Laminate Vs Solid Wood Top Guitar

As the term may suggest a laminated top is made of more than one piece of wood.

Laminate vs solid wood top guitar. That s why the top is referred to as the soundboard. A solid wood guitar has a back of heavier solid wood such as mahogany for deep rich tone and a lighter wood such as spruce for the top. Even in furniture all solid wood parts are less common these days and much easier to spot than in a guitar. Laminate tops will have seams between each layer of wood that are parallel to the top.

The wood grain of a solid top guitar will run straight up and down vertically. Is the distinction between laminate or plywood guitars and solid guitars cut and dry. Using solid wood for the top is still preferred by most builders because the top plays a major role in translating the initial energy of vibrating guitar strings into rich acoustic sound. While laminate guitars are not made with solid pieces of tonewood they are able to be made to look like solid pieces of wood.

Laminate wood is well known to resist the elements much better than solid woods which make it a great option for people that prefer to hang their guitar on the wall or play it around the campfire. Laminate refers to a multi layered construction. Where lower end builds tend to require less refined and at times questionably sourced wood variations today s boutique flat top guitar builders rely exclusively on the most resonant cuts of solid wood. Not quite as examined in this video.

Blueridge br143 all solid wood acoustic guitar duration. Laminate wood simply means money and wood was saved by using thinly veneered layers of wood combined to create your guitar. Both of these environments can expose the guitar to extreme dryness or extreme humidity both difficult for solid wood guitars to withstand. Solid wood guitars are longer lasting and have a richer tone than their laminate counterparts.

Laminate guitars can be made in a more cost effective way highlighting color variations and grain patterns in the wood. What is a laminated top. These pieces are glued together. A major difference between laminate and solid wood guitars involves how the tonewood is sourced and processed.