Quote:
Originally Posted by Dru Edwards
Taylor has just changed their marketing term for their "laminate" guitars to "layered woods" just so that it doesn't get mixed in with laminates, and potentially plywood, that are perhaps made of lesser quality. Taylor uses popular for the inner layer.
Seagull does a great job with their laminates.
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I personally think "layered" is misleading, as if someone is glueing and layering veneers in the factory. Nothing can be further from the truth. Taylor 100 and 200 series are indeed plywood, and the poplar core is perpendicular to the show wood. Poplar by the way is probably one of the cheapest woods available at a lumber yard. Usually greenish or amber in tint with brown and grey streaks; not the most attractive wood, but there are some boards with nice figuring, but generally I'd consider it a paint-grade wood. I understand Seagull has plywood custom-made with inner cores of quality hardwoods, which I feel would be a good improvement.
Laminate is what we in the wood industry refer to Formica, WilsonArt, NevaMar, or other phenolic material that have a paper layer containing the color and pattern plus a plastic (melamine) coating. At least Martin is honest enough to call it what it is, HPL.
When we refer to "laminated" in the wood industry, it generally implies layers of thin wood or veneers wiith the grain running in the same direction, to provide (directional) strength by continuity of grain. Curved stair rails and stringers, splayed table legs, modern furniture, even trusses, are examples.
Layered is what I like to refer to the double-top guitars that many classical builders and some steel string builders are producing. This is actually a core of Nomex, a honeycomb composiite core used mainly in the aviation industry, with very thin outer skins (usually cedar inside and spruce ouutside). It produces a very light, responsive and stiff top, though some may say the one can be a bit harsh and cold. There also is almost no room for error or repair, as the outer layers are extremely thin.
Now I'm not so much a wood snob to suggest a plywood guitar cannot souund good. I own one, and after some tweaking, I feel it sounds really good. But not great, and nowhere near exceptional. I've played great and exceptional guitars, and I gurarantee none of them were plywood! But my thinking it, it is the irregularites and difference in stiffness along different axes that lend "character" to the sound of a guitar. Engineered materials such as plywood do not offer such character, as it is "locked in" by the process.