laminate-wood guitar that it sounds good. A Solid Case for Laminated Woods in Electric Guitars ... fellow at a music store told me that if I really wanted a good sounding guitar I've better get something made of solid wood and not laminate wood. Solid Wood Amy Blitchok 18 Jul 2019 Buying Tips and Guides Leave a comment Equipping your office with the right furniture can involve a delicate balance of choosing options that are durable, stylish and affordable. You've heard of "babying" a guitar; maintaining a solid-wood acoustic means treating it much the same as a small child. One of the best acoustic guitars I ever heard and played was an Applause. Solid Wood. We love any and all guitars here really, but we thought itâd be better to break down the pros and cons, if you will, of laminate and solid wood guitars. They are strong and make a good guitar, but they canât produce the complexity of tone that you hear in a solid wood guitar. 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