Audiotrove
TDPRI Member
Well I’ve had a solid spruce top crack. Haven’t had that problem with ply.
Are Laminate back and sides stronger than solid hard woods?
- Thread starter Milspec
- Start date
Charlie Bernstein
Doctor of Teleocity
Sure it is! Would you rather be rammed by a destroyer in a PT boat or a birch bark canoe?
Now 'scuse me while I get back to my birch bark Tele. . . .
Freeman Keller
Doctor of Teleocity
Laminated woods can make very nice guitars, in fact some styles of guitar requires laminations. As far as the Tak's are concerned, if you like the way it sounds then you have answered your question.
Sure, depending on the buyer. But they aren't for me. Nor are the Taylor 100-200 series or the Martin lams.
Boreas
Doctor of Teleocity
What I miss on a laminate wood guitar is the vibration I feel on my arms and belly. To me, a really well-made acoustic is light as a balloon and vibrates all over. Most mahogany body Martins do that for me - especially when they are older than me.
Laminates are stronger in nearly every application. Is that what you’re asking? Your house is mostly laminate construction. Your airplane is. Race cars. Lots of guitar necks. My bicycle and my cycling shoes. And my robot assassin army I’m finna unleash after Christmas (because Santa takes 1 day off from watching everything on Boxing Day)
padreraven
Tele-Meister
Just don't buy a laminate top. Cheaper acoustic guitars are made that way, and cheaper acoustic-electrics. They have three problems: 1) the middle tones drop out and bass tones are weaker; the sound bounces off of the top instead of causing the wood to vibrate. Treble is usually fine. 2) The tone does not sweeten when played like a solid top does. 3) I had a laminate top acoustic when it was all I could afford, and the string pressure eventually caused the bridge to pull the top laminate layer off.
I too have a Martin D-1 that I bought new in 1995 and the only problems I've had were needing to reset the neck and having to replace the tuning keys. No issues with the wood.
I too have a Martin D-1 that I bought new in 1995 and the only problems I've had were needing to reset the neck and having to replace the tuning keys. No issues with the wood.
mandoloony
Tele-Meister
The back on my Ashborn has some checks in the outer veneer, but the cross-lamination has successfully prevented a crack from going all the way through for 168 years. Seems like it's working.
The Gibson ES-335 is proof that laminated wood can yield great electric guitar tone while also adding resistance to the cracks that sometimes occur in solid wood semi-hollow and hollow bodied guitars. The tone is different but, when used as part of a well thought out build, contributes to something excellent.
Swirling Snow
Tele-Holic
One of the more expensive guitars I used to sell were the Hill classical guitars. Upwards of $4,000 and they had laminated tops.
Like so many things, it's not how you do it, but do you do it well enough.
If you like the sound, how they got it doesn't matter, really.
Like so many things, it's not how you do it, but do you do it well enough.
If you like the sound, how they got it doesn't matter, really.
maxvintage
Poster Extraordinaire
I have a really great selmer style guitar that has laminated sides and back. Macaferri designed them this way: he reasoned that a stiffer, less resonant back and side would concentrate vibration in the top, rather than the back and sides. It's a great guitar. I've played the hell out of it. I know a well regarded maker of sel-mac guitars who lays up his own plywood for exactly this reason.
It got sunk when a destroyer sliced through it and the Prez had to swim for it.
Boreas
Doctor of Teleocity
I know. That's why it wasn't high on my list for illustrating the strength of plywood. Not that steel would have helped.
jrblue
Friend of Leo's
Yes, it's stronger. But that's a BS excuse for using it because it's used because it's cheaper, and solid sides are plenty strong enough unless you are using the guitar as a weapon. Some laminate guitars sound fine, and some companies are getting into engineered laminates rather than buck-saving laminates (which are really just an exercise in veneering to look good, cheaply) but most laminates are simply cost-cutting builds. Of course they lose something acoustically, since the layers have graining running in different directions, and clue between, which does not work well. But -- and this is big -- at stage volume, or in many recording situations, you may not want the most responsive guitar possible since you're not huddling with the band around one mike at the state fair. These tighter, deader guitars won't win the trophy for pure acoustic performance, but may well work better in some settings.
padreraven
Tele-Meister
That reminds me of a quote (one of those things that stays with you, heaven knows why). Some kid asked Kennedy how he became a war hero, and he said "It was involuntary. They sunk my boat."
rockinstephen
Tele-Meister
Some great comments here! Yes, it stands to reason that laminated (plywood) is stronger than solid wood due to the grain patterns. Also, a solid wood top will resonate better than one that is laminated. If you plug in to play, it really doesn't matter too much. I have a 3/4 size laminated Luna guitar that sounds fine when plugged in. I also have a 6 & 12 string Blueridge; both are all solid woods. As always, try to play before you buy to see if it's for you.
Swirling Snow
Tele-Holic
BTW, shaving a board down to laminate thicknesses and then gluing it back together is an expensive process.
Charlie Bernstein
Doctor of Teleocity
Yup! See post 22.
Charlie Bernstein
Doctor of Teleocity
That's the whole point to plywood, as Milspec must surely know.
