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#1
07-06-2015, 06:59 AM
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What does "slab-cut" mean?
I've been reading on arch tops. About the woods and making, etc. I've come across guitars that are (I think) laminates but the wording used is made from "slab cut maple". What does this "slab cut" mean? How does it related to lamination of woods? thanks,
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There is nothing wrong with having nothing to say...unless you insist on saying it! 
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#2
07-06-2015, 07:40 AM
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How does it relate to laminating wood? It has nothing to do with it. You can laminate any cut of wood grain. Many early Gibson mandolins have solid carved slab-cut backs. Here's a visual representation to show the difference between quarter sawn & slab cut: http://www.lutherie.net/neckbillet3.jpg HE
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#3
07-06-2015, 12:08 PM
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I appreciate your answer, but am still a little confused. For instance, a 1952 ES-150 Gibson is laminated (I thought) but as you will read in this site (https://www.archtop.com/ac_52ES_150.html) It talks about a slab cut of maple. Confusing to me. thanks, J.C. Bryant (arktrav)
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There is nothing wrong with having nothing to say...unless you insist on saying it!
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#4
07-06-2015, 12:34 PM
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Have you ever seen the Gibson J-160E that John Lennon used to play? It has a laminated top. The veneer that you see was sliced from a quarter sawn log, and then glued to a couple of other substrate veneers. Simple. Gibson used to call that stuff 'Select spruce', instead of just saying it was laminated. HE
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#5
07-06-2015, 12:42 PM
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JC,
Also keep in mind the term 'arched' is often used instead of 'laminated steam pressed', as with veneers. A real archtop acoustic guitar will be carved from a book matched block, and will always say 'carved', and they just do NOT use carved maple for tops! HE
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#6
07-06-2015, 04:56 PM
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okay, thanks Howard, I'm a little thick but I believe I understand now. I appreciate you information very much.
__________________
There is nothing wrong with having nothing to say...unless you insist on saying it!
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#7
07-07-2015, 05:27 AM
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The 'confusion' you're feeling is because Gibson doesn't say that it's laminated. Using 'buzz' words is a very useful tactic when it comes to writing product copy, unfortunately. When my friend's sloppy strumming wore a path through the top layer on his J-160E, I was able to clearly see the cross-grain under the spruce veneer. THEN I understood what 'select spruce' really meant! HE
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#9
07-07-2015, 06:46 AM
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So how'd I do with my explanation? I defer to your supreme depth of Gibson arch top knowledge, always! Be well, HE
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#10
07-07-2015, 01:21 PM
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Howard--You wrote: ""Slab-cut - a plank with growth rings roughly parallel to the wider face." ... Here's a visual representation to show the difference between quarter sawn & slab cut: http://www.lutherie.net/neckbillet3.jpg"
But when I clicked on the lutherie.net link, it looked to me that the headings for quartered and slab cut diagrams were reversed. I.e., the growth ring lines in the quartered piece ran parallel to the wider face, of both the plank and the arch wedge. Did I ge this totally wrong? Any light you can shed ... All best, Richard
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#11
07-08-2015, 04:50 AM
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I sort of understand your confusion, but you have to ignore the fact that they're showing a neck blank. Clearly the 'wider face' on a neck blank is its height from heel cap to fingerboard. Just imagine the drawing on the left being wider, and then the top of it being carved as a guitar back, and then you can visualize semi-concentric rings occuring. HE
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#12
07-09-2015, 06:43 PM
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Hi Howard--OK, totally get it now! Thanks for the clarification. I was worried for a moment! -- R.
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#14
08-26-2015, 12:15 PM
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Harmony Sovereign OM circa 1960's Custom 2007 Martin 00-14 Mahogany/Adirondack Michaud 00 Cocobolo/Englemann 
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#15
08-26-2015, 12:35 PM
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It is about how the log is milled once harvested.
Slab cut, or flat cut as it is sometimes called, is a method where the complete log is simply sliced, as a whole, into boards one after another. This maximizes the widths of the greatest number of boards. But, the orientation of the grain is ignored. This is how building lumber is milled. Quarter sawn is when you quarter the log and then slice it at a 45 degree angle to the quartering cut. This minimizes the widths of the boards produced but produces the tightest grain possible across the majority of the lumber. This typically is the most desirable for tone wood and aesthetics. You sometimes will see "rift" cut as well. This is kind of a combination. The results are a compromise of grain and width.
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'92 Gibson J-100 '12 Martin HD-28 '84 Takamine G360s
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