Laminate advantages? - Page 3

SpruceTop · #31 03-31-2020, 08:23 AM

Then there are the superb-sounding, carbon-fiber-based guitars like the Ovation Adamas with its carbon-fiber/wood/carbon-fiber layered top, and RainSong, Emerald, and other brands with their multi-layered carbon-fiber tops, and carbon-fiber back and sides.

redir · #32 03-31-2020, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

The thinking behind the double-top design was that the guitar would be louder. My Bamburg is a double-top. I wouldn't call it a cannon but it's certainly not on the quiet side.

The way the double-top is constructed is your take two thin tops, in my case Carpathian Spruce, and laminate them with a sort of honeycomb mesh between them. Each top is only glued to the mesh and not to each other. It's an interesting design and I believe it was about a $1k upgrade when I ordered the guitar. Not sure I'd do it again though. The difference isn't very noticeable.

On the plus side, however, I'll bet that guitar is more immune to top cracks than any other acoustic I own, so long as the glue on the honeycomb holds. But to the point, a double-top is very much a different animal from a laminate top. You're not likely to have found a double-top on an inexpensive guitar back when the process was fashionable.

I've only ever built one DT guitar and it came out ok. Not great but just ok. It definitely has the properties of a DT as you mentioned. But I did have one classical DT guitar come in for repair once that was made by a very reputable luthier. At first I didn't like the guitar at all but it quickly grew on me. I was playing it in my shop after I fixed it up when my wife walked in and said, "is there a battery in that thing?" It really was THAT much louder then any guitar I've ever picked up. So much so that you had to learn to tame it where as with a normal classical guitar you have to fight it to get that volume.

No doubt the Nomex honeycomb will protect the guitar from cracking. A sandwiched top is very stiff too. In fact it fells like it's already been braced but then you add bracing to it anyway.

Mayfair · #33 03-31-2020, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

That advice pretty much flies in the face of what's been espoused pretty much everywhere else.

The way I see it, the only advantage that laminated back and sides give is that they are more resistant to shock damage - making them a good choice for gigging with. As for the top, that needs to vibrate freely and sorry but something that's glued together in 2-3 layers of alternating grain directions won't do that nearly as well.

This is what I was going to say. My Gibson with a laminate arched back was much more stable than any solid backed guitar I've had. There are so many factors which go into stability, but I wouldn't turn away a laminate if it had a nice top and sounded/felt great.

Thom PC · #34 03-31-2020, 10:50 AM

I think my Yamaha LS6 (solid top, laminated B/S) sounds better than some all solid guitars I have played through the years. But compared to the Yamaha LS16 (more or less the same guitar, but all solid) it admittedly sounds less full, less extended and less detailed throughout the frequency range. I am not sure it necessarily makes it "better" or "worse", but it is different, and - probably - less "expensive" sounding, if that even makes any sense.

whvick · #35 03-31-2020, 02:35 PM

I have had a Yamaha studio size and an Alvarez classical that I got as “bangers”, but they were really quite enjoyable to play.
I have a 50 year old Aria classical that has a solid cedar top and rosewood back and sides. It sounds so good that I thought it was all solid. When I learned that the B/S were probably a high grade laminate I was disappointed, but later learned that is not uncommon with classicals. Regardless it sounds so good that I don’t care. I just play and enjoy.

Mark Stone · #36 03-31-2020, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Kazuo Yairi, for one. Highly rated.

Absolutely. On my 1977 K. Yairi, the back is laminated Rosewood - but it's done with two thin pieces with parallel grain. I would rate the tone as equal or better to most solid wood guitars I've owned (mostly Gibson acoustics). When people discuss solid vs. laminated, it's easy to blanket all makers under generalizations. For the most part, solid wood guitars have better tone - but there are a few notable exceptions.