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Old 07-12-2017, 06:23 AM
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arktrav arktrav is offline
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Default I need some help, please

I need your help on an issue. I have bought a, (not high dollar or high caliber), Alvarez classical guitar off Reverb. The guitar was advertised, inadvertently, to have solid mahogany back and sides. As it turns out it is laminated, back and sides according to the people at Alvarez. The guitar is about 15-20 years old.

How would you assess the monetary value difference between laminated and solid back and side construction? Or maybe better, what % of value would you place on whether the sides or solid or laminated?

thank you.
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Old 07-12-2017, 11:05 AM
Dogsnax Dogsnax is offline
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It's pretty hard to assign a percentage value to the back/sides situation. Keep in mind that most of the tone characteristic comes from the top, which is hopefully either solid cedar or spruce. I've heard some great classical guitars with laminated back and sides and I actually owned a 1983 Eric Sahlin classical that had laminated sides....his guitars are some of the best in the classical world.

If you're comfortable doing so, let us know which model you purchased and what you paid.
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Old 07-13-2017, 06:55 AM
Red_Label Red_Label is offline
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Would definitely be a difference in value... but if it sounds good, then that's what really counts! Let your conscience be your guide. Something that feels reasonable to you in terms of price. It will definitely be worth less should you choose to sell it, then if it had all-solid construction. So that's definitely a factor. But as Dogsnax mentioned, I've had guitars with laminated back and/or sides that sounded great. Solid top and overall construction are more important.
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Old 07-13-2017, 08:12 AM
Gitfiddlemann Gitfiddlemann is offline
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Quote:
How would you assess the monetary value difference between laminated and solid back and side construction? Or maybe better, what % of value would you place on whether the sides or solid or laminated?
As mentioned by a poster above, there are lots of high quality classicals built with laminated sides and back/sides. In the hands of the right builder, it's a functionally constructive issue and would be hard to tell tone wise if the guitar had a laminated or solid wood construction. (My old Ramirez 1a had laminated sides).
So, I would hesitate to claim that a solid wood guitar is worth more than one which incorporates laminated elements.
Looks like Alvarez, on some of their guitars, specify "solid" as a qualifier for their tops only, as in "solid Western red cedar", which implies that the back and side wood construction may indeed be laminated in some form or other. (as they indicated to you).
That could be why it was left out in the description on Reverb. It may not have been intentional at at all on their part.
So, all things considered, if I were you I would base my decision on how it sounds and plays. If you like it, keep it. I wouldn't worry at all about the lamination part.
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Old 07-13-2017, 08:55 AM
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thanks to all! I appreciate your advice. Given that the guitar is certainly not a high dollar instrument, I will try it and see what it sounds like and go from there. Thanks.
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