Are all laminates created equal?

[SuzyGreenberg]

I'm in the market for a couch guitar with a solid top and laminated back/sides. I was wondering if there are specific manufacturers I should be looking at (or avoiding) based on the quality of their laminates. Do some brands have better laminates than others or are they really all the same?

[Tony Done]

Welcome to the forum.

Good question.

I'm a big fan of laminated b&s, as in this recent thread:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=496487

There are no doubt differences among manufacturers, but laminates will be inherently more stable than solid, so I wouldn't be worrying too much about mechanical issues. I would be trusting my ears, there are a lot of good guitars at there.

[Looburst]

As Tony stated, there are differences in laminates. Trust your own ear is good advice. I only own one laminate b&s guitar, a Farida OT22 and it has a beautiful sound that certainly gives me joy every time I play it. I was once a non believer in them simply because I didn't think laminate could give me the sound I wanted. Old dogs can be made to change their mind.

[Swamp Yankee]

When I read 'laminate' I think of something like Martin's HPL which is made with layers of something like paper that are glued together under pressure and given a top layer of something printed to look like wood, much like a countertop laminate might be printed to look like granite.

When I read 'laminated wood' I think of layers of solid wood that are glued together under pressure.

Both have their fans and detractors, but I'd take the latter over the former in most cases.

I'm particularly fond of my Taylor GS Mini for a couch guitar with laminated (they call it layered) wood back and sides. In my opinion, they use the inherent strength of laminated wood to very good effect, eliminating the need for internal bracing on the back and producing a small body guitar with a surprisingly loud voice and deep tone.

[guitar george]

No.

Laminate is a product of 2 or more layers of thin wood and glue that are sandwiched together to form a hybrid material. Usually the outer layer is specified, but, the inner layers can be any type of wood or glue. The end product is a stiff board, of unknown mass values and sound qualities, known as laminate. (plywood)

Because they all can be different, the sound produced can be different.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by SuzyGreenberg

I'm in the market for a couch guitar with a solid top and laminated back/sides. I was wondering if there are specific manufacturers I should be looking at (or avoiding) based on the quality of their laminates. Do some brands have better laminates than others or are they really all the same?

Guild routinely used laminated backs during their Hoboken/Westerly days (as they still do on many of their USA models), and these instruments are highly regarded by many players (myself included). While most laminated Pac-Rim imports are mediocre at best, Yamaha "cracked the code" by 1970; not only do their instruments remain in high demand, but the early-production large-bodies were a staple among '70s studio guitarists looking for a "Martin" sound on record (and FYI have achieved collector status). If you're on a budget, I'd recommend taking a serious look at the Godin lineup - Seagull, Simon & Patrick, Norman (and, if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, the Godin 5th Avenue acoustic archtop - my own favorite couch guitar BTW) - most of which are made from North American woods, and all of which IME punch way above their weight/price in terms of both tone and QC...

Welcome to the forum...

[SuzyGreenberg]

Super helpful. Thank you.

[imwjl]

Welcome.

I'm the wrong person for the fine print on all laminates but will say I'm really glad we got the all laminate version Little Martin some years ago vs the wood top version. The sound is plenty fine and it's been really nice to have a guitar that's resistant to stuff like birthday cake, sun block and whatever. It has survived moisture and temperature scenarios wood would not take.

If this is for couch only, there are moderately priced all wood guitars too.

Have fun shopping!

[Steadfastly]

Good question. The answer is no.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by SuzyGreenberg

Do some brands have better laminates than others or are they really all the same?

Your answer is the same as if you asked if all solid-wood guitars are created equal.

You've gotten some good suggestions. I'm a fan of the Blueridge and Seagull guitars in this category, but that's just me. Have fun sampling the wares.

[llew]

I just heard of this PRS SE with laminate back & sides and if I was in the market for one this one would be on my list to play. The SE T40E "Tonare".
http://www.prsguitars.com/index.php/...ics/se/se_t40e
I wasn't expecting it to sound this good?

[DenverSteve]

Rather than go into a purchase looking for something specific (like all laminate) I would set my budget and look for the finest instrument I can get for that amount. Every guitar from $10 to $10,000 can be a "couch guitar". Good luck.

[Kerbie]

The best ones I've ever played are the Godin products, particularly the Seagull. It is my impression that all laminates are not created equal... they can vary a lot by the quality of wood that goes into them. If I were buying one, the Seagulls would be my top choice.

[menhir]

Seagull guitars. Solid top, laminated sides, and more than a couch guitar.

[CTGull]

Seagulls laminates are 3 equal layers, the inner and outer being typically wild cherry, and the inner ply maple. In combination with a cedar top gives them warmth and brightness.

Vintage Yamaha's may have been 99% laminates, but they used all tonewood, no filler. And the guitars have had the last 40+ years to dry out. That equals killer tone very similar to all solid wood guitars costing 10X more.